FIFA World Cup Team Preview: DPR Korea

Country: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)

Nickname: The Chollima (or Pegasus)

North Korea Football

Manager: Kim Jong-Hun

FIFA Rank: 105

Group Opponents: Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast

World Cup Schedule:

June 15: vs. Brazil (Johannesburg)June 21: vs. Portugal (Cape Town)June 25: vs. Ivory Coast (Nelspruit)

Kim Jong-Hun

Team History and News:

North Korea, as a country, have always been shrouded in mystery. The Hermit nation has sealed itself away from the rest of the world, and very little is known about their general public, let alone the national football team. Smuggled reports state that the countrymen live in an impoverished state, and that that football is the main sport in the country.

The North Korean team have appeared at the world stage only once before, in 1966, England. After that, however, they have wither not qualified, withdrawn, or plainly refused to play the World Cup.

In 1966, the North Koreans staged one of the of the biggest upsets in football folklore. Grouped along with Italy, Russia and Chile, the North Koreans were expected to be cannon fodder. Their first match was a 0-3 loss to Russia, proving the critics right. However, they started winning plaudits as a plucky team. In their last group match, Italy needed just a draw to advance to the next round. DPR Korea won the game, much to the delight of their growing contingent of supporters. In the qualification match against Portugal, the Chollima raced to an unbelievable 3-0 lead in the first 24 minutes. Even though they eventually lost the game 3-5, they caught the attention of the entire world, before disappearing secretly back to their country.

The 2010 World Cup campaign, too, has been nothing short of inspiring. The team played 16 qualification games, and finished second only to their rival South Korea. Over the course of their campaign, they defeated much higher ranked opponents including Iran and a draw against Saudi Arabia.

However, their pre-tournament friendlies haven’t exactly reflected that same form, with three losses in their last four games. Each of these games, has been a close affair. Their last four matches against bitter rivals South Korea have yielded three draws and a 0-1 loss, where they claimed the players had been poisoned.

Jong Tae-Sae

Team Tactics and Key Players: The Chollima’s team preparations and tactics are heavily shrouded in secrecy. Most of their players are home bred and play the national league. Only three players play abroad: two in Japan for the J-League and their captain, Hong Young Jo, who plays for FC Rostov in the Russian League.

The team plays with a defensive formation, employing a lone striker up front. It is said they foul early and often. However, the team is extremely well-drilled, and might even match the best nation stamina-wise.

Their main player, is their striker, Jong Tae-Sae, who plays for the Kawasaki Frontale, in Japan. Dubbed as the ‘Asian Wayne Rooney‘ and ‘Acorn Head’, he has scored 12 times for the country, and more than forty times for his club. The most capped player of the bunch is Pyongyang City’s Kim Yong-Jun.

Author’s Prediction: While the eyes of the world will be on the more fancied names in the tournament, DPR Korea will find it very difficult to qualify from the group stages itself, where unfortunately they have been drawn in the Group of Death. With Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast all favorites to make the quarter finals, Korea DPR, as the lowest ranked team to make the tournament, will be nothing mroe than fodder for their opponents. But with a work ethic to boast of, and the element of surprise, there is no reason why we cannot expect a surprise or two. While Brazil and Ivory Coast have never played the Chollima before, Portugal will remember the shock they were treated to all those years ago. The author does not expect them to get any points from their matches.