Ri Kum-hyang: There is no limit to how far Naegohyang can go

For a good 45 minutes before his players came on to the pitch for warm-ups, Ri Yu-il stood, dead straight, in the same spot. As the whistle blew for kick-off in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup™ opener, the Naegohyang coach returned to the same position, just to the right of the dugout, where he spent much of the ensuing hour and a half calmly observing things.

Speaking to FIFA before the clash with Auckland United FC, Ri and captain Kim Kyong-yong, stressed that the team’s run of success has been built on unity and an unwavering resolve.

From that aspect, it was very much a successful evening for the Pyongyang power, as goals in either half from Kim Kyong-yong secured a 2-0, Round 1, victory. With the second of those strikes not coming until the 88th minute though, Naegohyang were forced to dig deep into the concentration well, and it was that focus and determination that had Ri purring about his side’s performance when he spoke exclusively to FIFA post-match.

“It was the first match for both teams so that came with some difficulty but I think both performed, tactically, very well and exactly as they had planned to do.

“From a Naegohyang perspective, the most pleasing thing was that the team was fully prepared from a mental aspect.

“You have to remember that this was the first time for us to play in this stadium but I have to give praise to the players because they got used to things very quickly and carried out the tactical intentions that we had laid out; all of that with a very strong mentality that we pride ourselves on.”

As clinical as Kim Kyong-yong was in front of goal, the team’s defensive efforts were just as impressive, barely allowing Auckland a sight of goal. A key part of the back-three – for both Naegohyang and the DPR Korea national team – is Ri Kum Hyang.

Speaking exclusively to FIFA in the wake of the team’s impressive start, the 25-year-old central defender said that the team played with a steely determination that has seen Naegohyang emerge as a serial clean-sheet collectors.

“I can explain it very simply, with just one sentence: I did not want to concede a goal, not a single one, no matter what.

“That’s my responsibility as a defender. I made sure that I ran and ran and ran and did everything I could to help the team. To make sure that we didn’t concede, no matter what, and that we could win this match and keep progressing in the tournament.”

Fresh off captaining the national side to silver at the recent Asian Games, and performing the same role as DPR Korea qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ earlier in the year, it’s been a busy period for Ri Kum-hyang.

That’s about to get a whole lot more hectic as Brazil 2027 races into view, while Naegohyang now have a Round 2 Women’s Champions Cup date with the yet-to-be-determined CAF queens to look forward to later in the year.

Looking further ahead, Naegohyang have also been confirmed as among the initial group of clubs to have secured qualification for the maiden edition of the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, in 2028.

As someone who has played an integral part in this wave of success for both club and country, Ri, who first took up the game at her mother’s urging as a nine-year-old, is delighted to be a part of what she calls a ‘special time’ for women’s football in her country.

“I think we have a really good system for training, nurturing and developing players in DPR Korea, and I’ve seen that first-hand. I’ve been trained very well since I started playing as a child.

“This success we are enjoying is due to the wonderful football education throughout the country, but also the players are totally devoted to football. This is a very important aspect which should not be ignored.

“As for Naegohyang, we are absolutely delighted to be able to participate in the Club World Cup, as we are at national level, with the Women’s World Cup. It’s a fantastic honour to be able to compete on these kinds of stages but also it’s important to remember that simply winning or losing isn’t everything.

“One of the most important points is that we are constantly learning and growing but, for Naegohyang, I think if we play with the same kind of unity that we did today then there is no limit to how far we can go, whether to the semi-finals, the final, or all the way.”

They are thoughts echoed by the team’s head coach, who told FIFA that the club will do all they can to make it to the very pointy end of the Women’s Champions Cup and then carry that momentum into the Women’s Club World Cup in 2028.

“I feel confident with where we are at and with the progress we are making. It’s clear that we can’t sit still though or rest on this victory. Going forward in the Women’s Champions Cup, we will progressively meet teams from a higher and higher level.

“That means that we must also raise our level in every aspect, especially physically and tactically.

“Now, we also have the Women’s Club World Cup to look forward to and as a coach that brings me great delight. Personally though, I must also keep developing, and with this tournament as motivation I will study and prepare even harder so that the team can perform to our maximum capabilities and go as far as we can in both these competitions.”