A familiar face could be back on U.S. soil when the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway.
The Korea Football Association announced on Monday that Jurgen Klinsmann was appointed as the new manager of South Korea's men's national team.
Klinsmann is the replacement for former Portuguese manager Paulo Bento, who managed South Korea from 2018-2022. Bento helped the Taegeuk Warriors advance to the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup before falling to Brazil 4-1 in the round of 16.
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Bento left the position shortly after their World Cup exit, so now Klinsmann will be tasked with helping the team develop in preparation for the next edition of the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
The 58-year-old Klinsmann, a German native, had a 22-year playing career from 1981-2003 before transitioning to coaching roles beginning in 2004, when he took over the Germany men's national team.
He later coached the United States men's national team from 2011-2016, posting a 58-16-27 win-draw-loss record in all competitions. His only team trophy during the tenure was the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup. That win cemented him as the 2013 CONCACAF Coach of the Year.
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His next coaching role didn't come until the 2019-20 season when he managed Bundesliga side Hertha BSC, but that lasted just 10 games after the team posted a 3-3-4 record. His sudden resignation shocked the soccer spectrum.
Now, all eyes will pivot to how he does with South Korea, which has top players in Europe such as Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae, among others.
