South Korea appoint Robert Moreno after Spain fallout with Luis Enrique

South Korea have appointed 48-year-old Spaniard Robert Moreno as their new national team head coach, making him the first Spanish manager to lead the country. The move gives Moreno a fresh opportunity in international football after his controversial separation from former Spain colleague Luis Enrique.

Moreno takes over after Hong Myung-bo left his position following South Korea’s disappointing campaign at the 2016 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stage. The South Korean Football Association subsequently began its search for a manager to oversee the team’s next phase.

The association plans to give Moreno time to assess his squad and introduce his methods during a series of autumn friendlies. His official tenure is expected to begin in September, when South Korea are scheduled to face Ecuador and Uruguay.

South Korea will then play Venezuela and Uzbekistan in further friendlies in October, with additional fixtures potentially arranged for November. Those matches will serve as an initial assessment period for Moreno and his plans for the national side.

If the team’s performances and results meet expectations, the South Korean Football Association is considering extending Moreno’s contract. That could give him the chance to lead South Korea at the AFC Asian Cup, which will be held in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of 2027.

The appointment represents a new international challenge for Moreno, who previously managed Spain on an interim basis in 2019. He was placed in temporary charge after Luis Enrique stepped away from the role for personal reasons.

Moreno’s history with Enrique, however, adds a controversial dimension to his appointment.

He had been Enrique’s assistant with Spain when Enrique left the national team in June 2019 because his daughter Xana was seriously ill. Xana later died in August at the age of nine. Moreno assumed responsibility for the team during Enrique’s absence and guided Spain to qualification for Euro 2020.

Moreno initially said he would step aside if Enrique decided to return. Their relationship changed, however, after a meeting between the two men in September 2019.

According to Enrique’s account, Moreno told him that he wanted to manage Spain during Euro 2020 before returning to his previous role as assistant after the tournament.

Enrique described the decision as “disloyalty” and said he no longer wanted Moreno to be part of his coaching staff. He argued that Moreno’s ambition at that stage had gone beyond what was acceptable for someone who had been his assistant and close friend for several years.

Moreno subsequently left the Spain set-up. He went on to take charge of Monaco, Granada and Russian club Sochi before securing another opportunity to manage a national team, this time in Asia.

His appointment gives South Korea a coach with previous experience at the highest level of international football, but his immediate task will be to use the upcoming fixtures to establish his preferred approach and determine the players best suited to it. The September, October and possible November matches will be central to the federation’s decision over whether Moreno should remain in charge beyond the initial assessment period.