Inside the Hermit Kingdom: The Matildas’ Chilling Encounter with North Korea’s Football Machine
- Australian women’s football team, the Matildas, reveal their harrowing experience playing in North Korea in 2007.
- The team was subjected to strict surveillance, with their every move monitored and controlled.
- The North Korean team’s superior skills and authoritarian attitude left the Matildas feeling intimidated and outclassed.
The Matildas’ trip to North Korea in 2007 was a journey into the unknown. As they stepped off the bus in Pyongyang, they were met with an eerie silence. The streets were empty, the atmosphere was surreal, and the team’s captain, Melissa Barbieri, remembers feeling like they were walking into a “showcase” of what the regime could provide, but with no-one to consume it.
Their hotel was a ghost town, with staff sparse and rooms eerily prepared for guests who never arrived. The electricity cut out in the elevators, leaving them to find their way in the dark. But it was the monotony that struck Barbieri the most – the same colour scheme everywhere, the instructional videos on TV, and the feeling of being watched all the time.
But when they arrived at the stadium, everything changed. The bus was mobbed, and the stadium was packed to the brim with over 30,000 people. The atmosphere was electric, and the Matildas were intimidated. They had never experienced a crowd like this before – hostile, yet fascinated by the Australian team.
The North Korean team was a powerhouse, with a rich history of investment in women’s football. They had won the Women’s Asian Cup three times, and their players were fit, strong, and confident. They beat the Matildas 2-0, with captain Ri Kum Suk scoring both goals. The Australian coach, Tom Sermanni, described the crowd as hostile, and Barbieri remembers feeling like they were in a comedy show, with the crowd laughing and making fun of them.
The experience was a wake-up call for the Matildas. They had never played in a country where their liberties were stripped away, and they had to conform to the laws and restrictions of the regime. It was a harsh reminder of the differences between their free country and the authoritarian state of North Korea.
Analysis: What This Means for Australia
The Matildas’ encounter with North Korea in 2007 was a rare glimpse into the Hermit Kingdom’s football machine. The country’s investment in women’s football had paid off, and their team was a force to be reckoned with. But the experience also highlighted the stark differences between the two countries. For Australia, it was a reminder of the importance of promoting women’s sport and providing opportunities for athletes to develop their skills.
Security analysts say that the North Korean regime’s focus on sport is a projection of their national self-image on the global stage. The country’s leaders have long recognized the power of sport to promote their ideology and to distract from their human rights abuses. The Matildas’ experience is a testament to the regime’s ability to create a sense of superiority and control, even in the world of sports.
As the Matildas prepare to face North Korea again in the Asian Cup quarterfinals, they will be keenly aware of the challenges they face. But they will also be drawing on their experience from 2007, and the lessons they learned about the importance of adapting to different environments and overcoming adversity.
For Australia, the match will be a test of their resolve and their ability to compete against a team that is determined to dominate. It will also be a reminder of the importance of promoting women’s sport and providing opportunities for athletes to develop their skills, in a country where freedom and liberty are taken for granted.