Paulo Bento steps down after four years managing Korea

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Published: 06 Dec. 2022, 17:08

Paulo Bento steps down after four years managing Korea

Korean national team head coach Paulo Bento shakes hands with Son Jun-ho after the round of 16 match between Brazil and Korea at Stadium 974, Doha, Qatar on Monday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Korean national team head coach Paulo Bento watches the pitch before the round of 16 match between Brazil and Korea at Stadium 974, Doha, Qatar on Monday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Paulo Bento announced that he is stepping down as Korean head coach after the Taeguk Warriors lost to Brazil 4-1 in a round of 16 match in Qatar on Monday, saying that he had planned since September to step aside once Korea's World Cup journey was over.

"I decided in September that I will not re-sign my contract," Bento said in a press conference in Qatar after the game. "I talked to the players first then talked the Korea Football Association.

"I want to once again thank the players and I am proud to have been the Korean national team head coach."

Bento's announcement ends four years under the Portuguese manager's leadership. Bento took the helm immediately after the 2018 Russian World Cup with a contract to see the team through to Qatar, providing an unusual period of stability for the squad and making Bento the longest-serving manager in Korean history.

"The four years spent as a head coach was a very satisfying experience for me," Bento said on Monday. "I will have to think about how I will prepare for the future and decide where I will go after taking some time off."

Bento's tenure saw a marked shift in Korea's tactics to what he called "build-up" football, focusing on a more offensive use of the midfield rather than solidly defensive approach that Korea had taken previously.

The tactic allowed for the effective use of Korea's growing roster of European-based offensive players, but often pulled people out of the position they were more comfortable playing in with their clubs.

Despite some regular criticism, Bento stuck with his chosen approach and continued to develop the team for four years. The results were most evident in Qatar, where Korea drew with Uruguay and beat Portugal despite grappling with injuries to key veterans Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, Kim Min-jae and Kim Jin-su.

"We trained well and tried our best over the last four years and I am proud of that," Bento said. "We also did well at the group stage. I think we could have scored more goals, especially against Portugal when we earned our round of 16 spot.

"I am still very proud of our team and I want to tell the players that they did a great job."

The Portugal match provided a particularly unusual sense of deja vu for Bento, who finished his international career for Portugal with a final group stage game against Korea at the 2002 World Cup. Korea won that game as well.

The Taeguk Warrior's World Cup journey was cut short on Monday after a particularly unlucky draw left Korea facing Brazil in the round of 16.

"I think the result of this match is fair," Bento said. "I want to congratulate Brazil for playing a great game, playing better football than us. Even taking into consideration that we didn’t have enough time to prepare while Brazil had more time, it’s still true that we had many limitations against Brazil."

Korea conceded all four goals against Brazil in the first half, returning with a completely different set of tactics in the second half to hold the South American side scoreless and add a goal of their own.

"While I understand that the strategy can be difficult to understand, we did have a separate strategy for both offense and defense," Bento said. "Our first strategy was to put pressure on Brazil while looking for a chance to counterattack. It was such a difficult situation for us so I thought I should find loopholes and attack. Our strategy was to find space in the midfield.

"We lost track after conceding that first goal, then we lost our energy after conceding the penalty. The goalkeeper made a great save. As for our formation, we made strategic changes between 4-3-2-1 and 4-3-3, but Brazil took control of the game and dominated the first half."

Despite the loss, the final 20 minutes of the game, when Korea scored and shut down the Brazilian attacks, allowed the Taeguk Warriors to show off exactly what they can do.

"I was very proud of them," Bento said. "No one likes to lose a match. I lived and trained with the players for the last four years and four months. They were able to show off everything they have at the World Cup.

"I am very satisfied and proud. They really did try their best. Against Brazil, we stuck to our strategy and style. I’m very satisfied, very proud.

"I keep repeating this, but the Korean players are the best players that I have ever worked with. The result of the last match is a shame but I still think the Korean national team is the best."

BY JIM BULLEY AND YUN SO-HYANG [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]

korea joongAng daily

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Paulo Bento steps down after four years managing Korea

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