Korea Republic have named former Portugal boss Paulo Bento as their new coach, taking the reins from Shin Taeyong who led them at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™.

The 49-year-old's appointment was announced at a press conference on Friday, with Kim Pangon, chief of national team supervisory committee, outlining the former Sporting CP coach as the man to take them forward on the road to Qatar 2022.

Bento has prior experience of the World Cup, having guided his country between 2010 and 2014, and leading Portugal at Brazil 2014. Their group stage exit ultimately fell short of their previous major tournament experience at UEFA EURO 2012, where he took them to the quarter-final.

Bento has found success at club level, winning back-to-back Tacas de Portugal at his first club Sporting CP, before lifting the Greek Superleague title with Olympiacos in 2017. Either side of a season in Greece he took charge of Cruzeiro in Brazil and China’s Chongqing Lifan.

Korea Republic were eliminated at Russia 2018 at the group stage, but not before earning a famous 2-0 win over Germany in their third and final match at the tournament.

The former Portugal midfielder appeared at Korea/Japan 2002, playing three games at the tournament. His final match was a 1-0 defeat to his new employers, courtesy of a Park Jisung goal, which sent Korea Republic through top of Group D.

Bento’s first major challenge as their coach will be at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 in January, where the Taeguk Warriors are grouped with China PR, the Philippines and Kyrgyz Republic.