'South Korea's Interim Coach Moreno Confirmed': Allegations of Using ChatGPT for Player Selection and Tactical Planning Spark Controversy

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• Former PFC Sochi Executive Director Exposes Coach Moreno Denies Claims as "Inconsistent with Facts"

Roberto Moreno (48, Spain), who will temporarily lead the South Korea national football team until November, boasts an impressive career history. Considering his resume alone — including roles as senior coach at FC Barcelona and head coach of the Spanish national team — it would not be an exaggeration to say he has the most notable track record among all coaches who have led the Korean national team.

Indeed, following the official announcement by the Korea Football Association (KFA) on the 1st, Moreno became the interim head coach of the South Korean national team. He once served as a long-time assistant to Luis Enrique, then head coach of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Coach Enrique led PSG to back-to-back UEFA Champions League (UCL) titles and was also the former mentor of Lee Kang-in (currently at Atletico Madrid). During his tenure as a coach for the Spanish national team, Moreno stepped in as interim manager when Enrique temporarily left the team and was later promoted to full head coach. He subsequently managed AS Monaco (France), Granada (Spain), and PFC Sochi (Russia) before returning to the field one year later through this interim role with the South Korean national team.

On the 1st, the KFA announced Moreno's appointment, highlighting his experience leading top-tier clubs and national teams worldwide, along with his ability to design tactics and analyze opponents based on advanced data utilization as key strengths. However, Moreno is not without controversy despite his impressive resume. He has been dismissed from positions at Granada and Sochi, and has also found himself at the center of non-coaching-related controversies during his tenure as a head coach.

According to a January report by Qatar-based global media outlet BeIN Sports, Moreno's dismissal from PFC Sochi in Russia was not solely due to poor performance but also involved the indiscriminate use of artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT. The club reportedly raised internal concerns as Moreno utilized ChatGPT for tasks ranging from designing training programs and selecting matchday squads to planning player travel schedules and even recruiting players during the transfer window. This revelation came from an exposé by Andrei Orlov, former PFC Sochi executive director.

BeIN Sports stated, "While Moreno's dismissal from Sochi was publicly attributed to poor results, specific details about his working methods — previously undisclosed — have emerged months later." The outlet added, "Moreno's heavy reliance on ChatGPT as a core tool led to internal concerns at the club and ultimately influenced his departure. According to former executive director Orlov, Moreno's use of ChatGPT was not occasional but served as a major pillar supporting his daily coaching duties."

The report also shared several absurd anecdotes. For instance, when Moreno used ChatGPT to create a long-distance away travel plan, the club reviewed it and discovered that the schedule had players working without sleep for 28 consecutive hours. The media explained this incident as a key moment that raised serious concerns about Moreno's excessive dependence on AI. Additionally, the report noted that after inputting statistical data on multiple transfer candidates, the player recommended by ChatGPT as "most suitable" directly influenced the club's final decision.

BeIN Sports further stated, "Of course, the club's management did not oppose using AI as a supplementary tool. However, they were concerned that Moreno relied too heavily on AI even for critical decision-making processes. Former executive director Orlov remarked, 'ChatGPT became one of Moreno's primary tools.'" The outlet concluded, "Moreno's tenure at Sochi came to an end due to a combination of poor results and his unusual working methods."

However, Moreno himself has firmly denied the claims made by former Sochi executive director Orlov. In an interview with Spanish media AS, Moreno stated, "Like many others, I used ChatGPT solely for Russian language translation," and countered that "the source of the reports was a former executive who left the club due to professional disagreements." Moreno argued that Orlov, having departed the club before him, could not have accurately understood the internal situation.

Moreno emphasized, "I have never used any AI tool, including ChatGPT, to determine the starting lineup during match preparation. That is completely false." He added, "While I may have used it for translating Russian — a language I am not fluent in — there is absolutely no connection between AI and decisions related to sports."

He continued, "My football career began with data and video analysis. It is my area of expertise and has been a differentiating factor since the early stages of my career." Moreno further noted, "Like all coaching staff, we utilize various analytical tools, and technology helps process information quickly. However, in the end, final decisions related to sports always rest with the coaching staff."

Meanwhile, on this day, the Korea Football Association approved the appointment of six coaching staff members, including Moreno, during its 7th board meeting held at Cheonan Korea Football Park for 2026. Prior to this, the KFA had opened a public recruitment process for the first time in history to fill the interim head coach position of the A national team following Hong Myung-bo's resignation. An evaluation committee composed of some members of the Power Strengthening Committee and external evaluators conducted document reviews, online interviews, and face-to-face meetings with applicants before ultimately selecting Coach Moreno.

Hyun-young Min Jeon Ryeok-gang-hwa (Chairman) stated, "Coach Moreno already possesses a high level of understanding of Korean football and demonstrated impressive enthusiasm by proposing various tactical alternatives." He added, "We expect the team led by Coach Moreno, who was selected through a rigorous process, to play a key role in revitalizing the national team's atmosphere and improving performance."

The contract period for Coach Moreno and his coaching staff extends until November 27. They will oversee only six A-match games this year: four friendlies in September-October and two in November. However, the contract includes a provision allowing them to continue leading the team through January of next year, pending evaluation after the six matches. Moreno's debut match as head coach will be against Ecuador on September 24 at Suwon World Cup Stadium.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original