North Korea national football team

The North Korea national football team represents the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in men's international football, governed by the DPR Korea Football Association. Since becoming a member of FIFA in nineteen fifty-eight and joining the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in nineteen seventy-four, the team has made significant strides on the international stage.

One of the team's most notable achievements came during the nineteen sixty-six FIFA World Cup, where they made their debut and reached the quarter-finals. This remarkable journey included a historic victory over Italy in the group stage, making North Korea the first men's Asian team to advance beyond this phase of the tournament.

Controversy surrounded the team during the two thousand six FIFA World Cup qualifiers when supporters rioted due to the team's failure to qualify, causing disruptions for the opposing team. However, the team rebounded and secured qualification for the two thousand ten FIFA World Cup, marking their second appearance in the tournament's history.

In addition to their World Cup endeavors, North Korea has qualified for the AFC Asian Cup six times, achieving a fourth-place finish in nineteen eighty and participating in the tournaments of nineteen ninety-two, two thousand eleven, two thousand fifteen, and two thousand nineteen. The current squad features a mix of native North Koreans and Japanese Zainichi Koreans, showcasing the diverse talent within the team.