How North Korea and Middlesbrough Became Unlikely Football Friends

How North Korea and Middlesbrough Became Unlikely Football Friends
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The story of Middlesbrough and North Korea's unlikely friendship begins at Ayresome Park in 1966, when Pak Doo Ik's winning goal secured the Asian minnows a place in the quarter-finals. There, a curiosity developed in the Middlesbrough locals, after initial disinterest in the team, and the lowest recorded match attendance in the tournament. What evolved over the games, however, was a connection that warmed the hearts of many and one that has continued into the 21st Century.
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#northkorea #Middlesbrough #1966worldcup

[@Sam-yi9fw]

This is the most unexpected video title I have ever seen.

[@rinzekok7766]

Love your vids🔥💪

[@NobletheSavage]

I was kind of taken back by the title too . I then remembered my Dad's tales of the N Korea exploits in '66. I like these uplifting videos .

[@somerandomedgyguy1723]

Yes indeed, Middlesbrough and ...friends?! Wasn't sure that's possible

[@civilservant9528]

No its not

[@MrSdsok]

Better love story than twilight

[@wimwoler]

Never thought I’d see Middlesbrough and North Korea in the same sentence

[@rabd9881]

There’s not much a difference between them tbf

[@stuartbooth28]

@@rabd9881 yeah, but the parmo's in North Korea are a bit too greasy I've heard. They don't even do cream cabbage.

[@dsk1359]

@@rabd9881 you can use Middlesbrough's football to torture people in north Korea

[@Maxim89Il]

Well, it makes sense. North Korea is a dictatorial dump that is forced to look at its cool and successful neighbour, South Korea. Middlesbrough FC is a club that is forced to look at the successful and cool neighbour, Sunderland AFC! Just banter ;-) Don't get offended.

[@dsk1359]

@@Maxim89Il change Sunderland to Newcastle and then it make sense, and also, good banter!

[@danielwing3119]

The Middlesbrough ladies team went to North Korea on a tour in 2010 as well

[@JackManEveryday]

My mams mate was the manager (I think) and she went, obviously said it was bonkers

[@JackManEveryday]

@Repent man Yeah bang on mate, said she loved it!

[@menzies09er]

@Gerson Guevara bonkers=crazy

[@JackManEveryday]

Gerson Guevara yeah it’s not a real word 😂 just means crazy

[@JackManEveryday]

Gerson Guevara Yeah pretty well known in the UK x

[@thatguy5165]

So that means that Middlesbrough is the safest place in the UK if North Korea decides to shoot some missiles to Europe

[@mrivera6975]

*missiles landing everywhere* North Korea makes eye contact with Middlesbrough "Thanks for cheering for us" *North Korea marches on*

[@HarryWessex]

Depends 1. It's super far from London. But 2. Its near important manufacturing part of the country.

[@Narrenspiel6]

@@HarryWessex If the DPRK would shoot missiles, i doubt they would focus manufacturing. They know that would be the end of Noth Korea, so they would target symbolic areas. In case of an accidental launch (somebody going mad), i doubt the missiles would target anything like manufacturing too. Except for the case of accidental launch, i think the DPRK is one of the most unlikely nations to launch intercontinental missiles. Not just because of technology, but because of them knowing what would happen in retaliation.

[@wickedmen030]

>Western propaganda There is more change that Trump who behaves like a child on Twitter and attacks every reporter is going to blow up half of the world.

[@wickedmen030]

@Man on phone if he wanted to crack some jokes maybe he should be considering a career as a comedian instead of having the responsiblity of 320 million people. Every nutjob that would be CEO of a company and that would make "jokes" about drinking bleach as a solution of a problem would be fired the next day.

[@stephencooper5155]

Somewhere in North Korea there's a kid with a battered VCR of Juninho highlights who thinks Middleborough must be the greatest club in the world.

[@JackManEveryday]

You mean they're not?

[@CJ0101]

There's another kid in Boro thinking exactly the same thing.

[@JackManEveryday]

hoddsy and me

[@AnkitGupta-wf2lg]

@@JackManEveryday Lmao thinking Boro is the best club in the world. The thought makes me reverse colonize Britain

[@joeshan8949]

And he’s is correct utb !

