'Ben-Virginia' Ecuador Snaps Up! "Official Inquiry" to Coach Paulo Bento, Who Expressed Desire to Return to Korea

*This content was translated by AI.

Paulo Bento, the former coach who led the South Korean national team to the Round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, has emerged as a top candidate for Ecuador's next head coach position. While it is known that Coach Bento recently expressed his desire to return to the South Korean national team, delays in the Korea Football Association (KFA) process for selecting the next coach have introduced uncertainty regarding his future plans.

According to reports from foreign media outlets including Bolavip on the 21st, the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) has listed Coach Bento as a candidate for the vacant national team head coach position and is conducting an official inquiry to confirm the possibility of signing him.

Following their elimination in the Round of 16 at the recently concluded 2026 CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, Ecuador parted ways with coach Sebastián Beccacece and plans to finalize the appointment of a new head coach before the September A-match schedule.

Local media highlight Bento's extensive experience leading national teams, including his achievement of reaching the Euro 2012 semifinals with the Portugal national team and successfully guiding the South Korean national team for the longest period in its history (four years and four months) to a successful World Cup campaign. Other names mentioned as candidates for the next head coach include Mauricio Pellegrini, Roberto Moreno, and Marcelo Gallardo, alongside Coach Bento.

After stepping down from his role with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national team in May last year, Coach Bento has been on a break for about a year. It was confirmed that he recently conveyed his interest in the South Korean national team head coach position verbally through acquaintances within the KFA.

However, the KFA's selection process is not gaining momentum. Following the dismissal of former coach Jürgen Klinsmann, even former coach Hong Myung-bo, who was appointed amid controversy over unfair procedures, resigned voluntarily after taking responsibility for the team's failure to advance from the group stage at the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, leaving the head coach position vacant. Furthermore, the KFA is currently facing an administrative vacuum due to the absence of its president, making it difficult to proceed with formal selection procedures.

If the process for appointing a new head coach continues to be delayed, there is no way to rule out the possibility that Coach Bento, who wished to return to Korea, might change direction and accept Ecuador's offer.

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*This content was translated by AI.