North Korea’s young women’s football team received a thunderous homecoming after their title win at the 2024 Fifa U-20 World Cup in Colombia, AFP footage showed on Sunday.
The country’s U-20 women squad returned home on Saturday after their 1-0 victory over Japan to claim the title in Bogotá, their third such victory after tournament wins in 2006 and 2016.
The achievement has placed the isolated country on equal footing with powerhouses Germany and the United States.
The players were greeted by their families at the airport in Pyongyang, many overcome with joy, some in tears.
“I am really happy that we demonstrated to the full the honour of the country. We will continue to demonstrate the dignity of the country,” said a visibly emotional Chae Un Yong, captain of the national team.
The players were then escorted onto an open truck decorated with flowers and painted with the North Korean flag, driving through the city as they waved to people on the streets.
“They extended thanks to the cheering citizens, reminding themselves of the time when they played games with the warm encouragement sent by all the people across the country,” the official news agency KCNA reported.
AFP footage showed a large crowd of people gathering by the truck to shake the players’ hands and wave national flags.
The U-20 Women’s World Cup win followed years of the country’s withdrawal from international sporting competitions due to the Covid pandemic.
North Korea’s women’s football team holds a strong foothold on the global stage, ranked ninth, in stark contrast to their male counterparts, who are ranked 111th.
World Cup News
-
FIFA World Cup
/ 1 month agoVinicius says Spain should lose 2030 World Cup unless racism declines
Brazilian striker Vinicius Junior has called for Spain to be stripped of its 2030...
By AFP -
FIFA World Cup
/ 3 months agoRights groups demand release of jailed Qatar World Cup ex-staffer
Human rights groups on Wednesday called for the release of Abdullah Ibhais, a former...
By AFP -
FIFA World Cup
/ 3 months agoNew Jersey governor says 2026 World Cup will be ‘incredibly safe’
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Sunday promised the 2026 World Cup will be...
By AFP -
FIFA World Cup
/ 5 months agoSaudi oil giant Aramco agrees major FIFA sponsorship deal
Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Aramco and world football governing body FIFA on Thursday...
By AFP