[@octavdumitru]

This story about cheering on a team that isn't yours reminds me of the World Cup final in 2018. I was at a pub with my friends that afternoon and there was a group of French supporters there. I'm Romanian, I bare no ill will towards the French, but I felt it would be nice to give them a bit of excitement, so for 90 minutes I cheered for the underdog. Soon enough the whole pub caught on. When France went 1-0 up they were extatic, but when Croatia got the equaliser the whole pub erupted. After the final whistle and trophy celebration, I was about to leave when one French supporter saw me, shook my hand, smiled and said "Good game!" I've never felt so connected to a stranger and a team that isn't mine ever in my life. It was at that moment that I truly experienced and understood why we call it The Beautiful Game.

[@goodyking6732]

Octavian Afrasinei When one wonderful story inspires another to be told. Beauty can be found in the oddest of places.

[@um5566]

Too bad the refs gave france the game.

[@octavdumitru]

No...I said there were some French supporters at the pub so I decided to root for the underdogs (Croatia) to give the French a bit of competition.

[@octavdumitru]

@@zainashfaq7329 No harm done. ;)

[@TheAXia74]

I mean football is bringing people together. Last time I was in a pub in Scotland for Liverpool-Atletico. I was cheering for Atletico while the rest of the pub was for Liverpool. At the end of the game, I had a really friendly chat with those guys about the season of both teams and the game

[@nazmulkabir3774]

This is weirdly wholesome

[@dilksjoel]

Wholesome like the food in North Korea?

[@rorybessell8280]

@@evan2173 I have no doubt that the people and the land of the country are lovely and having watched documentaries on that is affirmed. However, the Kim regime is nothing but a brutal, disgusting dictatorship where they have brainwashed most of the population. You appear to be a tankie so you probably think that's fine as long as communism reigns, even if millions of people die or have their lives ruined

[@DesertSt0rm44]

This was unexpectedly heartwarming

[@dilksjoel]

Heartwarming? What about the starving folk of North Koreans? Worse yet, what about the starving folk of Middlesbrough?

[@JackManEveryday]

@@dilksjoel We're eating good in Middlesbrough you just crack on with ya dead fortnite streams son x

[@tamoghnamukherjee7871]

It's time for Kim to take over Middlesbrough and take them back up to the Premier League 😂

[@crizzledizzle6146]

FACTS, lets make it happen

[@revolutionarymarxist-lenin7252]

I would actually like to see this happen.

[@CxAgar]

Where the reds and where from Middlesbrough and we stand and sing Kim Jong-un is king where the reds and where from Middlesbrough follow follow follow!

[@MangaSamte]

This could make a bloody good Football Manager career game. 😅

[@anteveic327]

If they fail, players will switch to mining in Korea!

[@OngoingDiscovery]

“Ooh football friends”

[@Pessidog10]

Best friends forever and ever

[@amanb5727]

Was looking for this one 😂

[@GyitMulhaneski-GloriousYears]

Probably more welcome guests than Ch*na would be at the moment.

[@owlgharacitykaskus]

Man of the culture as well

[@revolutionarymarxist-lenin7252]

😂

[@Mlaargaar]

What a heartwarming story that was. Your content is so vast, and truly fantastic. Thanks Tifo Football.

[@dequanmsealey1356]

first appeared on the North Korean Athletic.

[@NobletheSavage]

Hahahaha, inspired.

[@arthurjacquemin4979]

Very Funny

[@paulsheehan2998]

Beautiful

[@ex.martian]

The Supreme Middlesborough Football Club!

[@JackManEveryday]

UTB

[@GeneralGrizzy]

Middlesbrough*

[@XBR4Da]

Never expected a story involving North Korea to be so wholesome

[@CJ0101]

I think you mean Middlesbrough.

[@TheBlondeCrusader]

My grandparents always speak fondly when it comes to the North Korean team. I can tell it hurts them when North Korea is in the news for something bad, they will always cherish the memory of those footballers who came to us

[@darhaha3391]

In Iran that North Korea team of 1966 became known as the "Yellow Storm". Or something to that effect. All of Asia was proud of their performance.

