Little is known about national team from North Korea.

Thanks to the secretive nature of communist North Korea, the abilities of their national team competing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup are somewhat unknown, although they did enjoy a good World Cup qualifying campaign.

They finished second in their group behind their neighbors, South Korea, and ahead of Saudi Arabia on goal difference. Their reward was hardly a friendly welcome back to the World Cup, with Brazil, Portugal, and the Ivory Coast all teams of the highest quality.

The last time North Korea made it this far was in 1966. Such was the impact made by the players (including, apparently, on the local young ladies) in the north of England that a superb documentary following the surviving teammates, ‘The Game of Their Lives,’ was made in 2002.

Coincidentally, the game they are remembered for was against their opponents for 2010, Portugal. 3-0 up after 25 minutes of their quarter-final, North Korea were first pegged back and then destroyed by the power of the peerless Eusebio, who scored four in an eventual 5-3 win.

The good performances by North Korean women’s teams at international age group World Cups, winners at under-17 level and runners-up at under-20, is indicative of the fact that the country has football talent and good coaching. However, some of their results in 2009 were not as encouraging.

There were a couple of head-scratching defeats mixed in among what was generally a good run of results; a 1-0 loss to Lebanon at home and a 4-1 defeat in Zambia topped the list. Overall, in 2009, North Korea won six matches, drew four, and lost three.

North Korea’s strength is a stingy defense that allowed only 7 goals throughout their entire qualifying campaign, but then again, they weren’t facing offenses featuring FIFA’s World Player of the Year for 2007 (Kaka, Brazil), 2008 and runner-up 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), or Ivory Coast’s all-time top scorer, Didier Drogba.

They emerged from the third round of qualifying unbeaten and without conceding a single goal, yet still finished second in Group 3 behind South Korea based on goal differential, which may demonstrate a lack of attacking options.

North Korea’s biggest obstacle, however (other than the Group of Death itself), is their lack of international experience, with the mainstay of their squad plying their trade domestically, but this could also work in their favor since opponents will not be used to their style of play.

North Korea’s key players are Russian-based forward Hong Yong-Jo, the team’s captain, he is the only member of the squad who plays professionally in Europe and he will have to repeat the form that saw him score 4 goals during AFC qualifying if his side hopes to compete in South Africa. He is joined up top by Jong Tae-Se, an explosive threat with a fierce shot and the strength to brush off opposing defenders, inspiring the media to dub him the ”Asian Wayne Rooney.”

Which country will win the 2010 FIFA World Cup? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Spain 5.50

Brazil 6.00

England 7.00

USA 41.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more 2010 FIFA World Cup betting odds. Want to watch soccer live? Get sporting events tickets online now.

North Korea FIFA World Cup

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