[Sportschosun Lee Ge-eun] KBS soccer commentator Lee Young-pyo has once again delivered a blunt criticism of former national team coach Hong Myung-bo, bringing renewed attention to reports that the two had stopped contacting each other in the past.
On the 28th, KBS2's "Boss in the Mirror" aired Lee Young-pyo's post-match commentary on South Korea's loss to South Africa in the third group-stage match of the "2026 FIFA World Cup."
With a grim expression, Lee said, "Today's match was the most difficult game I have ever commented on. From start to finish, there was not a single thing done properly. Because the game itself was poor from beginning to end, I had nothing but negative things to say during the commentary. There are games you lose but still fight well in, but this time the game itself was the problem." He criticized the match as a complete mess.
He also said, "Fifty percent of a match's outcome depends on the coach," and added, "I had to keep repeating negative things, so I couldn't find the right words. I was at a loss for words." He also expressed disappointment over Hong's decision to leave Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup, saying, "I was really surprised. If Son Heung-min had started, I think he could have done damage to the opposing team."
In a 2022 interview with Channel A, Lee Young-pyo had previously shared an anecdote about criticizing Hong Myung-bo over team performance. When asked, "You are known as a maker of famous quotes or a sharp-tongued critic. What do you think about that?" Lee replied, "I don't think of myself as a sharp-tongued critic, but I do say something is wrong when it is not right." He then mentioned Hong Myung-bo and said, "When we were eliminated at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, I said something to Hong Myung-bo. If I ever had the chance to say it again, I don't think I would. I said, 'The World Cup is not a place to experience things, but a place to prove yourself,' and we stopped contacting each other for about three years."
He added, "We are on good terms now, and after some time passed, we talked about it. He said it was okay, but it took three years."
Meanwhile, South Korea's national football team returned home from the "2026 FIFA World Cup" after a disastrous group-stage exit, without any separate event. Hong Myung-bo stepped down voluntarily after criticism intensified over the team's failure to advance to the round of 32.
joyjoy90@sportschosun.com
