I was Number 8 in the 1966 World Cup. My name is Pak Sung Jin. I started playing when I was young. A football team played next to my house. This inspired me to play.

Pak Sung Jin

Pak Sung Jin was very fit and had especially strong legs. He tied elastic string round them and stretched his legs. He did this every day, a thousand times each leg.

Elastic String

Right after the war, I worked in a print factory as a labourer. While I was labouring, I started playing football. In 1957, I was selected to play for the Pyongyang team. That was when I turned professional. I was already 20 years old. In 1959, I was selected for the National Squad

The English people took us to their hearts and vice versa. I learned that football is not only about the winning. Wherever we go playing football can improve diplomatic relations and promote peace.

(Pak Do Ik, quoted in ‘A State of Mind’ 2002)

“North Korea have taken the lead. Italy a goal down to North Korea Who ever would have believed it. They are absolutely overwhelmed. And who would be anywhere else tonight in this World Cup Competition but here at Ayresome Park. Extraordinary things afoot. And this stadium has never heard support like this for years and years”.

(Frank Bough, BBC announcer)

And Ayresome Park in uproar. And they’ve won. Good heavens, they’ve won. North Korea have beaten Italy. What is going on here? They are delighted. This is fantastic. And North Korea will be in the quarter finals. And the crowd rising to them. And they are in tears. They are weeping tears of joy.

(Frank Bough, BBC announcer)

The police were there to make sure no-one came onto the pitch. This showed how much the English people loved us especially those from Middlesbrough. It still remains a riddle to me the people of Middlesbrough supported us all the way through. I still don’t know the reason why.