Following the South Korean national football team's elimination from the group stage of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, several coaches have publicly expressed their interest in the position. Among them, it has been reported that Roberto Martinez, who recently led the Portuguese national team, is interested in becoming the next head coach of South Korea.

Multiple sources familiar with the national team's situation stated that former Portugal head coach Martinez recently expressed interest in the vacant South Korean managerial role.

Martinez announced his sudden resignation immediately after Portugal's 0-1 loss to Spain in the Round of 16 at the North and Central America World Cup.

In his post-match interview, he stated, "I came to Portugal with the goal of winning the World Cup, and since I failed to achieve that, it makes no sense to continue holding the reins," as he stepped down.

Martinez previously managed English Premier League clubs such as Wigan Athletic and Everton before taking charge of the Belgian national team in 2016.

He had a strong start by reaching the semifinals at the 2018 Russia World Cup, but he faced heavy criticism after failing to advance past the group stage at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, despite having a 'Golden Generation' of players including Kevin De Bruyne.

He took the helm of the Portuguese national team in 2023 and led them to the World Cup, but he drew criticism from football fans for his tactics of starting forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who is over the age of 40, and was ultimately eliminated in the Round of 16.

As Portugal failed to meet expectations despite possessing world-class midfielders in their prime, such as Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha, Martinez earned the dishonorable nickname, 'The Golden Generation Destroyer.'

News that Martinez has applied for the South Korean national team head coach position has already sparked concerns among domestic football fans.

Previously, it was reported that Paulo Bento, who led the South Korean team during the Qatar World Cup, and Gus Poyet, who led K League 1 club Jeonbuk to both league and Korea Cup titles, have also applied for the position.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Seo Byeong-wook | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News