Coach Moreno will begin his work immediately, preparing for a series of friendly matches during the September and October FIFA Days at home. South Korea will face Ecuador on 24/9, Uruguay on 28/9, Venezuela on 2/10, and Uzbekistan on 6/10.

The Spanish manager's appointment comes two months after coach Hong Myung-bo resigned following the World Cup 2026 failure. However, the Korea Football Association (KFA) has only signed a contract with Moreno until 27/11/2026, which covers the November FIFA Days. If the team's performance and playing style are satisfactory, the contract will be extended until the end of the Asian Cup 2027, held in January in Saudi Arabia, where South Korea is grouped with Vietnam, UAE, and Yemen.

Spain national team coach Robert Moreno (left) directs a training session at El Molinon stadium, Gijon on 7/9/2019, ahead of their UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier against the Faroe Islands in Group F. Photo: AFP

Moreno was among the 5 final candidates, successfully passing both online and in-person interviews with the KFA. He was also a candidate after South Korea parted ways with Portuguese coach Paulo Bento following the World Cup 2022, though the KFA ultimately appointed German manager Jurgen Klinsmann at that time.

Born in 1977, Moreno has no professional playing experience. He studied Business and International Relations at the University of Barcelona and previously worked at a bank and in men's fashion departments at a department store. Despite this, Moreno always harbored a dream of becoming a coach and joined Barcelona B in 2010.

Moreno later had the opportunity to work as an assistant to Luis Enrique, currently the head coach of PSG, at Roma (2011-2012), Celta Vigo (2013-2014), and Barcelona (2014-2017). The pair reunited with the Spanish national team in July 2018.

In March 2019, Moreno briefly led the Spanish national team, stepping in for Enrique when he took a leave of absence to care for his daughter Xana, who was battling bone cancer. However, after helping "La Roja" qualify for Euro 2020, Moreno was removed from the coaching staff by Enrique himself upon his return. At the time, Enrique openly called his long-time associate a "traitor" for allegedly intending to keep the head coach position until the end of the tournament instead of returning it as agreed.

Coach Luis Enrique and assistant Robert Moreno during a training session for the Spanish national team in 2019. Photo: Marca

Moreno subsequently managed Monaco in France and Granada in Spain, but was dismissed from both clubs before the end of the season due to poor results. In December 2023, Moreno took charge of Sochi and helped the team return to the Russian national league. However, both parties parted ways in September 2025, when the club had only one point after 7 matches at the start of the season. Moreno's coaching career record stands at 39 wins, 36 draws, and 38 losses.

Several months after his departure from Sochi, Russian media revealed Moreno's alleged misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in his work. The manager reportedly utilized ChatGPT extensively as a key support tool for both technical plans and daily logistics. This approach raised internal concerns and indirectly led to his departure.

Former Sochi Sports Director Andrei Orlov told Sports Russia about an unusual incident during an away match against FC SKA - Khabarovsk in March 2025. Moreno had used ChatGPT to schedule player travel and training, but mechanically applied the plan to the extent of disregarding basic biological factors. As a result, players were forced to stay awake for 28 hours with no sleep.

Coach Moreno later sent a letter to the Spanish newspaper Marca to refute the allegations. He stated that he had never used ChatGPT or any type of AI to prepare for matches, decide lineups, or select players. He attributed the controversial statements to a former Sochi official who had left due to professional disagreements during their collaboration.

A KFA report highlights Moreno's strengths as tactical prowess and opponent analysis, drawing on his experience leading strong clubs and national teams worldwide, alongside his excellent data utilization skills. Hyun Young-min, Chairman of the National Team Reinforcement Committee, commented: "This coach has a deep understanding of South Korean football. His enthusiasm is impressive, and he offers many different tactical options."

South Korean media also addressed these issues when reporting Moreno's appointment. Media outlets consider the short-term contract reasonable but express skepticism about his potential for success. "A strategist-type coach, he has overcome the limitations of not being a player through data analysis. As a coach, he is perceived as lacking charisma, the leadership to control star players, and influence in the locker room," a JoongAng article stated. "His strengths include diverse tactical formations and intense pressing. His weaknesses are an overemphasis on ball possession and defensive instability."

Trung Thu compiled