North Korea national football team
In July 1966, the North Korean national football team arrived in England for their first FIFA World Cup appearance. They were drawn into Group 4 alongside the Soviet Union, Italy, and Chile. The Chollimas lost their opening match against the Soviets but managed a 1, 1 draw against Chile. Pak Seung-zin scored North Korea's first goal at a World Cup during that game. The final group match was against the Italian double world champions. A disciplined performance secured a historic 1, 0 upset victory with a goal from Pak Doo-ik. This win made them the first Asian team to advance beyond the group stage of the tournament. Public interest grew among locals in Middlesbrough where the team stayed. Star players like Pak Seung-zin and Pak Doo-ik became heroes back home. In the quarter-finals, they faced Portugal after Eusébio had eliminated Brazil. The Koreans led 3, 0 within the first 25 minutes through goals by Pak Seung-zin, Yang Seung-kook, and Li Dong-woon. Discipline slipped as Portuguese star player Eusébio scored four goals. José Augusto added another to defeat North Korea 5, 3. When the players returned home, crowds cheered them as heroes. Pak Seung-zin remains North Korea's top scorer in the FIFA World Cup with two goals in four games.
Following their 1966 success, North Korea rarely participated in qualifying campaigns for continental or world tournaments between 1967 and 1980. They forfeited the 1968 Olympic qualifiers and refused to face Israel in the second round of playoffs for the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Between their quarter-final exit and 1971, they played only one friendly against Algeria, losing 3, 1 in Algiers. This was the first match against an African side in team history. The team skipped the 1972 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers entirely. In May 1973, Pak Seung-zin's men finished third in Group 2 behind Iran and Syria during World Cup qualifiers. They withdrew from the 1976 Asian Cup despite finishing first in qualification. A heavy penalty followed a 1982 Asian Games match where players attacked Thai referee Vijit Getkaew. The Asian Football Confederation imposed a two-year suspension starting immediately after the game ended. This ban disqualified them from the 1984 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and the 1984 Olympic qualifiers which were boycotted by North Korea. The selection spent almost four years without playing official matches. During the withdrawal period spanning 1993 to 2005, the federation chose not to register for any competition. This era coincided with the North Korean famine between 1994 and 1998 causing hundreds of thousands of deaths. It also overlapped with three years of mourning following President Kim Il Sung's death in 1994.
North Korea returned to official games in 2000 but failed to advance beyond group stages in subsequent campaigns. They qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup after a 44-year hiatus by finishing second behind South Korea in the fourth round. Their final ranking was 105th making them the lowest-ranked team at that tournament. In Group G they lost 2, 1 to Brazil before suffering a 7, 0 defeat against Portugal. That match marked their heaviest-ever loss as they conceded six goals in the second half alone. Broadcasts of the game were interrupted after Portugal's fourth goal when shown live in North Korea. They finished last overall at the 2010 World Cup losing all three group matches. Coach Kim Jong-hun faced punishment including forced labor camps while players endured harsh ideological criticism according to Radio Free Asia reports. The team withdrew from 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers due to fears related to the COVID-19 pandemic. FIFA voided all results since the start of the second qualifying round and excluded them from the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. This marked their first miss out from the event since 2007. Diplomatic tensions caused triple postponements of home matches against Malaysia during the 2019 campaign. Matches eventually moved to neutral ground in Thailand where North Korea needed two victories to stay alive.
The current squad includes both native North Koreans and Zainichi Koreans who are ethnic Koreans living in Japan. Ri Myong-guk holds the record for most appearances with 118 caps between 2007 and 2019. Jong Il-gwan is the top goalscorer with 31 goals across 85 games from 2011 to present. Pak Nam-chol earned 77 caps and scored 15 goals during his career spanning 2004 to 2012. Jang Kuk-chol has made 75 appearances scoring five goals since joining the national team in 2011. The coaching staff lists Sin Yong-nam as head coach alongside assistants Pak Nam-chol and Kim Kum-il. Goalkeeping coach Ri Myong-guk works with match analyst Choe Gwan-il. Performance coach Pak Kuk-myong supports physical training while team doctors include Jang Il-bom and Song Jong-chol. Physiotherapists Choe Nam-kuk, Kim Myong-il, Ri Song-pyong, and Yun Kuk-hyong handle medical care. Team coordinator Ri Chol-myong manages logistics. Technical director Yun Jong-su oversees overall strategy. The federation hired Hungarian Pál Csernai as foreign manager for the first time in 1991. He coached Bayern Munich before leading North Korea through the 1992 AFC Asian Cup qualification.
Between 2014 and January 2024 the official kit provider was the North Korean sports company Ch'oeusu. In January 2024 Chinese brand Inlang became the new sponsor replacing domestic producers. Historical records show Admiral supplied kits from 1985 to 1988 followed by Adidas between 1989 and 1990. Mizuno took over for two years starting in 1991 while Admiral returned briefly until 1997. Fila produced uniforms from 1998 to 2002 before Lotto handled production for one year. Adidas returned again from 2003 to 2005 then Umbro covered 2005 to 2006. Hummel supplied gear from 2006 to 2008 followed by Erke until 2010. Legea managed sponsorship from 2010 to 2014 before Ch'oeusu took over domestically. This evolution reflects shifting economic relationships and availability of foreign brands within the isolated nation.
Common questions
When did the North Korea national football team first appear in a FIFA World Cup?
The North Korea national football team arrived in England for their first FIFA World Cup appearance in July 1966. They were drawn into Group 4 alongside the Soviet Union, Italy, and Chile.
Who scored the winning goal for the North Korea national football team against Italy in 1966?
Pak Doo-ik scored the historic 1 to 0 upset victory against the Italian double world champions during the final group match of the tournament. This win made them the first Asian team to advance beyond the group stage of the tournament.
Why was the North Korea national football team suspended from international competition between 1982 and 1984?
The Asian Football Confederation imposed a two-year suspension starting immediately after the game ended due to players attacking Thai referee Vijit Getkaew at the 1982 Asian Games. This ban disqualified them from the 1984 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and the 1984 Olympic qualifiers which were boycotted by North Korea.
What happened to the North Korea national football team coach after the 7 to 0 loss to Portugal in 2010?
Coach Kim Jong-hun faced punishment including forced labor camps while players endured harsh ideological criticism according to Radio Free Asia reports. The team finished last overall at the 2010 World Cup losing all three group matches.
Who holds the record for most appearances for the North Korea national football team?
Ri Myong-guk holds the record for most appearances with 118 caps between 2007 and 2019. He serves as both a player and goalkeeping coach within the current squad structure.