North Korea win fourth U17 World Cup title in Rabat
In the showpiece match in Rabat, Morocco, the Koreans outclassed the European champions with a stellar first-half performance as Kim Won-sim, Pak Rye-yong and Ri Ui-gyong all got on the scoresheet before the break.
The North Koreans went undefeated, winning their seven matches. En route to the final, they defeated hosts Morocco, Japan and Brazil in the knockout stages.
It was North Korea’s record fourth win at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, having won the tournament in in 2008, 2016 and 2024 when they defeated Spain following penalties in the final in the Dominican Republic. Last year, North Korea also won the U-20 Women’s World Cup for a third time.
The winners also dominated the individual awards. Yu Jong-hyang won both the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player and the Golden Boot as the top scorer with eight goals. Kim Won-sim received the Silver Ball and Silver Boot after scoring seven.
Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s most read newspaper, hailed the team, writing that the team made “a significant impression on football experts, fans and spectators around the world.”
It was the first edition of the U-17 to feature 24 teams, held in back-to-back years after FIFA’s decision to stage its lowest age group finals every year. Morocco will also stage the next four editions of the tournament.
AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “Prior to this tournament, DPR Korea were already the most decorated side in history. Now, with this renewed dominance, they have set the benchmark for future women’s youth teams to emulate. This latest victory is perhaps the most profound in Asian football history, so on behalf of the AFC, I would like to put on record our heartfelt congratulations to all the players, the team officials as well as the exemplary support system staff members.”
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