Robert Moreno Appointed Interim Manager of South Korea Men's National Football Team

The Korea Football Association (KFA) appointed former Spain head coach Robert Moreno as the temporary manager of the South Korean men's national football team on Tuesday. The decision was approved during a board meeting at Korea Football Park in Cheonan. Moreno, 48, will lead the team for its next six international matches, including fixtures against Ecuador on September 24, Uruguay on September 28, Venezuela on October 2, and Uzbekistan on October 6. The KFA is also working to schedule two additional matches during the FIFA international window from November 9 to 17.

Moreno's contract runs through November 27, though the KFA stated he may be offered a full time role for the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia starting in January, depending on the team's performance this fall. The head coaching position has been vacant since late June, when Hong Myung-bo resigned following the team's group stage exit from the FIFA World Cup. The KFA opted for a caretaker boss rather than rushing to hire a permanent replacement before the September and October matches.

Moreno previously managed the Spanish national team for nine matches in 2019 while Luis Enrique was on leave. His coaching experience includes stints at AS Monaco in France, Granada in Spain, and FC Sochi in Russia. He also served as a scout for FC Barcelona and an assistant to Enrique at AS Roma, Celta Vigo, and FC Barcelona. As part of the appointment, the KFA hired a five man backroom staff, including top assistant Eduardo Docampo and analyst Jacint Magrina.