KOREA DPR (North Korea)
Group G
Manager: Kim Jong-Hun
Star Player : Hong Yong-Jo, Jong Tae-Se
Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 1
Best result: Quarter-finals (1966)
All-time record: 4 games played, 1 win, 1 draw, 2 losses
Goals for: 5, Goals against: 9
Biggest victory: 1-0 vs. Italy in 1966
Biggest defeat: 3-0 vs. Soviet Union in 1966
Top scorer: Pak Seung-zin (2 goals)
Most appearances: Several players (4 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: Never
LIVE STREAM KOREA DPR MATCHES :
June 15, 2010 @ 18:30GMT Group Stage Group G
Brazil vs North Korea
at Ellis Park
June 21, 2010 @ 11:30GMT Group Stage Group G
Portugal vs North Korea
at Cape Town Stadium
June 25, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group G
North Korea vs Ivory Coast
at Mbombela Stadium
Short Team History North Korea:
FIFA member since: 1958
Team nickname: Chollima
Notable achievements: Asian Youth Champions (1976, 2006)
Legendary Player: Pak Doo-ik represented his country at the 1966 World Cup, where he scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Italy, one of the biggest uspets in the tournament's rich history.
Show your support for KOREA DPRA 30-man squad was announced on May 12 and the final squad of 23 has to be submitted to FIFA by June 1
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- Kwang-min Ju Goalkeeper 1.87m 78 kg May 20, 1990
- Kim Myong-Gil Goalkeeper 1.80m 70 kg October 16, 1984
- Ri Myong-Guk Goalkeeper 1.88m 79 kg September 9, 1986
- Pak Chol-Jin Defender 1.78m 70 kg September 5, 1985
- Cha Jong-Hyok Defender 1.78m 69 kg September 25, 1985
- Ri Jun-Il Defender 1.78m 66 kg August 24, 1987
- Ri Kwang-Chon Defender 1.82m 80 kg September 4, 1985
- Ri Kwang-Hyok Defender 1.78m 70 kg August 17, 1987
- Pak Nam-Chol Defender 1.82m 77 kg October 3, 1988
- Nam Song-Chol Defender 1.71m 64 kg May 7, 1982
- Pak Sung-Hyok Defender 0.00m 70 kg May 30, 1990
- Ri Chol-Myong Midfielder 1.72m 64 kg February 18, 1988
- Mun In-Guk Midfielder 1.69m 65 kg September 29, 1978
- Kim Kyong-Il Midfielder 1.73m 64 kg December 11, 1988
- Pak Nam-Chol Midfielder 1.71m 70 kg July 2, 1985
- Kim Yong-Jun Midfielder 1.78m 67 kg July 19, 1983
- An Young-Hak Midfielder 1.82m 75 kg October 25, 1978
- Ji Yun-Nam Midfielder 1.76m 67 kg November 20, 1976
- An Chol-Hyok Forward 1.78m 72 kg June 27, 1985
- Choe Kum-Chol Forward 1.82m 75 kg February 9, 1987
- Kim Kum-Il Forward 1.71m 65 kg October 10, 1987
- Kim Myong-Won Forward 1.79m 72 kg July 15, 1983
- Jong Tae-Se Forward 1.81m 80 kg March 2, 1984
- Hong Yong-Jo Forward 1.75m 68 kg May 22, 1982
1966 - Quarter-finals
Overall record at finals: Played 4, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 2.
Best performance: Quarter-finals in 1966.
Most appearances at finals (starts only): Li Chan-Myong (1966), Shin Yung-Kyoo (1966), Lim Zoong-Sun (1966), Im Seung-Hwi (1966), Pak Doo-Ik (1966), Pak Seung-Zin (1966), Han Bong-Jin (1966) - 4.
Most goals at finals: Pak Seung-Zin (1966) - 2.
World Cup high: The 1-0 win over Italy to secure progress to the quarter-finals in 1966 is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in football history and is the subject of a documentary, The Game of Their Lives.
World Cup low: After going 3-0 up inside the first 22 minutes,losing 5-3 to a Eusebio-inspired Portugal in the last eight in 1966 to exit the tournament.
World Cup legend: Pak Do-Ik was the scorer as North Korea upset Italy in Middlesbrough. He was promoted from corporal to sergeant in the North Korean army after the win.
The story so far: North Korea's only appearance at the World Cup finals came on English soil in 1966 after defeating Australia in a play-off. A 3-0 defeat at the hands of USSR in the opener did not bode well for the team, but they rallied to draw 1-1 with Chile and then beat then-two-time winners Italy 1-0.
All group stage matches were played at Ayresome Park in Middlesbrough, where the locals adopted the team due to their humble approach and underdog status. If it wasn't for Eusebio's four goals in Portugal's record-equalling comeback from 3-0 down to win 5-3, North Korea would have faced England in the semi-finals.
Qualification: North Korea are the only Asian team in South Africa who came through from the first round of qualifying, where they disposed of Mongolia 9-2 on aggregate. They came through the first group stage comfortably alongside fierce rivals South Korea, who they were again grouped with in the final round.
Qualifying record (final group stage): P8, W3, D3, L2, F7, A5, Pts12.
Most appearances: Ri Jun-Il, Mun In-Guk (8).
Top goalscorer: Mun In-Guk (2).
Team Profile Korea DPR:
Two-thirds of the squad come from domestic clubs, though their small overseas-based contingent are vital cogs in the Korean machine. FC Rostov's Hong Yong-Jo was in lethal form up front, the 27-year-old goalgetter scoring four times in as many games. Playing alongside him is Japan-based Jong Tae-Se, who has the power and pace to breach any rearguard. Home-based midfielder Mun In-Guk is the man who makes the team tick, while keeper Ri Myong-Guk's safe hands and agility can be relied upon between the sticks.
Coach Kim Jong-Hun was only ten years old when the Chollima made history at England 1966 and now, 43 years on, he was the man who guided them back to the pinnacle of world football. Given his squad largely consists of domestic-based players lacking in international experience, the strategist favours a pragmatic and defensive approach based around discipline and teamwork.
Previous FIFA World Cups
Going into the global showpiece as debutants in England in 1966, the unfancied East Asians undid European heavyweights Italy with a single-goal victory to march into the quarter-finals. In what remains one of the all-time classic encounters in FIFA World Cup history, they flew into a three-goal lead against Portugal within 25 minutes, only for Eusebio to go on to strike no fewer than four times in a 5-3 comeback win for the Selecção das Quinas.
Records
* Korea DPR reached the last eight in their last and only previous appearance at the finals of a FIFA World Cup.
What they said
"It was as a result of our hard work that we will return to the World Cup, 44 years after we reached last eight at England 1966. We are likely to meet European teams once more at South Africa 2010 and I hope we can repeat the feats of our predecessors." Korea DPR head coach Kim Jong-Hun