The Netherlands - Oranje Leeuwinnen & Eredivisie

Hmm.. dobubtful. This article above looks like it's written by AI.

From FC Twente page:

"Nikée van Dijk (22) is transferring to Internazionale. The attacker is being sold to the number two in the Italian league for a record amount for FC Twente Women.

Nikée van Dijk signed with FC Twente Women in 2024 and made 38 appearances for the club, scoring 19 times."

This "record amount" is for the club.. but not for all club woso...

 

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Champions League awaits Twente after convincing two-part match

FC Twente Women may report to the main tournament of the Champions League this season. The Tukkers were much, much too strong for GKS Katowice over two matches.

A week ago, coach Corina Dekker's team already won 0-4 against the Polish opponent. Thus, the pressure was off for Thursday's return, but that did not stop Twente from entertaining the home crowd once again. At Sportpark Schreurserve it was already 3-0 at halftime. Jill Roord opened the score after fifteen minutes, after which Danique van Ginkel doubled the margin. Just before the break, Roord scored her second goal of the evening.
The total score was thus extended to 7-0 and so the Tukkers really didn't need any more in the second half. Katowice took advantage and scored their consolation goal. After more than an hour, Patricia Hmirova scored a penalty kick: 3-1. The final chord was again up to Twente: in injury time, substitute Sophie te Brake made it 4-1. Dekker and her team can report to the main phase of the Champions League.

 

An evening to remember for PSV Women: gala performance takes Eindhoven formation further in European Cup
PSV after unparalleled comeback still through in European Cup Yesterday at 21:19

An unleashed PSV Women has reached the second qualifying round of the European Cup from an unparalleled discipline. In the brand new stadium De Herdgang, repairing last week's 3-0 defeat at Rosenborg BK seemed an almost impossible task. A gala performance brought coach Roeland ten Berge's team one round further: 4-0.

 

Ajax convincingly reaches the next round of the brand-new European Cup
Yesterday at 17:23
Ajax Women qualified for the next round of the European Cup on Thursday.
A week ago, Anouk Buil's team already provided itself with a good starting position against Sturm Graz and in Austria the job was then finished.
The European Cup is a new tournament this season, below the Women's Champions League. Ajax met Sturm Graz in the first qualifying round. This is also followed by a second qualifying round, after which teams then go directly to the eighth finals. At De Toekomst, the Amsterdam team had already won 2-0 against their Austrian opponent, and in the return match in Graz, they repeated the trick.
The first half ended goalless, but in the second half, Ajax still had something to cheer about. Seven minutes after the break, Danique Tolhoek opened the score and more than ten minutes later it was substitute Bo van Egmond who determined the final score. Ajax had opportunities to extend the score, but it remained at two goals. For Ajax, the second qualifying round now awaits. Who will be the opponent will be announced later.

 

Ajax convincingly reaches the next round of the brand-new European Cup
Yesterday at 17:23
Ajax Women qualified for the next round of the European Cup on Thursday.
A week ago, Anouk Buil's team already provided itself with a good starting position against Sturm Graz and in Austria the job was then finished.
The European Cup is a new tournament this season, below the Women's Champions League. Ajax met Sturm Graz in the first qualifying round. This is also followed by a second qualifying round, after which teams then go directly to the eighth finals. At De Toekomst, the Amsterdam team had already won 2-0 against their Austrian opponent, and in the return match in Graz, they repeated the trick.
The first half ended goalless, but in the second half, Ajax still had something to cheer about. Seven minutes after the break, Danique Tolhoek opened the score and more than ten minutes later it was substitute Bo van Egmond who determined the final score. Ajax had opportunities to extend the score, but it remained at two goals. For Ajax, the second qualifying round now awaits. Who will be the opponent will be announced later.

 

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Remarkable moment in Women's Eredivisie: Excelsior player gets red for tying shoelaces

Depriving a goal opportunity, giving a headbutt or giving a death kick: there are many ways to get red.
In the Eurojackpot Women's premier league, it happened for a very remarkable reason: after tying shoelaces.

