ASIA'S GREATEST SIDE

Spurred on by their Great Leader and the spirit of Chollima, Korea DPR caused the greatest shock in World Cup history by beating Italy to reach the last eight of the 1966 finals in England. Today, the surviving players tell the remarkable tale of how they defied all the odds to put Asian football into the world spotlight. 

words John Higginson 
interviews & photos Dan Gordon & Nick Bonner


"Before we left the homeland, the Great Leader invited us to see him on June 10," recalls Rim Jung-son, Korea DPR's ever-present centre-half through the 1966 World Cup.

"That day, he gave us a big hug and said: 'European and South Americans dominate international football. As the representatives of the Asian and African region, as coloured people, I would appreciate it if the North Koreans could win one or two matches'."

However, not even the Great Leader, President Kim Il-sung, could not have foreseen the events that would unfold that summer in England.

Rim Jung-son is a national hero - if not a recognisable face to most youngsters - as one of the seven surviving members of the legendary side who beat Italy to reach the quarter-finals of the eighth World Cup. Korea DPR's accomplishments 36 years ago are still celebrated as Asia's finest in football's greatest event.

Incredibly, though, the memories of Rim and his teammates have only recently found an international audience following interviews by Dan Gordon and Nick Bonner conducted for a television documentary, The Game Of Their Lives.

Delighted with the opportunity to finally tell their story, the players offer a fascinating insight into what has been described as 'the greatest sports story never told'. A tale as inspiring as it was surprising, but whose individual heroes were in danger of being forgotten outside their home country .

As explained by Rim and his former teammates, including Italy's nemesis Pak Do-ik, midfield general Pak Seung-jin and goalkeeper Ri Chan-myong, their performances in England were far from lucky. They were the product of a team who had trained intensely in an isolated army camp for two years, while developing their tactical skills and competitive instincts in little-known friendly matches.

Before they even reached England, the story of how they qualified for the finals is a drama in itself. 

In controversial circumstances, all of the African teams had pulled out of qualifying in protest of the 1964 FIFA ruling that only one team from Africa, Asia and Oceania would qualify for the finals, a decision that would be overturned for the next World Cup in Africa's favour. 

Furthermore, the Republic of Korea, the continent's only other qualifying entrants, refused to play their northern counterparts due to hostilities following the Korean War. 

The 1950-53 conflict had also seen the breakdown in diplomatic relations with Korea DPR's only remaining opponents, Australia, who had also fought on the opposite side in the war as part of United Nations forces. To appease both teams, the two-leg play-off between the Asian and Oceania representatives headed for the neutral ground of Cambodia, which hosted one of international football's more bizarre encounters.

Having offered to stage the matches, Cambodian leader Noradom Sihanouk (CHECK) arranged that both the 'home and away' legs would be played three days apart in the Phnom Penh stadium. Astonishingly, to keep everything fair, he ensured the 40,000-capacity stadium would be full - with 20,000 supporters for Korea and 20,000 backing Australia!

The Australian side, made up mostly of British expatriates, had only played easy friendlies as preparation, including wins of 17-0 and 26-0, but the Koreans players paid them due respect after watching their training sessions in Phnom Penh.

"We were impressed by their technical skills," Rim says. "Their individual skills were particularly good. However, we could see they had a weakness. Even though they were technically proficient, they lacked teamwork and speed, so we could see a way to cope with them."

The Koreans won 6-1 and 3-1. As 20,000 Cambodians celebrated, so did the Korean players, who were on their way to England as an unknown force in the world of football and only Asia's second representatives in the finals, following Korea Republic in 1954.

"We couldn't believe it - we were going to the World Cup! In our minds, we were already running to join the tournament in England."


Chollima Runs Over England

Running - or more specifically, running very fast - was one of the side's biggest assets, and was based on the stunning speed and fitness developed by the players in their military-style training camp. 

More symbolically, this style was inspired by the country's Chollima movement, to accelerate socialism. Named after the mythical Korean winged horse that could travel 400 kilometres per day, President Kim described it as "a great revolutionary movement of the working millions of our country … accelerating socialist construction at an unprecedented rate".

