Lee Cheon-soo: "Even if he gets criticized, Ventu delivered results" — a calculated remark... summoning "Ventu's ghost" for Hong Myung-bo, who packed up early: "It would have been better to give him four more years"

*This content was translated by AI.

Former South Korean national team player Lee Cheon-soo (45) expressed deep regret while recalling his split with former South Korean national team coach Paulo Bento, who led the team to the 2014 World Cup Round of 16.

On the 27th, Lee Cheon-soo, in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel "Lee Chun-soo," analyzed the current state of Korean and Japanese football alongside Lee Keun-ho and Lee Eul-yong. The video was filmed just before South Korea's third Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against South Africa.

Lee Cheon-soo praised Bento's "build-up football," which he introduced to South Korea, by comparing it to the path Japanese football has taken. He stated, "Bento's style had a clear identity. It showed what they were trying to achieve." He added, "When Japan first adopted build-up football, it was extremely difficult. Even when they tried to pass from the back to players who lacked the ability, they often lost possession and suffered defeats."

He continued, "Bento also faced heavy criticism when he first started. However, in the end, his work paid off at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where he received widespread acclaim. The path Japan has taken is very similar to what Bento achieved."

Indeed, when Bento first took charge, he attempted a backline build-up tactic, enduring numerous trial-and-error setbacks and criticism. Ultimately, however, he led the team to dominant performances at the World Cup finals, securing a place in the Round of 16.

Lee Cheon-soo also highlighted the strong trust the players placed in Bento. He explained, "Bento was a bit disappointing, but when I spoke with the players afterward, not a single one disliked him. Many famous players even expressed their respect for Bento. Nowadays, players need to be convinced by a coach's unique football identity to follow them. Bento did that well."

Finally, Lee Cheon-soo shared his honest feelings about the conclusion of the partnership between the Korea Football Association and Bento after the Qatar World Cup. He said, "When they decided not to continue, as a football professional, I felt it was a pity. I had the thought that 'he could have been given four more years.'"

Meanwhile, the South Korean national team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, was officially eliminated from the 2026 World Cup on this day. Finishing third in Group A with three points, South Korea was pushed to ninth place among the 12 third-placed teams competing for the eight available knockout stage berths, suffering an early exit.

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*This content was translated by AI.