Bente Steenhorst October 6, 2025
In the duel between the women of Excelsior and PEC Zwolle, the Rotterdam team tried to get the 0-0 score over the line in the final phase. However, the many stalling times caused frustration for PEC and referee Julia van Es. Excelsior player Djennah Cherif made it ove the top: the defender walked to the sidelines to take a throw-in, but first went to tie her shoelaces. Referee Van Es drew a yellow card, but had forgotten for a moment that Moroccan international Cherif already had a yellow card in her pocket. In the end, she still gave red, so Excelsior had to continue with one player less.

 

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Orange Lionesses
The new national coach Arjan Veurink of the Orange Lionesses has announced his first selection.
His team will play friendly games against Poland and Canada at the end of this month.
No decisions have yet been made about the future of Daniëlle van de Donk (34) as an international.
On Monday, it became clear that record international Sherida Spitse will be in the selection for the last time. The 35-year-old player from Sneek now has 247 international matches, after she made her debut in 2006 at the age of 16. On Friday, October 24, the away game against Poland in Gdansk is scheduled. On Tuesday, October 28, Veurink's team will play the home game against Canada in Nijmegen. Then they will say goodbye to Spitse.

Daniëlle van de Donk is not included in the selection of the Dutch for the friendly matches with Poland (on October 24 in Gdansk) and Canada (on October 28 in Nijmegen). Lieske Carleer of FC Twente has been called up for the first time. "Daniëlle and I have had some good conversations, but there is no decision about her future with the Orange," said the new national coach Arjan Veurink. "She is injured now. As soon as she is fit again, we will talk again. All options are on the table." Record international Sherida Spitse has only been called up for the duel with Canada. Afterwards, she will say goodbye to the Dutch national team.
View attachment 312722

 

Expect very different roster from which one Poland played at EURO's.

The White-and-Reds are plagued by injurties atm.:
Pajor (Barcelona), Pawollek (Union Berlin), Dudek (PSG), Matysik (FC Koln), Jedlińska (Paris FC) and Słowińska (GKS Katowice) are not available.

Mesjasz (Lazio) and Adamek (Ottawa Rapids) didn't get the call.

Padilla-Bidas (Bayern Munich) and Szymczak (Liverpool) although called.. are bench warmers in their clubs without any meaningful playing time this season.

Coach Nina Patalon called 4 debutants:
Flis (Juventus Academy), Łapińska (AP Orlen Gdańsk), Nowak and Seweryn (both GKS Katowice)
For Domin, Grzybowska (both Dijon) and Cyraniak (GKS Katowice) this is barely a 2nd call to senior NT. Out of seven players listed above six are U20.

Poland WNT roster vs. Netherlands

GK
Kinga Szemik (West Ham Utd.)
Natalia Radkiewicz (Pogoń Szczecin)
Kinga Seweryn (GKS Katowice)

DF
Jagoda Cyraniak (GKS Katowice)
Milena Kokosz (Rosenborg)
Oliwia Łapińska (AP Orlen Gdańsk)
Katarzyna Nowak (GKS Katowice)
Emilia Szymczak (Liverpool)
Martyna Wiankowska (FC Koln)
Oliwia Woś (FC Nurnberg)
Wiktoria Zieniewicz (FC Basel)

MF
Ewelina Kamczyk (FC Fleury)
Adriana Achcińska (FC Koln)
Oliwia Domin (Dijon FCO)
Gabriela Grzybowska (Dijon FCO)
Sylwia Matysik (FC Koln)
Patrycja Sarapata (Czarni Sosnowiec)

FW
Krystyna Flis (Juventus Academy)
Nadia Krezyman (Dijon FCO)
Natalia Padilla-Bidas (Bayern Munich)
Ewa Pajor (Barcelona)***
Paulina Tomasiak (Górnik Łęczna)
Weronika Zawistowska (FC Koln)
Dominika Grabowska (TSG Hoffenheim)

*** Pajor may join the team but she will not play football till the later part of next month.

 

I feel like this post could actually belong to the Poland NT thread (if we only had one! )

 

Wieke Kaptein made it into the Tutto Sport "Golden Girl Award" list:

 

Anybody see the match against Poland? Sounds like another rather meh performance. I do like the idea of moving Brugts to the front line---her potential has yet to be unlocked, and it needs to be unlocked if the Dutch are going to become formidable again. Back to the 4-3-3 formation, with midfield of Roord, Groenen, Kaptein. Thoughts on the game, individual play, 4-3-3?