[@tttremendousss9789]

“Football friend” 👍👍

[@Speeder76]

As a portuguese, I didn't knew this part of the story about North Korea national team. But I can tell you that the quarter-finals game is still the stuff of legends over here, after all this time. As you mentioned it, they were winning 3-0 until Eusébio scored four of the five goals that gave us victory, on one of the most epic wins of the portuguese national team and scored a golden chapter on "Pantera Negra"'s career. Watching this video about the NK side on the first stage of the 1966 World Cup was pleasant to me, a part of football history that I didn't know. Thanks, that's why i'm your fan.

[@alexanderlytle4694]

once again shows that football>politics. The beautiful game at its finest

[@milanstanic6240]

BEST COMMENT

[@gabrielgarcia7554]

This was really one of the most wholesome stories I have ever heard. It is a shame that politics divide us from other people, but it is amazing to see the effect of football overcome this divide. The governments of our respective nations may not be great, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t reach out and establish connections of friendship with the people of the world, regardless of where they are from.

[@andrewlarsen502]

Australia lost 9-2!?!? This video just made me judge our history

[@gabrielgarcia7554]

Yeah that was pretty funny hahaha.

[@davidmorrissey5075]

Craig Johnston once said of representing Australia in football would be akin to representing England in Surfing. Times have obviously changed, but they were a backwater in football probably up to the mid 90s at least

[@sophonphotirut5789]

At least Aussies have cricket and rugby league dominance, still good.

[@ranjanbiswas3233]

Your team destroyed American Samoa once so yeah "judge" your history.

[@mike04574]

australians have never been the craziest at soccer/football

[@brendanobrien8198]

It’s 1:00 am in Chicago and I’m up for this great video.

[@brandonblanco8379]

Brendan O'Brien And it’s 11:18 pm in San Francisco.

[@Yugoslavia_memes]

Brendan O'Brien 2:33 am here in Toronto

[@ethanfanning9360]

Liam Howe EST gang rise up 😤😤

[@ITJustMeKG]

STFU pansy

[@Dazard10]

Anonymous User my man said pansy........

[@patrykjasnowski6374]

I live in darlo just few miles from boro, never heard of this story, sooo epic

[@TheXodius]

Patryk Jasnowski haha same here, Haughton area. First I’d heard of it like

[@isaiahjones8731]

If you’re in darlo ask the bloke who runs there football club if they want Britt Assombalonga, I’m fucking sick of him

[@JimInProgress]

@@isaiahjones8731 good thing he’s fucked off now thwn

[@c.collins6859]

Genuinely one of the nicest things I've heard in the last 3 months

[@eastcoast5103]

Great video! Just for future ref Ayersome is pronounced ‘Air-Some’

[@martinr9109]

Glad you said this. Some of his pronunciations really do wind me up.

[@danpreston564]

I think his mispronunciations must be a deliberate trolling.

[@VVIIFINEST]

Ayre fik some

[@liamgbooth]

And they spelt Middlesbrough wrong in the graphics 🤔🤦

[@JAMIEFORSTER]

Great video, I'm from Middlesbrough and my grandad speaks of this fondly and in detail whenever I mention the 66 WC. He went to every home game but didn't have the money to get across to Merseyside at the time. I think the general psyche of the town is very self-deprecating, as 'nobody really gets us and everyone who hasn't visited here thinks we live in a sh*thole' so we absolutely love an underdog (lots of Tyson Fury fans, not many Anthony Joshua fans, lots of Ricky Hatton fans, not many Mayweather fans - to reference another popular sport in these parts).

[@georgebamber6871]

Reminds me of the rugby game between South Africa and Japan in Brighton, they only had a 5000/1 change of winning and the noise from the England supporters was insane every try

[@jackmiller-johnston8689]

How can this not make you smile with delight? Even as a Sunderland fan, it's a story that can only raise my respect for Boro. As for the 5-3 loss to Portugal, how much of a beast was Eusebio?!

[@uniboio2437]

A nice surprise to see my club mentioned on here for once. UTB!

[@kizitobob6597]

This is a football channel that deserves millions of subscribers. So informative!

