Jurgen Klinsmann has been appointed as new coach of Korea Republic men’s national team. 

The KFA announced on Monday that the contract with the 58-year-old German would run from March 2023 until the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, with his annual salary undisclosed due to mutual consent. Klinsmann’s coaching staff are to be named after discussions between the coach and the KFA in due course, and the coach is expected to reside in Korea according to the contract. Klinsmann will arrive in Korea next week to begin his tenure as Korea Republic coach, with his debut against Colombia in Ulsan scheduled on 24 March.

Klinsmann stated in a message to KFA that “I’m delighted and honoured to become the coach of Korea Republic national team. I’m aware of the constant progress and achievement they have made for a long time, and I’m honoured to follow the footsteps of great coaches such as Guus Hiddink and Paulo Bento. I’ll do my best to achieve successful results at the forthcoming Asian Cup as well as the World Cup in 2026.”

Klinsmann was one of the most renowned strikers to represent Germany in his playing days, having taken part in the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games as well as three editions of Euro in 1988, 1992 and 1996. He participated in three FIFA World Cup finals in 1990, 1994 and 1998 as well.

Klinsmann was an integral part of Die Mannschaft in their title-winning campaigns at the 1990 World Cup in Italy as well as the 1996 Euro in England. In fact, he scored a brace against Korea Republic during the group stage of USA 1994. He also played for Stuttgart, Bayern Munchen, Internazionale Milano and Tottenham Hotspur.

After hanging up his boots in 1998, Klinsmann took the reins of Germany national team from 2004 to 2006, when he led his country to third place at the World Cup finals on home soil. He went on to lead the United States for five years from 2011, during with he won the COCACAF Gold Cup in 2013 before guiding the Stars and Stripes to the round of 16 at Brazil 2014. 

Klinsmann also faced Korea Republic twice whilst he was working for Germany and USA – his German side lost 3-1 in a friendly in Busan in December 2004, but he led his charges to a 2-0 win in another friendly in USA in February 2014. His USA team also took on Portugal led by former Korea Republic coach Paulo Bento during the group stage at Brazil 2014, where the sides fought out a 2-2 stalemate.

Meanwhile, the KFA’s National Teams Committee chairman Michael Muller will give a press conference on the appointment of Klinsmann at the KFA House on Tuesday afternoon.