 

Voetbal International's report:

Orange Lionesses do not score: colorless debut Veurink.
The friendly game of the Orange Lionesses against Poland has turned out to be a goalless draw. For Arjan Veurink, his debut as national coach was not very memorable. The Netherlands came close to scoring a few times, but the Polish wall was not knocked down. A header by captain Dominique Janssen was cleared off the line by a Polish defender. Poland also had a dot of a chance in the final phase, but Lize Kop was out of her goal in time to prevent a goal against. Under predecessor Andries Jonker, Esmee Brugts often acted as a left back. Veurink opted for a different approach and brought Janou Levels (VfL Wolfsburg) back into the selection after years of absence. Because Levels took over Brugts' position, the Barcelona forward moved to her favorite position on the left front.

 

NOS Football• Friday, 20:40 Veurink sees contours of new Orange, but execution was mediocre: 'Needs time'

He is not very enthusiastic, but the debuting national coach Arjan Veurink can live with the play of the Dutch national team against Poland. A friendly match in Gdansk ended in 0-0. "The contours of what we want are slowly becoming visible, but the execution was mediocre," said Andries Jonker's successor. "After halftime it got better. Time is also needed to improve cooperation."

Veurink has to shape a new era for the Orange Lionesses. Veterans Sherida Spitse and Renate Jansen announced their retirement from the Dutch national team. In his first week as national coach, he was mainly looking for the right new composition.

Veurink fielded the Dutch in a 4-3-3 formation, where his predecessor Jonker often played with three central defenders and wingbacks. Esmee Brugts therefore played on the left front instead of left back again. Veurink gave Janou Levels (selected for the first time since 2022) and Marisa Olislagers both a half a match time chance to show themselves at left back. "They both left a good impression. In the coordination with other players, it could be better," said Veurink. "Brugts was good in terms of willingness, but sometimes she was unlucky."

Development
All in all, Veurink is not dissatisfied after his first week as national coach. "I mainly focus on the development that I have seen throughout the week and already had in the back of my mind that it would be difficult tonight."
The new captain of the Dutch national team, Dominique Janssen, acknowledges that there is still a search for stability. "We have a lot of good players, so it has been a lot of searching for the right combinations during the training sessions."

Jill Roord, playing against Poland in the number ten position, is happy with the fresh wind around the Orange Lionesses. "We have put a lot of energy in it. It's been a good week of training." Against Poland, it didn't quite work out. "We did grow into the game. We have to continue that."

Next Tuesday, the Dutch will play another friendly game, against Canada in the Nijmegen Goffert.

 

The Netherlands U17 team beat the favored U.S. in the round of 16 (knockout stage) of the U17 World Cup--winning on PKs. Match ended regulation at 1-1. Great win for the Dutch.

 

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Orange Lionesses narrowly past Canada at farewell Sherida Spitse: first victory for Arjan Veurink

The Orange Lionesses have won the last international match with record international Sherida Spitse. In a full Goffert, the team of national coach Arjan Veurink was too strong for Canada with 1-0.

In the 48th minute, the time has come. The audience in the Goffert sees the matrix board with number 8 on the sidelines come up and stands up en masse. Sherida Spitse doesn't even realize it at first. She is still busy with the friendly match in the few minutes after halftime, while she knew that in her 248th and last international match she would play a maximum of 180 seconds in the second half. But when she looks at the sideline herself, she relaxes. The captain's armband comes off and she walks through a tunnel of Dutch and Canadian players to the sidelines. She is replaced by the 19-year-old Veerle Buurman, who was only a few months old when Spitse played her first international match in 2006.

It is the end of three days of Spitse celebration with the Lionesses. That started on Sunday morning, when she joined the selection for the last time. From the bench, she had watched Poland against the Netherlands. At that time, she was strengthened in her choice to stop with the Dutch national team. Not because the debut of national coach Arjan Veurink in Gdansk was a difficult and goalless draw, but because she could be with her children during the autumn holidays. On Sunday evening, the Lionesses in Zeist ate sushi together, Spitse's favorite food. They also played the Sherida Spitse quiz (which Sherida Spitse did not win herself) and the best Sherida Spitse imitations passed by.
Spitse herself found the last training on Monday messy and she said honestly, as everyone is used to from her. "We had to think a lot. Don't do it, just lost time." National coach Veurink, who sat next to her at the press conference but hardly got any questions, added with a wink: "Sherida lost in training, she's disappointed about that."
Just like in training, Spitse really wanted to focus on the last match, which is not just ceremonial. Veurink then has one more international period and then the World Cup qualification begins. "That we also show beautiful football would be the best thing", she said. "The most important thing is that it will just be a very nice evening with a lot of audience and with my loved ones around me. But in the end, I am part of the team. That's how you know me too. Because I know that the cameras are focused on me, but I also think about the team and the football game."

