'Red Devils' cheering squad turns on Hong Myung-bo after worst World Cup finish

The Red Devils, Korea's official football supporters' group, demanded head coach Hong Myung-bo's exit from the Korean football community following the national team's worst-ever finish at the World Cup.

The group issued a statement Monday, accusing Hong of offering absurd excuses.

They said he should walk away from the sport entirely, demanding he publicly apologize and reflect on his actions.

The supporters said Hong exploited their loyalty to cover up his past failures, pushing Korean football to the brink for self-preservation instead of sacrificing for the sport.

The accusation directly targeted Hong's remarks upon returning to the national team last year, when he said he had "abandoned" himself to take the job as his last contribution to Korean football.

His return, however, mirrored his previous failure at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he also led Korea to a group-stage elimination with one draw and two losses.

The team finished 34th at the 2026 tournament with three points from one win and two losses, bowing out in the group stage to cement its worst-ever World Cup finish.

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