North Korea beat defending champions Spain to claim third U17 World Cup title

North Korea won a record third Women’s Under-17 World Cup after a penalty shootout victory over two-time defending champions Spain in Santo Domingo.

After falling behind in the final in the Dominican Republic when tournament top scorer Pau Comendador passed to Barcelona teammate Celia Segura, North Korea almost immediately equalized, leveling the match and forcing a penalty shootout. There, Spain failed to convert two of their five shots, and Kang Ryu-mi scored the winning penalty in front of 18,410 spectators at the Felix Sanchez Stadium.

Korean goalscorer John Il Chong also won the Adidas Ballon d’Or, awarded to the tournament’s best player, ahead of Comendador and Segura. However, their goalkeeper Park Chu-kyung stood out in the final, making a number of saves, including one in the penalty shootout from Iris Santiago.

“We are proud that we beat the best European team and became the best team in the world,” said DPRK head coach Son Song Gwon. “We were able to win thanks to our unity. We realized once again that if we fight together as one, victory is inevitable.”

Conversation with FIFA.comSpanish midfielder Irune Dorado praised the Koreans’ speed and pressing abilities. “This is a very strong team. They don’t let you breathe, and it’s hard to play like that for ninety minutes. This is their strength.”

The Koreans had previously won all their games in this competition, the eighth Women’s Under-17 World Cup. They have already beaten teams from England and the USA, European and Olympic champions at the highest level.

Spain had also won their previous five games before the final. Senior world champions, Spain’s under-17 team have won the previous two Women’s World Cups and the European Under-17 Championship, held earlier this year in Sweden.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said that “The DPRK has achieved outstanding results in the Dominican Republic and their tenacity and exceptional teamwork is truly a tribute to the world class players on the field and the tireless efforts of everyone working behind the scenes “

Yesterday’s triumph marked the third time North Korea has won the tournament. They won the first competition in 2008, beating the United States, and won again eight years later. Their victory in 2024 repeated an eight-year cycle.

Just two months ago, North Korea won a record third Women’s Under-20 World Cup, defeating old rivals Japan in the final in Bogota. The country also won the 2016 Under-17 and Under-20 World Cup titles, demonstrating unparalleled excellence in women’s football at youth level.

Salman said that “the DPRK Korea Football Association’s commitment to building a consistent and dynamic roster of future stars is commendable, and we congratulate them not only on this triumph, but also on being the only member association in world football to repeat this feat.” . winning back-to-back women’s age group titles in the same year.”

Having consistently dominated their age groups, North Korea has been unable to translate this success to a full international level. They have not qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup since 2011, despite consistently ranking in the top ten of the FIFA world rankings.

At the 2011 tournament, five of their players failed doping tests. FIFA did not accept the federation’s explanation that the steroids in their players’ bodies came from deer musk in traditional Chinese medicine. North Korea was banned from participating in the subsequent World Cup.

Following the Covid pandemic, the North Korean state did not allow its national teams to play international matches for more than four years. This caused the women’s team to lose their FIFA world rankings. Although they returned to international play last year, they played matches almost exclusively in Asia. The only exception was a double header in Moscow against a Russian team currently banned from all FIFA competitions due to the war in Ukraine.

It remains to be seen whether their success at the Women’s Under-17 World Cup can lead to qualification for the senior tournament. Unlike the top ten countries, none of the North Korean players make a living outside their country.

Salman added that “AFC’s vision and mission is to ensure our teams succeed on the biggest stages, and the achievements of our women’s teams are evidence that our ambitions are being realized. I am confident that the shining example of the DPRK will serve as an inspiration to others.” imitate.”