[@asifshahriar4503]

Yeah, and there are some football channels with million subs that really don't deserve at all

[@ianseerey5872]

great story, nice to hear a positive story on North Korea for once! Respect to boro fans for this one!

[@akamiguelsanchez9985]

My dad was at this game with his mate who was Italian, he said he walked out at half time in tears

[@bitik9847]

I always love to support underdogs. That thrill is different

[@michelroitberg2479]

This is the most wholesome football story I've ever heard

[@nikhilvallabhan1036]

Simply brilliant! Brought a tear to my eye as well

[@NanobanaKinako]

This is probably the most unusual friendship between teams. Never thought this crossover exist.

[@KillerGhostV]

Your videos have helped learn some really interesting things during these difficult times. Thank you, Tifo!

[@daxthaxe]

TIFO dropping gems as per usual - keep up the good work guys - im a football wiz as I'm sure most fans think they are but had no idea about this magical story! Thank you for enlightening myself and the other subscribers!

[@COB2403]

Didn't expect this at all!! Love you Tifo ❤️! Superb content.

[@jasonbourne9114]

Love your unique content and the way you present it man! Keep it up

[@kvnofcolour]

God this channel's content is amazing. Content over Everything. Thank you Tifo!

[@VictorRay]

Your contents are truly fantastic, you bring every edge of the football world to light.

[@alfiehaigh8412]

I live ten minutes from boro and I legit had never heard of this story, really heartwarming despite all the controversy

[@DangArif]

Football is nothing but a beautiful game that unites people despite their differences. ❤️

[@KingBritish]

Best Football channel on KZbin. Great work and detail put into the videos and the narrator is spot on

[@peterngetich4477]

This is the best video I've watched this week. I love Tifo

[@ezrankala]

More than a football channel thank you Tifo ♥️

[@thechopchopgirl]

Your content is unfailingly wonderful!

[@arnoldwandagoogutu4886]

Where do you guys get these stories? Absolutely amazing. Keep it up!

[@zattwik]

Another story of the Romance of Football. Beautiful! :'D

[@LindaHarlemCarter]

For some reason this video made my eyes very watery 😢 😢

[@octavdumitru]

It's the beauty of the game, really. Football has no borders and everybody deserves a fair chance and being cheered on.

[@Maxim89Il]

Who did you feel sorry for more, the people of North Korea or Middlesbrough fans.

[@MrSdsok]

Your last birth was in North Korea that's why

[@CJ0101]

Well Middlesbrough are known as the smoggies...

[@borobrad97]

That pronunciation of Ayresome 😬🙈 Quality video though. I'm from Middlesbrough and didn't even know this story!

[@DisobedientSpaceWhale]

One is a place of hardship, misery and despair.... And the other is North Korea

[@SebastianGomez-uj8iu]

Great stuff. Never knew this was a thing

[@absbabs6153]

Seriously, how do you guys get all this info. And the way you put it all together must be a lot of work but you do it so well. Respect 👌👍

[@Taskotjoe]

As an Australian who’s dad was born in and supported Middlesbrough his whole life, This is amazing! Even down to the World Cup Qualifier, Very little about that result is mentioned in Australia of those games... 😂

[@njp9554]

So happy to see my beautiful team Middlesbrough, live in Manchester now but I miss my boro so much. UTB

[@rayneTheWolfe]

This truly is the beautiful game. There is no other sport that can do something like this.

[@kamraankamil2573]

This was pretty heartwarming.......

[@QianBing]

What a heartwarming story.

[@jeropage95]

Amazing that Middlesbrough had the USSR, the DPRK and Chile (on its path to becoming the first democratic socialist nation at the moment) play in their local stadium. Neat coincidence.

[@panaproanio]

Wow, I hadn't noticed! Shame about the CIA-backed coup by Pinochet.

[@KanyeTheGayFish69]

panaproanio you’re a communist?

[@ImtheHitcher]

@@KanyeTheGayFish69 You don't have to be a communist to be against military coups and fascism...

[@KanyeTheGayFish69]

Czarface they were acting like they were happy about Chile electing a communist government

[@ImtheHitcher]

@@KanyeTheGayFish69 You sound unhappy about democratically elected governments

[@Ese96Agoaye]

That’s the thing I love about such tournaments.

