Jurgen Klinsmann is back in professional football. The former Germany international has been officially hired as the new head coach of South Korea.
Klinsmann has been out of football since 2020. His ill-fated return to national training ended with his dismissal at Hertha Berlin.
However, the former USMNT head coach is still incredibly well-respected within the sport.
His work in the United States is praised, even though it does not produce the desired end results. He will now be entrusted with the task of shaping the next generation of South Korean footballers.
Klinsmann will be in charge until the 2026 World Cup
South Korean soccer has been on a steady upward curve since the 2002 World Cup. They co-hosted the event and shocked the world by reaching the semi-final.
Players of an incredibly high level have been produced ever since. Heung min-Son is currently the star of the country. However, the team is struggling.
At the 2022 World Cup, they reached the round of 16 with four points. They won just one game before being knocked out of the tournament 4-1 by Brazil.
It is clear that the team needs a new direction. South Korea hopes Klinsmann can work as diligently behind the scenes as he did in the United States.
His contract will run until the 2026 World Cup. He will be tasked with leading the South Korean team to that tournament.
The German coach is honored to take over
“I am very happy and honored to follow in the footsteps of great coaches,” Klinsmann stated.
“From Guus Hiddink to former coach Paulo Bento.
“I know that the Korean team has been improving for a long period of time. I will do my best to achieve success in the 2026 Asian Cup and World Cup.”
It is not yet clear who will make up Klinsmann’s backroom staff. In previous setups, he has brought several young coaches with him. The highest profile is probably Joachim Low.
His first match in charge of South Korea will come on March 24. The team is scheduled to play a friendly against Colombia.
Despite the poor results in Qatar, there is plenty of talent at Klinsmann’s immediate disposal.
Apart from the Tottenham Hotspur striker, Woo-yeong Jeong and Min-jae Kim are in fantastic form.
With his role in Napoli’s Scudetto charge clear for all to see, Kim may even be the subject of Premier League interest in the coming months.
Photo: IMAGO / Sven Simon
