Korea national under-20 football team

Last updated

Korea
Unification flag of Korea.svg
Association DPR Korea Football Association
Korea Football Association
Other affiliationInter-Korean Sports Conferences
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Head coach An Se-uk
Top scorer Cho In-chol (2)
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
First colours
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Second colours
First international
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 0–1 Korea  Unification flag of Korea.svg
(Lisbon, Portugal; 15 June 1991)
Last international
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil 5–1 Korea  Unification flag of Korea.svg
(Porto, Portugal; 22 June 1991)
Biggest win
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 0–1 Korea  Unification flag of Korea.svg
(Lisbon, Portugal; 15 June 1991)
Biggest defeat
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil 5–1 Korea  Unification flag of Korea.svg
(Porto, Portugal; 22 June 1991)
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Appearances1 (first in 1991 )
Best resultQuarter-finals (1991)

The Korea national under-20 football team, also known as the Korean unified football team, was the national under-20 team of Korea, being a combined representative team representing both South Korea and North Korea. Their only participation in FIFA-sanctioned tournaments was at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Contents

History

The Inter-Korean Sports Conferences were held on the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee since 1963, but the conferences always broke down until the 1980s because both sides had not seen eye to eye. In February 1991, however, they decided to make Korean unified teams in table tennis and football. [1]

In that same year, both South and North qualified for the FIFA World Youth Championship as winners and runners-up of the 1990 AFC Youth Championship, so they urgently made allied under-20 football team for the world championship despite concerns about communication and teamwork. [2] Ten South Korean players and eight North Korean players formed the unified team, and they were managed by North Korean coach An Se-uk. The Korean Unification Flag, which composed of a blue image of the Korean Peninsula over a white background, was the symbol used by the team which competed under the name "Korea". [3]

Korea began their World Youth Championship run by playing against favorites Argentina. The only goal of the match was a 30-yard strike goal made by North Korean footballer, Cho In-chol in the 88th minute which secured Korea's only win in the group stage. The Korean team would have lost its group stage match against Ireland but North Korean footballer Choi Chol made an equalizer in the 89th minute. They managed to advance to the knockout stage, although they conceded their last group stage match against hosts and eventual champions Portugal by a solitary goal, [3] However, they suffered their worst defeat in the quarter-final match against Brazil. [3]

Results

15 June 1991 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship
(Group A)
Argentina  Flag of Argentina.svg0–1Unification flag of Korea.svg  Korea Lisbon, Portugal
19:00 Report Cho In-chol Soccerball shade.svg88'Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Ernesto Filippi (Uruguay)
17 June 1991 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship
(Group A)
Republic of Ireland  Flag of Ireland.svg1–1Unification flag of Korea.svg  Korea Lisbon, Portugal
19:00 McCarthy Soccerball shade.svg58' Report Choi Chol Soccerball shade.svg89'Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Robert Sawtell (Canada)
20 June 1991 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship
(Group A)
Portugal  Flag of Portugal.svg1–0Unification flag of Korea.svg  Korea Lisbon, Portugal
21:30 Torres Soccerball shade.svg42' Report Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: 38,000
Referee: Enrique Marín Gallo (Chile)
22 June 1991 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship
(Quarter-finals)
Brazil  Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg5–1Unification flag of Korea.svg  Korea Porto, Portugal
21:30
Report Choi Chol Soccerball shade.svg40'Stadium: Estádio das Antas
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Guy Goethals (Belgium)

Coaching staff

PositionName
Manager Flag of North Korea.svg An Se-uk
Assistant coach Flag of South Korea.svg Nam Dae-sik

Players

No.Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsClub
11 GK Kim Jong-son (1972-08-27)27 August 1972 (aged 18) Flag of North Korea.svg Pyongyang Athletics College
22 DF Chong Gang-song (1973-10-15)15 October 1973 (aged 17) Flag of North Korea.svg Pyongyang Athletics Institute
32 DF Kang Chul (1971-11-02)2 November 1971 (aged 19) Flag of South Korea.svg Yonsei University
42 DF Park Chul (1973-08-20)20 August 1973 (aged 17) Flag of South Korea.svg Daegu University
53 MF No Tae-gyeong (1972-04-22)22 April 1972 (aged 19) Flag of South Korea.svg POSCO Atoms
62 DF Jang Hyeon-ho (1972-10-14)14 October 1972 (aged 18) Flag of South Korea.svg Korea University
73 MF Kim Jong-man (1972-12-16)16 December 1972 (aged 18) Flag of North Korea.svg Pyongyang Athletics College
83 MF Cho Jin-ho (1973-08-02)2 August 1973 (aged 17) Flag of South Korea.svg Kyung Hee University
94 FW Seo Dong-won (1973-12-12)12 December 1973 (aged 17) Flag of South Korea.svg Jungdong High School
104 FW Yun Chol (1972-10-27)27 October 1972 (aged 18) Flag of North Korea.svg Pyongyang College of Education
112 DF Cho In-chol (1973-10-02)2 October 1973 (aged 17) Flag of North Korea.svg Pyongyang Athletics College
124 FW Han Yeon-cheol (1972-03-30)30 March 1972 (aged 19) Flag of South Korea.svg Korea University
134 FW Choi Yong-son (1972-10-10)10 October 1972 (aged 18) Flag of North Korea.svg Pyongyang Athletics College
143 MF Ri Chang-ha (1972-08-23)23 August 1972 (aged 18) Flag of North Korea.svg Pyongyang College of Education
154 FW Choi Chol (1973-12-18)18 December 1973 (aged 17) Flag of North Korea.svg Pyongyang Athletics College
163 MF Lee Tae-hong (1971-10-01)1 October 1971 (aged 19) Flag of South Korea.svg Daegu University
172 DF Lee Lim-saeng (1971-11-18)18 November 1971 (aged 19) Flag of South Korea.svg Korea University
181 GK Choi Ik-hyeong (1973-08-05)5 August 1973 (aged 17) Flag of South Korea.svg Korea University

See also

References

  1. 남북체육회담 (in Korean). National Archives of Korea. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  2. 南北축구 단일팀「戰力상쇄 」우려. Naver (in Korean). Maeil Business Newspaper. 16 February 1991. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "A tale of two countries". FIFA. 15 February 2007. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.