The Great Leader's desire to see the socialist economy develop at rapid speed was emulated by his footballers, who chose to play a fast-paced Chollima style of football that surprised their bigger, more experienced opponents. Right-winger Han Bong-jin could reputedly run the 100 metres in just over 10 seconds, and such speed was used to counter the fact that the players averaged five-foot six-inches in height.

Yet, before the team could even think about their group opposition, there were new political hurdles to overcome in England, another country that had fought against them in the Korean War. 

At one stage, the British authorities considered refusing the squad visas, as it would imply recognition of their country, while the government wanted to ban the Korea DPR flag from flying at matches. In the end, a compromise was reached, the squad were allowed in and their flag flew proudly at all games. In fact, more so than the Korean team could believe - even today.

Due to the war, the players had expected adversity, political and otherwise. However, in their host city of Middlesbrough, they found fanatical support from the locals in the northern industrial city, who identified with the underdog status of the diminutive newcomers, especially as they played in red, the same as Middlesbrough.

Pak Do-ik, who achieved legendary status with his goal against Italy, still fondly remembers the support they received in every game they played.

"They waved our flag, they clapped their hands. I'm convinced the attitude of the Middlesbrough crowd affected our games," he says.

The locals' support wasn't enough in the opening match against the USSR, in which they were brushed aside 3-0 by the eventual semi-finalists in a result that appeared to reinforce the Koreans' pre-tournament status as 1000-1 outsiders. However, it's worth noting that the Soviets had taken the game very seriously, as the Korean side had earlier visited their country and beaten the highly rated Spartak Moscow. The Soviets therefore made full use of their physical advantage, fouling the Koreans 27 times - once every three minutes.

"They played wildly, and I think that's the main reason why we lost," Pak recalls. "Although we lost 3-0, we hadn't lost any confidence for our next match. We'd learnt something to take with us to the Chile and Italy games."

Although the win over Italy stands out as the side's best result, the draw with Chile, World Cup hosts and semi-finalists four years earlier, was equally important, and certainly just as dramatic. Without the point earned by Pak Seung-jin's last-gasp equaliser, the Italy victory would have been a morale booster but would still have seen the Koreans exit at the first stage. 

"We were 1-0 down with five minutes to go, and if we didn't score a goal, the memory of North Korea in the World Cup would have disappeared forever," Rim Jung-son says.

Pak Seung-jin agrees that the motivating words of the Great Leader rang echoed in the players' heads throughout the match, which combined with the fanatical support within Ayresome Park kept the side fighting high until the final whistle. 

"Before I scored, I saw the crowd waving our flags and shouting 'Korea, Korea', and that lifted our spirits. I also thought about our Great Leader who was waiting for us. There were five or six defenders surrounding me but I succeeded in scoring a fantastic goal," he says.

The deafening roars and celebrations of the 15,000 fans following the goal were so extreme that the strip lighting in the press box crashed to the floor. Even the BBC commentator screamed: "They've not cheered Middlesbrough like this here for years!"

Pak Seung-jin says that the result and their non-stop running throughout the game had sealed their love affair with the city, even it didn't help him become a recognisable face.

"After the game the Mayor of Middlesbrough came to see us and I shook his hand. He said: 'Tremendous stuff. I've never seen such an exciting game. Asian football is invigorating. Who is number eight? I want to shake his hand'?" Pak smiles.

Celebrations aside, the point had given the team a chance, and a definite target for their final group game.

"According to the proverb, I felt like I had a light from the darkness," Rim Jung-son says. "I couldn't wait for the final group game as we were still in with a chance. 

"Our mood was such that even if we were faced with a huge mountain, we could demolish it and march right through."


The Game Of Their Lives

Despite the draw with Chile, the Koreans were not given a chance by the public. One of the pre-tournament favourites, Italy boasted some of the best, highest-paid players in the world, and were in determined mood to make up for four years earlier, when they were ousted by Chile in the group stage. 

