"Korea is surprised!".
The Chinese Football Association dismissed coach Branko Ivanković on the 14th. Although China won 1-0 against Bahrain in the final match of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asian third round qualifiers on the 11th, they were eliminated from the finals, finishing 5th among the 6 teams in Group C.
Initially, several Korean coaches in the Chinese Super League, including Shin Tae-yong, vice president of the Korea Football Association, and Seo Jung-won, head coach of Chengdu Rongcheng, were mentioned.
Former Saudi Arabia coach Mancini was also mentioned as a candidate. In particular, it is reported that Coach Mancini accepted an offer at one-fiftieth of his salary during his time in Saudi Arabia, making him a strong candidate.
However, the Chinese Football Association chose Jorgevich, who has only experience coaching youth teams. Jorgevich led the Chinese U-23 national team to the quarterfinals at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games and, after taking over as U-20 head coach in 2024, defeated Korea in a four-nation friendly tournament.
Of course, in February this year, the U-20 Asian Cup reached the quarterfinals, but they lost to Saudi Arabia and failed to qualify for the U-20 World Cup.
There was also opposition within China regarding the appointment of a Korean coach. Chinese football journalist Song Cheong-ryang stated through social media, "We must not appoint a Korean coach for the Chinese national team," asserting that they tend to exhibit strong collectivism and prioritize personal interests.
Jorgevich's first mission is the 2025 East Asian Football Confederation E-1 Championship, held in Korea from July 7 to 16. After playing their first match against Korea on the 7th, China will face Japan and Hong Kong.
This choice is interpreted as a willingness to focus on a generational change led by young prospects such as Zhang Chenglong, Zhu Chuanjie, and Liu Chengyu. It appears they aim to ensure stable team operations through Jorgevich, who is well-acquainted with Chinese football's overall strengths by coaching various age-level national teams.
Sohu.com reported on the 19th, "As Jorgevich leads the team temporarily, various players can participate in the East Asian Cup. Young and capable players will emerge," adding, "Therefore, Korea is also surprised. In the 2010 East Asian Cup, coach Gao Hongbo defeated Korea 3-0. This trend could continue again."
In particular, it emphasizes that Coach Jorgevich defeated Korea through the U-20 national team. Of course, China has failed to qualify for this World Cup.
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