United States

Former USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann to lead South Korea national team

Updated Feb. 27, 2023 3:14 p.m. ET

Former Germany and United States World Cup coach Jurgen Klinsmann will return to the sideline after being appointed as the new manager of South Korea's men's national team, the country's football federation announced on Monday.

Klinsmann's contract runs through the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The German, who didn't immediately respond to a request for comment by FOX Sports, replaces Brazilian Paulo Bento, who led the Taegeuk Warriors to the round of 16 at Qatar 2022.

Klinsmann said in a statement that he was "honored to follow in the footsteps of the great coaches who have led the Korea national team," including Bento and Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who took Korea to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup – still the country's best showing on the global stage.

"I look forward to doing my utmost to help the team achieve success at the upcoming Asian Cup and the 2026 World Cup," he added.

Klinsmann's return to management comes three years after he abruptly stepped down as the boss of Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin following a turbulent, two-and-a-half-month spell there. At that point, it was fair to wonder if he'd ever get the chance to coach at the top level again.

The former Germany striker began his managerial career by leading his country to the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup on home soil. That run was widely lauded at the time. His successor, Jogi Loew, went on to win soccer's ultimate prize eight years later in Brazil, giving Germany its fourth title.

Klinsmann served as U.S. boss from 2011-16 – a run marked by several highs and a few crushing lows. He qualified the Americans for Brazil 2014, with the U.S finishing atop the CONCACAF region, ahead of rival Mexico. The U.S. then survived a group that contained the eventual champs, Ghana and Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal before losing to Belgium in extra time in the knockout phase.

Will former USMNT manager Jürgen Klinsmann be a GOOD fit for South Korea?

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse react to the news of Klinsmann being appointed as the South Korea manager.

After a dreadful showing at the Gold Cup the following year, Klinsmann took the red, white and blue to the semifinals of the 2016 Copa America Centenario, where they lost 4-0 to Lionel Messi and Argentina.

But fissures in the U.S. dressing room had already begun to form. They morphed into glaring structural cracks later that year, and Klinsmann was fired after the U.S. opened the final stage of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup with losses to El Tri and Costa Rica. The Americans never recovered from those defeats, eventually failing to qualify for the biggest event in sports for the first time in more than three decades.

Combined with a short and unsuccessful spell as the manager of Bayern Munich in 2008-09, Klinsmann's reputation in Europe had plummeted by the time he was let go by the U.S. The debacle at Hertha only reinforced that perception.

Klinsmann, a 1990 World Cup winner as a player who is regarded as one of the best goalscorers of his generation, had been working mostly in the media since.

Now he's back in management in a job that, if he succeeds in leading South Korea back to the World Cup in 2026, would take him full circle. Klinsmann has lived in Southern California with his American wife since hanging up his boots following the 1998 World Cup in France. He remained stateside even during his time coaching Germany, commuting to games and training camps – an arrangement that rankled his bosses.

That won't be an issue in his new gig, though: In its news release announcing the hire, the Korea Football Association said that Klinsmann would live in the country while he's at the helm. After failing to make it to the end of his deal in his last three jobs, how long that will be remains to be seen.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports, and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.

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