Hong Myung-bo's vacancy, 'Croatian legend' Dalic in the spotlight! A string of top-tier candidates keeps emerging, with 'Lee Kang-in's mentor' Javier Aguirre also showing interest

*This content was translated by AI.

Former Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalic (60), who stepped down from his post, and former Mexico national team coach Javier Aguirre (68) have simultaneously emerged as top candidates to lead the South Korean national team.

Croatian portal 'Net.hr' reported on the 10th (Korea time), citing Italian football source Lorenzo Repole, that "after Coach Dalic stepped down from the national team, interest in hiring him came from South Korea, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Qatar."

Shortly after the official resignation announcement by the Croatian Football Federation, Mexico and Colombia also joined the race to recruit him.

Coach Dalic led Croatia for a remarkable 8 years and 9 months, achieving major milestones including a runner-up finish at the 2018 Russia World Cup and third place at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. However, after being eliminated in the Round of 32 at this year's 2026 North American World Cup, he officially resigned from his coaching position on the 8th.

Meanwhile, Javier Aguirre, known as 'Lee Kang-in's mentor,' has also been named a strong candidate for the new head coach role. On that day, the Mexican edition of 'Fox Sports' reported, "Recently, Coach Aguirre, who stepped down from his position as Mexico's national team head coach, has been mentioned as a candidate to lead the South Korean national team."

Coach Aguirre was a mentor who utilized Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) as a key player during his tenure at Mallorca in Spain, guiding him to a smooth transition and growth on the European stage. The media predicted that "the Korea Football Association plans to soon contact Coach Aguirre's side to gauge his interest, and the presence of Lee Kang-in, a core member of the South Korean national team, will serve as an important link in advancing negotiations."

In addition to these names, overtures from other renowned foreign coaches continue. Former coach Paulo Bento, who led South Korea to the Round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, has recently informally explored the possibility of returning to lead the South Korean national team after stepping down as head coach of the UAE. Former coach Gus Poyet, who experienced the K League while leading Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the 2025 season, and former coach Roberto Martinez, who most recently managed the Portugal national team, are also eyeing the position of South Korea's head coach.

However, the selection process for the next head coach is expected to take some time. Following the early exit from the North American World Cup, Chief Correspondent Jeong Mong-gyu has resigned, leaving the top leadership position vacant, and the Power Strengthening Committee responsible for handling practical matters has not yet been fully established.

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*This content was translated by AI.