The boss of football in Asia showered praise on Monday on the young footballers of North Korea, who won their second World Cup the day before in less than two months, calling them “dynamic pipeline of future stars”.
The North Korean women’s team beat Spain on penalties (4-3, 1-1 after extra time) Sunday evening in Santo Domingo in the final of the Under-17 World Cup. On September 22, the North Koreans had already won the Under-20 World Cup by beating Spain (1-0) in Bogota.
Asian Football Confederation President Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa praised “the tireless efforts of all those working behind the scenes” for North Korean football.
“We must salute the dedication of the Football Federation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea which strives to establish a coherent and dynamic pipeline of future stars”he wrote in a press release.
“I am convinced that the shining example (of North Korea) will be a source of inspiration for others”he added.
During the competition in the Dominican Republic, the North Korean U17s scored a total of 14 goals and conceded only two. They notably beat the United States in the semi-final.
“It’s a very intense team”Spanish midfielder Irune Dorado said of them on the official FIFA website. “They don’t let you breathe”.
The North Koreans had already done the U17-U20 double at the World Cup in 2016.
