Roberto Moreno, a young Spanish coach, has been named the interim head coach of the South Korean men’s national soccer team.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) held its seventh board meeting of 2026 at the Korea Football Park in Cheonan on Tuesday, approving the appointment of Moreno and five other coaching staff members to fill the vacant positions following the World Cup.
Moreno previously led the Spanish national team as head coach and senior assistant from 2018 to 2019, and served as Barcelona’s senior assistant coach from 2014 to 2017. His most recent role was managing Sochi in Russia during the 2024-25 season.
The KFA emphasized Moreno’s experience leading world-class clubs and national teams despite his relatively young age, highlighting his tactical acumen and opponent analysis skills rooted in advanced data utilization.
Moreno’s interim coaching staff comprises five specialists from various fields.
The team includes Eduardo Docampo, who worked with Moreno at Sochi, as senior coach; Hasint Magriña, an expert in analysis and training methodologies; and Víctor Bravo de Soto, who has achieved notable success coaching in Spain’s lower divisions.
The all-Spanish staff is rounded out by physical coach Javier Choca, who has worked in top European leagues, and goalkeeper coach Nico Bosch, who brings over a decade of La Liga experience.
This marks the first time the KFA has used a public recruitment process to select a national team head coach.
In late July, the association approved this approach for selecting an interim coach to lead six matches scheduled during the September to November international window.
An evaluation committee, consisting of members from the Technical Committee and external evaluators, was formed. The selection process, which concluded last weekend, involved document screening, online interviews, face-to-face meetings, and contract negotiations.
Hyun Young-min, head of the Technical Committee, stated that Coach Moreno impressed us with his deep understanding of Korean soccer and his innovative tactical ideas. It expects the Moreno team, chosen through this rigorous process, to revitalize the national team and elevate its performance.
Moreno’s contract runs through November 27, with the possibility of extension through the Asian Cup, pending a review after the initial six matches.
The board also approved expanding the Technical Committee to ensure comprehensive evaluation of the men’s national team, particularly given the overlap between the international window and the Asian Games.