North Korea win record third U20 Fifa Women’s World Cup

North Korea clinched their third FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup title on Sunday, matching the record for the most victories in the tournament’s history with a 1-0 win over Japan in Bogota.

This triumph places North Korea alongside football powerhouses Germany and the United States as the most successful teams in the competition’s history.

Choe Il-son’s decisive goal in the 15th minute sealed a flawless campaign for North Korea, who won all their matches in Colombia.

The 17-year-old forward also claimed the Golden Boot, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals.

“It’s so hard to express ourselves right now – this has been a dream of so many of us for so long,” said North Korea’s captain, Chae Un-yong.

“The final match was tough, as we expected, and we had to remain calm and play according to the coach’s tactical instructions.”

North Korea showcased an impressive performance throughout the tournament, defeating teams like Argentina, the Netherlands, and Brazil to reach the semifinals.

A 1-0 win over the United States set the stage for an all-Asian final against Japan, who were the runners-up in the previous tournament in 2022.

Choe Il-son’s slightly deflected left-footed strike secured a historic victory for North Korea at the El Camin Stadium.

She was named Player of the Match and received both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament’s best overall player.

North Korea’s achievement is particularly remarkable considering the country withdrew from international sports for several years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After not playing a match since 2018, the North Korean Women’s U20 team returned to the international arena in March this year to compete in the Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.

Despite the six-year hiatus, they won that tournament, defeating Japan 2-1 to claim their second title.

“To firstly win the Asian Cup and now follow that with this success means that I’m so proud of the team,” said the team coach, Ri Song-ho, following their World Cup triumph.

“We have shown that we are very dangerous in the way that we build up attacks, it’s all about the speed of how we go forward.”

Unlike their male counterparts, who are ranked 111th in the world, North Korea’s women’s team is a formidable presence in international football.

The senior women’s side is currently ranked ninth in the FIFA world rankings, surpassing countries like France and Australia.

To date, they have claimed three Asian Cups, three Asian Games titles, and three East Asian Championships.

However, North Koreans rarely have the opportunity to watch their national teams play at home.

Limited transport connections with the outside world and strained diplomatic relations with many countries mean that most of North Korea’s “home” matches are held at neutral venues, often in China or the Middle East.

North Korea win record third U20 Fifa Women’s World Cup

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