"Hong Myung-bo, get out," despite the shouts, the head coach held his head high, while Son Heung-min kept bowing his head again and again... A divided journey home after the World Cup disaster

*This content was translated by AI.

The journey home was 180 degrees different from the previous day. Son Heung-min (LAFC), captain of the South Korean national football team, returned to Korea amid cheers from fans.

Son Heung-min, along with some national team players including Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Song Beom-geun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), and Lee Gi-hyeok (Gangwon FC), arrived home on the morning of the 1st (Korean time) via Incheon International Airport.

The national team returned in separate groups. On the previous day, June 30, Hong Myung-bo Jeon (CEO) team coach, along with Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Seol Young-woo (Crvena Zvezda), arrived first.

However, the atmosphere on the scene was completely different. At the scene of former coach Hong's return, severe profanity and criticism poured out. Even at an early hour, a crowd of about 300 people gathered, and before the national team even appeared at the arrival hall, harsh profanities continued alongside shouts of "Hong Myung-bo, get out."

Former coach Hong showed no particular reaction. With a stern expression, he stared straight ahead and headed toward the exit. Some football fans continued to express strong dissatisfaction by shouting "Hong Myung-bo, get out" until the moment the former coach and the team boarded the bus. Shouts mixed with profanities and vulgar language continued.

However, Son Heung-min's journey home was different. When Son Heung-min and other national team players appeared at the arrival hall that day, football fans were seen cheering on the broadcast screen. Some fans shouted "We love you," showing their unwavering affection for the national team players.

In response, Son Heung-min and Eom Ji-sung repeatedly bowed their heads toward the fans. This gesture is interpreted as an expression of gratitude for the fans' welcome and regret over the team's poor performance in the North, Central America and Caribbean Cup.

Under former coach Hong Myung-bo, South Korea recorded the lowest-ever finish in the nation's World Cup history, placing 34th overall, suffering the disaster of elimination in the group stage. Although it was assessed that they were drawn into Group A with opponents worth challenging, including host Mexico, Czech Republic, and South Africa, the result was one win and two losses, finishing third in Group A. In particular, South Korea suffered a fatal blow by losing 0-1 to South Africa in the final third match, where a draw would have been enough to advance to the round of 32 as the second-place team in Group A.

This tournament allowed not only the top two teams from each group but also the eight best-performing third-place teams among the 12 third-place teams to advance to the round of 32. However, South Korea finished only 10th even among the third-place teams. Ultimately, the team never reached the tournament stage and concluded its North, Central America and Caribbean Cup journey. After it was confirmed that former coach Hong's team was eliminated in the group stage, he held a press conference and announced his resignation.

However, the anger of football fans toward former coach Hong did not subside easily. As a result, Lee Beon (CEO) team arrived home without a separate farewell ceremony, return event, or media activities.

This is the first time since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup that the national team has returned home without any separate official event. Even when former coach Hong first took charge of the national team at the 2014 Brazil World Cup, a return event was held. At that time, the national team was eliminated in the group stage with a dismal record of one draw and two losses, and some fans threw pumpkin candy at the team at Incheon Airport, saying "the heart of the people."

There was also an unpleasant incident after the 2018 Russia World Cup. At that time, some fans threw eggs at coach Shin Tae-yong and the team. This time, a tense atmosphere unfolded with mutual exchanges of profanities and vulgar language. On the previous day, fierce criticism poured out on former coach Hong's journey home.

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*This content was translated by AI.