North Korea just won the U-17 Women's World Cup again. Why are they so good?

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North Korea just won the U-17 Women's World Cup again. Why are they so good?

Published: 07 Nov. 2024, 09:39 Updated: 07 Nov. 2024, 17:48

PAIK JI-HWAN
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North Korea celebrate winning the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup after beating Spain in the final at Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in the Dominican Republic on Sunday. [EPA/YONHAP]

North Korea’s victory at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Sunday was just one of many successes the reclusive country has seen in women’s football on the international stage.

Sunday’s title marked North Korea’s third victory at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, making the country the winningest team in tournament history.

The result is not a huge surprise — North Korea has consistently performed well in both the women's World Cup and Asian Cup at the U-17 and U-20 levels.

The women’s teams’ success is a contrast to the performance of the men’s football teams and the country's general positioning in other sports, where they tend to underperform on the international stage.

But when did North Korea’s women’s football team start to dominate the global game and how successful have they been?

Silverware from the start for U-17 team

It only took North Korea one AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup to leave their mark on the continental stage. In their first tournament in 2007, North Korea proved unstoppable, winning every single one of their four games.

That first tournament was not a fluke. Over the following three tournaments North Korea made it to the final two, finishing as runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

North Korea pose for a team photo ahead of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2024 final against Spain at the Olimpico Felix Sanchez Stadium in the Dominican Republic on Sunday. [AFP/YONHAP]

The success didn't stop there, with each new generation carrying the North further, even as the women's game improved across the continent. North Korea won the 2015 and 2017 Asian Cups, finishing second in 2019 and reclaiming the crown this year. The biennial tournament did not take place in 2022 due to Covid-19.

That remarkable run at the Asian Cup means the country has never failed to reach the final.

The same story applies in the U-17 World Cup, where North Korea reached the knockout stage six times out of seven tournaments and clinched victory three times in 2008, 2016 and 2024.

U-20 success

That dominance at the U-17 level has carried through to the U-20 squad as the players age up from one team to the other.

North Korea celebrate winning the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup at the El Campin stadium in Colombia on Sept. 22. [AP/YONHAP]

Since finishing in fourth place at the U-20 Asian Cup in 2002, the Noth has only improved. The reclusive countril finished third in 2004, second in 2006 and first in 2007.

After another third-place finish in 2009, they finished as runners-up five consecutive times and returned to the top this year.

Over in the U-20 World Cup, they have never failed to reach the knockout stage, winning the tournament three times in 2006, 2016 and 2024, in addition to one runner-up finish in 2008.

Competition against South Korea

South Korea outperforms North Korea in most other sports as the Olympic medal tally shows — South Korea has 399 medals to North Korea's 63.

But this is not the case in women’s football at the U-17 and U-20 levels. South Korea have not seen as much success as North Korea, with one U-17 title from the Asian Cup and the World Cup.

The U-20 South Korean women’s national team players, in black, react after losing 3-0 to North Korea in the semifinal at the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup at Dustlik Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on March 13. [NEWS1]

South Korea’s failure to win the U-20 Asian Cup this year also came at the hands of North Korea, who thrashed them 3-0 in the semifinals.

Senior team

The North Korean women’s senior team, however, has not lived up to the obvious potential of its players.

The country won the Asian Cup three times in 2001, 2003 and 2008, but has not carried that performance over to the Olympics or World Cup, where they are yet to secure victory.

In the Olympics, they have never even made it to the knockout stage. Over in the World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals in 2007 remains their best result.

Those two results are still better than South Korea, who have never qualified for the Olympics and only reached the round of 16 at the World Cup.

How did North Korea become so good at women’s football?

The main reason behind North Korea’s success in women’s football remains unclear as it is challenging to dissect the reclusive country’s footballer development system.

But according to the documentary “Hana, Dul, Sed,” the country requires young female footballers to undergo extremely intense training that allows them to reach adult military personnel stamina level.

Being selected for the national team also gives players the motivation to perform well, as it grants North Korean players the right to move to Pyongyang with their families.

Living in Pyongyang can significantly elevate a North Korean family’s quality of life, as it is the richest city with the best infrastructure in the country. Moving to a different city in North Korea is a rare opportunity for ordinary citizens, who do not have freedom of movement without government permission.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]