The Enigma of North Korean Women's Football: Can They Rise Again?

In the 2007 Women’s World Cup, the United States—two-time champions and the world's top-ranked team—were dragged to a surprising 2-2 draw by North Korea, a result that shocked many, including the ESPN commentators. However, Heather O'Reilly, who scored the final goal for the U.S. in that match, wasn’t surprised by the scoreline. She knew it would be a tough game. What struck her most was the reaction of the North Korean players at the final whistle.

"I remember North Korea seeming disappointed," O'Reilly recalls. "Their body language seemed to say, 'Oh my gosh, we were so close to taking down the giant.'"

North Korea, despite being one of the world's most isolated countries, has a rich history in women's football. When they faced the U.S. in 2007, they were ranked fifth in the world, having won three Asian titles in the span of a decade. At the youth level, their success was even more remarkable. In 2016, North Korea's U20 team won the Women's World Cup, defeating powerhouses like Spain, the United States, and France in the knockout rounds. That same year, their under-17 team also lifted the World Cup trophy.

"The game in 2007 was challenging, really super hard," O'Reilly remembers of her encounter with North Korea’s senior side. "It was hard to get the ball off them; they were buzzing around, very quick."

But playing North Korea presented another, unique challenge. "It was just such a cloud of uncertainty," says O'Reilly. "The film we had on them was very limited, even by the standard of the times. Every time we played North Korea, it was always a mystery."

That mystery has only deepened in recent years. After a doping controversy at the 2011 Women’s World Cup and a subsequent four-year absence from international football, North Korea’s once-formidable women’s football team faded from the spotlight. Now, the question looms: Can North Korea’s women’s football rise again to reclaim their place among the world’s elite?

The challenge is immense. North Korea's isolation from the rest of the world, coupled with the internal pressures of life under a regime built on the infallibility of its Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un, makes their footballing achievements all the more remarkable. Yet, their previous success, especially at the youth level, suggests that the talent and potential are there.

For now, the world waits and wonders if North Korea can overcome the odds and once again emerge as a force in women’s football. The mystery of their return may be as captivating as their football itself.