Yet, rather than be overawed by the Italians' reputation, the Koreans decided their tactics would follow their spirited, speedy Chollima style, and they would go for the win from the outset.

"We all agreed on one strategy. We would play the match with a powerful attack," says Pak Do-ik, who scored what proved to be the winning goal just before half-time, to the delight of most of the 20,000 fans packing the ground.

"I moved so I could use my right foot, which is always more accurate."

Although the Italians inevitably came out for the second half with all guns blazing, goalkeeper Ri Chan-myong believes there was no way they were going to break down a defence that was determined to protect the ambitions of their President.

"Behind me was the goal, which was small. But behind the team was the nation, and watching were our people and the Great Leader. If I conceded a goal the reputation of North Korea would fall. We would have failed in the task set us by the Great Leader. If I gave them even a chance of even a single goal, I would have died of a guilty conscience."

Head coach Myong Rye-hyun said the Italians' desperation to score meant that they rushed their attacks, which inevitably broke down in front of a fiercely determined defence.

"After they went a goal down, they tried to hurry to score which meant they played individually not as a team," Myong says. "Teamwork triumphed over technical superiority. "

The result, which was broadcast live by radio in Korea DPR, prompted massive celebrations in the home country, as people who were around at the time can still recall.

"People poured onto the streets to celebrate and cry even though it was the middle of the night. It was an historic moment. We fulfilled the miracle of Asia's dream," says the current Yangagkdo Stadium manager.

"There was no radio on the train so I couldn't hear the news live," says a train driver. "But when I heard we had won, I could work harder than ever because of the excitement. It was so good I cried."

The victory still stands as the biggest shock in the history of the World Cup finals, and the date and result are commemorated on posters in Korea DPR. Even in England, the result inspired massive excitement, an excitement that saw 3,000 of the Middlesbrough faithful made their way across to Liverpool, 150 miles away, to watch the quarter-final against Portugal.


Frenetic Farewell 

The journey to Goodison Park was worth every inch travelled, for although the fans were unable to celebrate another momentous victory, they had the privilege of watching one of the most entertaining and dramatic matches in the game's history. 

It's hard to say which was more surprising. The fact that the Koreans stormed to a 3-0 lead within 25 minutes against one of the world's finest teams, boasting one of the greatest players of all time. Or the fact that Eusebio, the player in question, was able to orchestrate the stunning comeback with four goals in just over half-an-hour.

Yang Song-guk, who scored the side's third in the 25th minute, admitted that following his goal the side started to think they had the game under control. 

"When we were winning 3-0, we had the feeling of victory for a while," he admits. 

Considering that almost all of the 50,000 predominantly English fans were supporting the Koreans - still a staggering concept considering the two nations were at war 13 years earlier - the Portuguese response was admirable, with Eusebio confirming his reputation as a genuine great. 

The result also revealed the tactical naivety of the Korean side, who were unused to being in such a commanding position and were unable to pull back the reins on their Chollima style of football when necessary, as Rim Jung-son explains.

"Against the Portugal attack we needed to conserve our energy, but we couldn't manage to. Due to our lack of experience we didn't know how to hold onto our lead. In other words we didn't know how to manage the time efficiently," Rim says about the missed opportunity to play England in the semis. 

"Still, we were proud of ourselves for getting to the quarter final, and we felt like winners for such a glorious victory rather than losers, even though we lost the game."

To this day, the Korea DPR players, who have not been heard from for over three decades, still retain a heartfelt passion for the friends they made and the excitement they generated, both at home and in a country where they expected to face hostility and anger.

"It still remains a riddle to me," Rim Jung-son says, unable to fathom why the side generated the depth of passion they did. "The people of Middlesbrough supported us all the way through. I still don't know the reason why."

Pak Do-ik sums up the general feelings of the players.

"We knew that Britain had participated in the Korean War. We thought them to be the enemy but they welcomed us. Wherever we went, they welcomed us unimaginably, and we felt 'English people are such a peaceful nation.' When we played against Portugal they supported us passionately. 

"I learned it's not just about the winning, but it's also about the promotion of diplomatic relationships and peace."