Hong Myung-bo

Hong Myung-bo (also spelled Hong Myeong-bo, 홍명보, Hanja: 洪明甫; ; born 12 February 1969) is a South Korean football manager and former footballer who played as a sweeper. Hong is often considered one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time. He is the current manager of South Korea national team.

Hong was a member of the South Korean national team in four FIFA World Cups, and was the first Asian player to play in four consecutive World Cup final tournaments. He is also the first Asian player ever to receive the Bronze Ball at the World Cup. He gained attention after showing his outstanding ability in World Cup and Asian competitions. He received some votes in elections for the FIFA World Player of the Year, finishing 21st in 1996 and 17th in 2002. Furthermore, he was also selected for the FIFA 100, Pelé's selection about the 125 greatest living footballers in the world.

1990 World Cup
Hong was named in South Korea's squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup just four months after his international debut. The youngest South Korean player to participate in the tournament, Hong played all of the three matches in the group stage and received the most praise in South Korea despite losing all group matches.

1994 World Cup
Hong was selected as a member of South Korean Universiade team in 1991. He stabilized South Korea's defense, helping them advance to the final. He scored South Korea's first penalty in the shoot-out after South Korea drew the final with the Netherlands without a goal during 120 minutes. Hong and South Korea won a gold medal by defeating the Netherlands on penalties.

Hong's talent began to receive attention in earnest since the 1994 FIFA World Cup. When South Korea had only five minutes to catch up Spain, which was leading the match with the score of 2–0, he scored South Korea's first goal outside the penalty area, and assisted his teammate Seo Jung-won to score the equaliser shortly after his goal. While South Korea was losing to defending champions Germany by conceding three goals in the first half, Hong scored one of South Korea's two goals in the second half with a long-range shot.

1998 World Cup
Hong participated in the 1994 Asian Games after the World Cup, but he injured his knee during the quarter-final match against Japan. South Korea lost to Uzbekistan in the semi-finals after he quit the tournament.

While Park Jong-hwan managed South Korean national team, Hong was in conflict with Park who had a coercive disposition, and was criticized for forming his faction in the team. He was also doubted whether he played the game lazily after South Korea lost 6–2 to Iran in the quarter-finals of the 1996 AFC Asian Cup.

Under the next manager Cha Bum-kun, South Korea recorded one draw and two defeats including a 5–0 loss to the Netherlands in the group stage of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Hong also failed to prevent South Korea's elimination in the group stage.

2002 World Cup
Hong was going to be selected as an over-aged player of South Korean under-23 team for the 2000 Summer Olympics, but he was injured just before the tournament.

In the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, Hong was selected for the All-Star Team, although South Korea failed to win the title by losing the semi-final match against Saudi Arabia.

Hong captained South Korea to a historic fourth-place finish in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He scored the winning penalty to secure a 5–3 shoot-out victory after a goalless draw in the quarter-final match against Spain. The Technical Study Group voted Hong as the third best player of the tournament, giving the Bronze Ball to him. He became the first-ever Asian player to be named one of the top three players in a World Cup.

In that year, Hong ended his international career after a friendly match against World Cup champions Brazil as the all-time leader in appearances for South Korean national team.

Style of play
Hong didn't have rapid pace, untiring stamina or outstanding ability in man-to-man defense, but he possessed a wide field of vision as well as great leadership skills with which he marshalled his defensive partners. An offensive sweeper, he was noted for his accurate long-range passing skills which greatly contributed to South Korea's attack. He was nicknamed the "Eternal Libero" by the South Korean media, and became a preeminent icon of South Korean football during his era.

Managerial career
On 26 September 2005, after his retirement as a player, Hong returned to the national team as assistant coach. Helping the manager Dick Advocaat, he took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and worked with the next manager Pim Verbeek in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. After the resignation of Verbeek, he was one of the candidates to become the next manager.

The Korean FA announced that it had appointed him as the manager of the South Korea under-20 team, on 19 February 2009. Under his guidance the team reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, but were eliminated due to a 3–2 defeat to Ghana, the eventual champions.

Hong also served an assistant coach for South Korea under-23 team under Park Sung-hwa. In October 2009, he took over the coaching duties at under-23 team. He led his team into third place in the 2010 Asian Games. On 10 August 2012, Hong Myung-bo coached the men's Olympic team to a 2–0 win over Japan to secure the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, which set up a record by obtaining the first medal ever for South Korea in Olympic football as well as being the first Asian team in 44 years to win a medal at that event.

He was named as assistant coach to Guus Hiddink at Anzhi Makhachkala in August 2012. After Choi Kang-hee, the former manager of South Korea, took the responsibility of the team's poor performance in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification and resigned from his position, Hong Myung-bo was appointed as the new manager of the team on 24 June 2013, to prepare the team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. After a winless World Cup campaign, Hong resigned from his post on 10 July 2014.

On 24 December 2020, Hong was appointed as the manager of K League 1 club Ulsan Hyundai. He led the club to win two consecutive national league titles in 2022 and 2023.

On 8 July 2024, Hong was reappointed as the manager of the South Korea national team for the second time.

Personal life
Hong married Cho Soo-mi, who was five years younger than him, in 1997. He has two sons, Hong Seong-min and Hong Jeong-min. One of them is currently attending Korea International School. Hong also has two younger siblings. Hong is known for his reticence and charisma.

International
   
 * Results list South Korea's goal tally first.

Player
Sangmu FC
 * Korean Semi-professional League (Autumn): 1991

Pohang Steelers
 * Asian Club Championship: 1996–97
 * K League 1: 1992
 * Korean FA Cup: 1996
 * Korean League Cup: 1993

Kashiwa Reysol
 * J.League Cup: 1999

South Korea B
 * Summer Universiade: 1991

South Korea
 * Asian Games bronze medal: 1990
 * AFC Asian Cup third place: 2000
 * Dynasty Cup: 1990

Individual
 * World XI: 1997
 * FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball: 2002
 * FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2002
 * FIFA 100: 2004
 * AFC Asian All Stars: 1993, 1997, 2000
 * AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament: 2000
 * AFC Hall of Fame: 2014
 * AFC Opta All-time XI at the FIFA World Cup: 2020
 * AFC Fans' All-time XI at the FIFA World Cup: 2020
 * AFC Asian Cup All-time XI: 2023
 * IFFHS Asian Men's Team of the 20th Century: 2021
 * IFFHS Asian Men's Team of All Time: 2021
 * K League All-Star: 1992, 1995, 2002
 * K League 1 Most Valuable Player: 1992
 * K League 1 Best XI: 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002
 * K League 30th Anniversary Best XI: 2013
 * K League Hall of Fame: 2023
 * J.League All-Star: 1999, 2001
 * J1 League Best XI: 2000

Records
 * Most caps for South Korea: 136 caps

Manager
South Korea U23
 * Summer Olympics bronze medal: 2012
 * Asian Games bronze medal: 2010

Ulsan Hyundai
 * K League 1: 2022, 2023

Individual
 * K League Manager of the Month: August 2021, February/March 2022, February/March 2023
 * K League 1 Manager of the Year: 2022, 2023