South Korea World Cup hero Hong returns for second spell in charge of national team

Hong Myung-bo has been named head coach of the South Korea team a decade after he last held the post, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.

The Korea Football Association tapped the 55-year-old for the permanent role after sacking Juergen Klinsmann in February following the team’s semi-final exit from the Asian Cup, where they had been a favourites for the title.

Hong led South Korea for 19 games between 2013 and 2014, finishing after their group stage exit at the 2014 World Cup.

The former defender is widely considered one of the greatest players in South Korean football history, and captained his country to the semi-finals at the 2002 World Cup, which the country co-hosted with Japan.

Capped 136 times, he scored the decisive penalty to beat Spain in the penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals.