The North Korean soccer team made few appearances on the FIFA circuit prior to the tournament, resulting in their world ranking being forced to zero, relegating them to the fifth slot, or bottom position, in their group. However, surprisingly, in the first round of three matches, they defeated two West Asian powerhouses in quick succession to secure their place at the top of the table.
Although the DPRK have one more match against Jordan yet to be played, given that Hong Kong, Iran and Syria all have three points, it is theoretically possible for them to equal the DPRK's tally with two more matches to go, but in the event of a tie, the ranking will be based on the results of the matches played against each other. The DPRK are already ahead in this category, so they have already secured their place in the group, which is undoubtedly a great achievement for them.
Since the return of North Korean soccer to the international stage, their performance has been remarkable. At the previous Women's World Youth Championship, the DPRK team was crowned champions, and at the current U17 Women's World Cup, they managed to make it to the last eight. Although the men's soccer team's achievements are a little less impressive, they have often won against strong teams such as Iran and have shown remarkable strength by advancing to the Round of 18 in the World Qualifying Tournament.
The DPRK team has once again shown the world the charm of soccer. While advanced soccer concepts, tactical use and participation in more high-level matches are crucial to improving the level of soccer, a strong will and relentless training can also make a team perform well. Although the DPRK team's closed training model and lack of experience in professional leagues may limit their development potential, their basic strengths can still be maintained at the top level in Asia, where the overall soccer level is not that high.
