N. Korea players celebrate U20 World Cup victory in Pyongyang / Photo: KIM Won Jin - AFP
-
Carrick backs Dalot after hostile reception from Manchester United fans
-
Comet returns as online electrical marketplace 14 years after collapse
-
Fire in Northern China Apartment Building Kills 14
-
Solihull Hospital Performs First Robotic-Assisted Gynaecological Cancer Surgeries
-
Apple’s 20th Anniversary iPhone to Skip Action Button for Camera Control Integration
-
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Admits Infidelity Amid Spy Investigation
-
Family of Woman Who Died at Voting Station Condemns Official Silence
-
Ted Scheinman’s Journey Through Depression and Electroconvulsive Therapy
-
Karen Wazen Launches First Standalone Boutiques in Cairo
-
Phoenix Symphony Resumes Performances Amid Financial Uncertainty
-
Pace Launches Three-Business-Day Culture-Based 'L. pneumophila' Testing
-
New 401k Gold IRA Investment Guide Explains the Best Way to Invest in Gold for Retirement (2026 Update)
-
Making Your Home Safer for Aging Parents: Accessibility Renovations That Add Value
-
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - November 09
-
DataMEDS AI Announces Corexa Pharmacy's First Commercial Sale of Compounded Peptides Under FDA Enforcement Discretion Policy
-
Opti Digital Launches NEXA, an AI-Powered Intelligence Layer
-
Tintina Mines Intersects 460m at 0.50% CuEq at the Dos Amigos Copper-Gold Project in Chile
-
Hillcrest and Equipmake Sign Definitive Agreement to Jointly Develop and License ZVS Inverter Technology for Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles
-
Top Chef Winner Nicole Gomes Opens Lucky Lily Asian Brasserie at YVR
-
First Drive: 2027 BMW i760 xDrive Review
-
Marc Almond to Close Soft Cell Era After Final 'Danceteria' Tour
-
Gary, Indiana Blackout Exposes FEMA Relief Disparities Along Racial Lines
-
Malta Chamber of Commerce and FIMBank Sign Alliance Agreement to Boost Corporate Finance
-
Turkish Energy Minister Highlights Qatar as Key Partner for Regional and Global Energy Security
N. Korea players celebrate U20 World Cup victory in Pyongyang
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.
E.Hall--AT
