South Korea appointed 48-year-old Robert Moreno as interim manager of its men’s national football team on September 1, 2026, with a contract running through November 27, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Moreno will oversee six international matches scheduled through November, including friendlies against Ecuador on September 24, Uruguay on September 28, Venezuela on October 2, and Uzbekistan on October 6 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The Korea Football Association (KFA) is working to arrange two additional fixtures during the November international window [1, 2, 3, 4].
Moreno is the first Spaniard to coach the South Korean national team [4]. He previously managed Spain’s national team in 2019 during Luis Enrique’s leave of absence and has coached clubs including AS Monaco, Granada, and FC Sochi [1, 2, 3, 4]. The appointment followed an open recruitment process and was approved at a KFA board meeting in Cheonan [1, 2, 3, 4]. Hyun Young-min, chairman of the KFA Power Enhancement Committee, said, "Coach Moreno already has a deep understanding of Korean football and impresses with enthusiasm, proposing various tactical alternatives. After a tough process, I hope the Moreno squad, appointed through a challenging process, will play a role in turning the national team's atmosphere and improving performance" [1].
Moreno replaced Hong Myung-bo, who resigned in late June 2026 after South Korea’s group-stage exit at the FIFA World Cup held in North America [1, 2, 3, 4]. Hong’s 2024 appointment had faced public controversy and a police investigation, with the KFA also apologizing for unrelated referee entertainment allegations [4].
Moreno denied recent Russian media claims that he used AI tools like ChatGPT to prepare matches while managing FC Sochi, calling the allegations "completely false" and stating, "I have never used ChatGPT or any AI to prepare matches, decide line-ups or choose players" [4].
Depending on Moreno’s performance evaluation, he could remain in charge for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup scheduled in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027 [1, 2, 3, 4].