[@niismo.]

This is really wholesome and cool.

[@ryangriffin18]

What an interesting story 🧐 Amazing!!

[@rchopra535]

Awesome video, sad times though now, that matches might be played without fans for a long time.

[@ze5258]

Heartwarming

[@thekksinca824]

Sports transcends boarders, ideologies, and race like nothing else.

[@anglo-irishbolshevik3425]

Had North Korea beating Portugal in the quarter finals they would have played England in the semi-final. That would have been interesting and I expect their supporter base would then have included Scots, Irish and Welsh.

[@francocrosa1073]

Beautiful story.

[@samuelmarron5875]

Oway boys it’s Middlesbrough not Middlesborough!!

[@Aysome]

Let’s just not talk about how he says Ayresome haha

[@samuelmarron5875]

Callum Barnes Agreed haha

[@penaltygallery]

It wouldn't be a Tifo video with at least one spelling/pronunciation mistake

[@deancossins8557]

Nah it's boro

[@MasonGreenWeed]

Mittelburg

[@jasonaspobre]

This is utterly bonkers. I love it.

[@coryhansbury4772]

You should analyse specific roles of players in certain positions such as a box to box midfielder, an anchorman, target man etc.

[@jayemare]

When football surpasses politics, truly the world's game ♥️⚽

[@HellmuthOnTilt4]

I live down the road from where the old ayrsome park was. There is a plaque in someone’s garden where pak doo ik scored the winning goal against Italy.

[@jasonourne3543]

Most wholesome football story I’ve ever heard of

[@DanielGooaaall]

Believe it or not but I own several autographs from the players of "chollima" 1966. The director of the documentary "the game of their lives", which featured their amazing world cup run 56 years ago. Its quite funny that my country is labeled as "North Korea of Africa" 😂😂😂😂😂

[@69gvfb]

Cool story bro

[@Andre_vyent]

amazing

[@ramuelcruzada3207]

Man, this could be a great film.

[@Svalbaz]

Beautiful

[@SmurphPTFC]

There's a fantastic documentary on North Korea in the 1966 World Cup by the BBC on KZbin. Well worth a watch after this, really interesting.

[@Keddeadkedemption]

This was quite wholesome ngl

[@muonmeizap]

Awesome ❤❤

[@CJ0101]

Ayresome :)

[@DantieuS]

Born and raised in Billingham just 4miles from Boro and I have no idea this even happened! Cheers Tifo this was well interesting! P.S. its was pronounced Airsum park haha. Strange name i know

[@JoshAston23]

Billog 🤝

[@DantieuS]

@@JoshAston23 Billog 👌👏

[@dansimpson1729]

Politics aside, this is a beautiful story of what football truly is about

[@chris4300]

Always nice to see my home town pronounced and spelt correctly..... Or not on this occasion

[@Zeee530]

I find this utterly remarkable

[@zij04]

Politicians may divide us but humans love for under privileged humans will never die. Hats off to the beloved people of Middlesbrough and the then karismatic North Korean footballers. Love❤ for TIFO also!

[@bangkaris2750]

Tifo Football, may i request your explanation about 4-4-2 Sevilla's Juande Ramos, 4-4-2 Milan under Pioli, Wolves tactical differences among 3-5-2 and 3-4-3, and Espanyol recent conditions. Thanks

[@jordanaria2035]

waiting for break fasting time with watching this video🤗

[@rodrigorodriguesdelgado.9674]

Now that's crazy.

[@chazord888]

Best team ever thanks alot for listening

[@its_classy]

the most wholesome north korea will ever be

[@ItsJA.L.D]

I am a Middlesbrough and I was like what is this strange

[@blakehunt3546]

Tifo Football, you regularly cite literature. Do you have/can you provide a reading list? Top drawer content!

[@yt.personal.identification]

The Athletic

[@drxshock6957]

What a weird and strangely heartwarming story.

[@alexwingard92]

Oh, football friend! Oh friend 👍👍

[@Melk_228]

The title is my thoughts at 3 AM

[@usefbmf6731]

Football is the only sport that truly brings everyone together

[@abdulrahimnassor1904]

The magic of football.