North Korea, Women's Asian Cup and China
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Once a powerhouse team and regime’s tool of soft power, the Eastern Azaleas then ‘all but disappeared’ from international competition
The fact that North Korea are ranked in the top 10 of the world’s best women’s football sides – higher than Brazil and Australia among others – may come as a surprise to some, but in the next week the team known as the Eastern Azaleas are attempting to cement their position as one of the best sides in the world by beating Japan in a two-legged Olympic qualification playoff to reach the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Neel Shelat covers women's soccer around the world. Sep 23, 2024, 07:29am EDT Having lifted the trophy for the third time, North Korea have become the joint most successful team in FIFA ...