Temporary coach wants to make people proud of nat'l football team

Temporary head coach Robert Moreno said Sunday he will try to make the Korean men’s national football team proud as he takes charge in Korea. The Spanish tactician arrived on Sunday, and the Korea Football Association appointed him on an interim basis through Nov. 27. Korea will play six international friendlies before the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January. Moreno said he wants to unite the players and focus only on the national team.

Moreno and his staff arrived in Korea on Sunday, 12 days after the Korea Football Association announced their interim appointment.

He is signed through Nov. 27 and will oversee Korea’s next six international friendlies.

Korea will host Ecuador on Sept. 24, Uruguay on Sept. 28, Venezuela on Oct. 2 and Uzbekistan on Oct. 6.

The Korea Football Association is trying to schedule two more matches in November.

After the friendlies, Korea will compete in the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January.

Published Sep 13, 2026 4:40 pm KST

Robert Moreno, interim head coach for Korean men's national football team, speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport, Sunday. Yonhap

As he takes over a much-criticized Korean men's national football team, temporary head coach Robert Moreno said Sunday he will try to make people proud of his squad.

The Spanish tactician and his staff arrived in Korea on Sunday, a dozen days after the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced their appointment on an interim basis.

Moreno and his coaches are signed through Nov. 27 and will be in charge of Korea's next six international friendlies. Korea will host Ecuador on Sept. 24, Uruguay on Sept. 28, Venezuela on Oct. 2 and Uzbekistan on Oct. 6. The KFA is also trying to schedule two more matches in November.

After Hong Myung-bo resigned at the end of June to take the fall for Korea's group-stage exit at the FIFA World Cup, the KFA opted not to rush to hire a full-time replacement, with the next set of matches less than three months away. Instead, it went searching for someone to hold the fort temporarily and found their man in the 48-year-old Moreno, who once coached the Spanish men's national team and served as an assistant for FC Barcelona, among other stops.

"I have wanted the Korean national team job for years. There was no reason not to apply for the position," Moreno told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, when asked if the short-term nature of his job gave him any reservation. "It is a huge honor for anyone to lead the Korean national team."

Moreno said he has been watching past Korean matches "every day since I was appointed" and has also been trying to learn about the Korean culture.

"Even though I am here on a temporary basis, I will try to mold the national team into a better squad," Moreno said. "I will try to bring the players together into one and make sure the people will feel proud of them."

Robert Moreno, third from left, interim head coach for Korean men's national football team, poses with his coaching staff at Incheon International Airport, Sunday. Yonhap

After the six upcoming matches, Korea will compete in the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January. The KFA said Moreno will be given a chance to stay on for the top Asian tournament, depending on Korea's performances over the next two months.

Moreno said he will stay focused on the immediate task at hand, saying, "There are not that many matches coming up, but I will concentrate only on the national team."

As for Korea's disappointing showing at the World Cup, Moreno said it was "a heartbreaking situation" for everyone involved.

"But we now have to move forward. That way, we will never forget about the past," he added. "I will make the Korean national team a more proud unit."

Moreno will hold a press conference at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, some 80 kilometers south of Seoul, at 2 p.m. Monday to announce his squad for the Sept.-Oct. matches.

临时主教练罗伯特·莫雷诺周日表示，他将努力带领韩国男足国家队取得佳绩，让韩国人民感到骄傲。这位西班牙籍教练于周日抵达韩国，韩国足协任命他为临时主教练，任期至11月27日。韩国队将在明年1月沙特阿拉伯亚洲杯之前进行六场国际友谊赛。莫雷诺表示，他希望团结球员，专注于国家队比赛。

莫雷诺及其团队于周日抵达韩国，此前韩国足协宣布了他们的临时任命，距今已有 12 天。

他的合同签至11月27日，并将负责韩国队接下来的六场国际友谊赛。

韩国将于9月24日迎战厄瓜多尔，9月28日迎战乌拉圭，10月2日迎战委内瑞拉，10月6日迎战乌兹别克斯坦。

韩国足协正努力安排11月份再进行两场比赛。

友谊赛结束后，韩国队将于1月在沙特阿拉伯参加亚洲足球联合会亚洲杯。

发布于2026年9月13日下午4:40（韩国标准时间）

韩国男足国家队临时主教练罗伯特·莫雷诺周日在仁川国际机场接受记者采访。（韩联社）

周日，临时主教练罗伯特·莫雷诺接手备受批评的韩国男足国家队时表示，他将努力让人们为他的球队感到骄傲。

西班牙战术家及其团队于周日抵达韩国，此前韩国足球协会（KFA）于十二天前宣布任命他们为临时主教练。

莫雷诺及其教练团队的合同签至11月27日，他们将负责韩国队接下来的六场国际友谊赛。韩国队将于9月24日主场迎战厄瓜多尔，9月28日主场迎战乌拉圭，10月2日主场迎战委内瑞拉，10月6日主场迎战乌兹别克斯坦。韩国足协也在努力安排11月份的两场比赛。

6月底，洪明甫因韩国队在世界杯小组赛出局而辞职，承担责任。由于距离下一轮比赛不到三个月，韩国足协并没有急于聘请正式主教练，而是寻找一位能够暂时执掌帅印的人选。最终，他们找到了48岁的莫雷诺，他曾执教过西班牙男足国家队，并在巴塞罗那足球俱乐部担任过助理教练等职务。

“多年来，我一直渴望执教韩国国家队。我没有任何理由不去申请这个职位，”莫雷诺在首尔以西的仁川国际机场告诉记者。当被问及这份工作的短期性质是否让他有所顾虑时，他这样回答道。“对于任何人来说，执教韩国国家队都是莫大的荣幸。”

莫雷诺表示，自从他被任命以来，他“每天都会观看韩国队的比赛”，并且一直在努力了解韩国文化。

莫雷诺说：“虽然我只是暂时执教，但我会努力把国家队打造成一支更强大的队伍。我会努力把球员们凝聚成一个整体，确保人们会为他们感到骄傲。”

周日，韩国男足国家队临时主教练罗伯特·莫雷诺（左三）与他的教练组在仁川国际机场合影。（韩联社）

接下来的六场比赛结束后，韩国队将于明年一月前往沙特阿拉伯参加亚足联亚洲杯。韩国足协表示，莫雷诺能否继续执教这项亚洲顶级赛事，将取决于韩国队未来两个月的表现。

莫雷诺表示他将专注于眼前的任务，他说：“接下来的比赛不多，但我只会专注于国家队。”

对于韩国队在世界杯上的令人失望的表现，莫雷诺表示，这对所有相关人员来说都是“令人心碎的情况”。

“但我们现在必须向前看。这样，我们就永远不会忘记过去，”他补充道。“我会让韩国国家队成为一支更加令人骄傲的队伍。”

莫雷诺将于周一下午 2 点在首尔以南约 80 公里的天安市韩国足球公园举行新闻发布会，宣布他参加 9 月至 10 月比赛的阵容。