The Korean national soccer team's supporters, the "Red Devil," said they will continue to support the players during the March A match. 토토사이트
"The essence of the Red Devils is to cheer for the Korean national soccer players. The moment they get out of that essence, the Red Devils lose their reason for existence. This is the KFA's fault, so there is no reason why players on the field shouldn't be cheered. We will cheer louder for the upcoming two consecutive games against Thailand without boycotting."
The Korea Football Association (KFA) replaced coach Jurgen Klinsmann during last month. Klinsmann assumed the leadership of the Korean national team shortly after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. As a legend who has accomplished great achievements as a player, he failed to make any significant achievements after pursuing the path to become a leader. Nevertheless, he assumed the leadership of Korea.
Controversy continued from the beginning of his inauguration. During his tenure as the national team coach, Klinsmann faced a number of controversies, including frequent overseas trips. Nevertheless, Klinsmann showed confidence by aiming to win the Asian Cup.
"The result was the worst. I felt nervous from the start. Korea had a 3-1 win over Bahrain in the first round, but ended up with only one win in three matches after showing signs of instability throughout the group stage. Both the round of 16 strongest teams and the quarterfinals were barely won after overtime play. Korea also encountered Jordan, who had already faced off once in the group stage, in the semifinals and lost.
As Klinsmann's bid to win the Asian Cup for the first time in 64 years ended in failure, criticism against Klinsmann intensified. The committee also discussed Klinsmann's assessment in mid-April and agreed on his dismissal. In addition, a meeting of executives led by Chairman Chung Mong-gyu also decided to replace the head coach at the end.
After Klinsmann's replacement, the power reinforcement committee was reorganized to appoint the next head coach. Initially, chances were high that he would officially take the helm as a domestic leader. However, the committee decided that time was not enough until the March A-match, and decided to play two World Cup qualifying matches under interim coach system. The person who will lead the national team temporarily is Hwang Sun-hong.
With the A-match schedule just around the corner, rumors about a boycott of cheering originally arose. Earlier, the Red Devils even said, "Is the Korea Football Association playing hide and seek? Even before the shock of the Asian Cup, which was a series of poor matches in the history of Korean soccer, is gone, various provocative articles are pouring in on the cause of the defeat, why are there no words for those responsible? What is the KFA doing under Chairman Chung Mong-gyu?" he criticized the KFA.
At that time, the "Red Devils" demanded that KFA replace Klinsmann and all of the leadership below resign. At the same time, he also asked the controversial players, mainly Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in. The two players clashed ahead of the semifinal match during the Asian Cup, which spread to factional controversy.
The Red Devils said, "Even though the status of the national team is different from that of the past, the national team is a pride representing the Republic of Korea. I know the hard work and passion of the players more than anyone else, but it is regrettable that the rumors and the organization of the sand grains of various factions will not be enough even if the team is formed as a one-team in the absence of the coach's tactics. I ask you to play for the honor of the team and for the wishes of the fans rather than the honor of the individual players."
The controversy ended when Lee Kang-in personally went to London and apologized to Son Heung-min. And the "Red Devils" first said they would support the players without boycotts during the A-match in March.
Meanwhile, South Korea will play its third Group C match at home against Thailand in the second qualifying round for the 2026 North-Central America World Cup in Asia. The team will also play its fourth match away from Thailand on the 26th. South Korea is in the same group as Thailand, China, and Singapore, and currently has a record of winning all two matches.