sports

Coach proves his ability 

Ri Song Ho, who was selected as one of top ten coaches of the DPRK for 2024, is a coach of the Wolmido Football Team.

He spent his playing career at the Rimyongsu Sports Club and has worked as a coach at the Wolmido Football Team since 2002 after graduating from Korea University of Physical Education. 

He led his team to victory in several domestic games while working as a women’s football coach for more than 20 years.

His team lifted the winner’s trophy in 2015 for the first time and recorded five consecutive wins in domestic games between 2017 and 2018.

So, Ri was widely known as one of competent coaches among soccer experts and fans at home.

His ability was also proved in international competitions beyond domestic events.

The DPRK women’s football team led by Ri Song Ho won both the 2024 AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup and 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup finals.

Coach attains his goal

Song Sung Gwon is one of the sportspersons who left an indelible mark in the history of development of the DPRK women’s football.

As a coach, he contributed to the DPRK team’s winning victory in the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals and the then 2017 AFC U-16 women’s championships. 

In particular, he coached the DPRK women’s football team under 17 to lift two trophies in the Asian and World Cup finals in 2024, attaining his goal to gain Asian and world supremacy again in the age group.

The DPRK team led by Song earned lavish praise for its ability in the world football circles.

FIFA said that players of the DPRK team were very good at applying tactics, outstanding in individual ability and in good harmony with each other and that each player fulfilled their responsibility and fully implemented the tactical intention of their coach in matches. It is not an easy job to possess these qualities, it added. 

“It was a hard final match. We played the match with great intensity. We have not much played such a fierce game. They pressed hard on us without giving us a breathing spell and this tactic exhausted us. It was really hard for us to play for 90 minutes like this. We directly experienced how strong the DPRK team was,” said Spanish players, who lost the chance to become the first three-time World Cup winning team as they were defeated by the DPRK team in the final match.

Song Sung Gwon is Merited Athlete and chief coach of the Naegohyang Women's Football Team.