Great first half

That worked out well in the first half. Spitse was able to keep up with the defensive sprints, sometimes handed in the ball, but was also at the basis of the Netherlands' first chance with a splitting pass. The Dutch played dominantly, as it did against Poland, but in the Goffert there was more conviction in the game. The plans were relatively clear. If it was unclear for a while, there was enough calm in the build-up to at least not lose the ball. Canada is not the least opponent, but the visitors stood by and watched. Especially when the Dutch quickly combined on the left in the 28th minute and Esmee Brugts received the ball in the penalty kick area. The left winger cleverly outplayed her direct opponent, passed low towards the second post, where Lynn Wilms tapped in the 1-0.

Difficult second half

After Spitse's emotional substitution in the second half, the Dutch pulled the game over the line with some difficulty. The team created plenty of chances, but was very sloppy with them. In addition, the Netherlands had a more difficult time defensively. In the 72nd minute, a great save by Lize Kop was needed to prevent the equalizer. Thus, the 1-0 remained on the scoreboard and national coach Veurink has his first victory.

At the end of November, the Netherlands will play two more friendly matches. Those are the last chances for Veurink to perfect the game. In the new year, the selection will come together again for the World Cup qualification. The draw for this is November 4.

 

Remarkable how some American posters look down at the Orange Lionesses squad with remarks like them being unfancied etc.
Arenot they the U17 Euro champions?

 

Title contenders make no mistakes, FC Twente remains the leader

 

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World Cup stunt Orange Under 17 (w): after 92 minutes still 0-2 behind, but then improbable comeback follows
View attachment 315002

The Under 17 Orange Lionesses(w) qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup in Morocco on Sunday evening in an unparalleled way.
After 92 (!) minutes, the Netherlands faced a 2-0 deficit in the quarterfinals against France, but an unlikely comeback made it a draw. In the penalty series, goalkeeper Maren Groothoff crowned herself the hero of the Dutch national team.

3 november 2025, 14:04
The Netherlands seemed dead and buried when France had made it 2-0 after a gossamer counter by Luna Laboucarie. With six extra minutes left on the clock, the World Cup seemed to be over for the Orange. But still the unbelievable happened: Rochelity Dap (90+3) and Ranneke Derks (90+8) tied the score.

No extra time, but direct penalties. The French national coach changed his goalkeeper to sow confusion in the Dutch camp, but did not succeed. Penalty killer Maren Groothoff stopped the ninth French penalty kick and thus won a ticket for the semi-finals, in which Mexico is the opponent on Wednesday.

'We kept faith'
The morning after the spectacle, national coach Olivier Amelink is still enjoying it. "If you put something like that... Two-nil down in stoppage time and we keep doing what we have to do. We just keep going. The quick 2-1 helped, of course, to keep the faith."


After the unlikely comeback, the coach felt very calm in the penalty series. "I knew it would be okay. It just had to be that way. I am incredibly proud, this team never gives up. But we don't have much time to reminisce. The sights are already set on Mexico again. We have lived up to our name as European champions. But this is not the end goal. We want more."
The semi-final against Mexico starts on Wednesday at 20:00 Dutch time, the other semi-final battle is between Brazil and North Korea.

 

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The 2027 World Cup will take place in Brazil. 32 countries will participate in the tournament, 12 of which are European.
On Tuesday, the draw for the European World Cup qualifying cycle took place in Nyon, Switzerland.
The qualification will be completed in three Leagues: League A (16 teams), League B (16 teams) and League C (21 teams). The Netherlands is one of the best sixteen countries based on the FIFA world ranking and therefore already knew that it would end up in League A.

In it, the Orange Lionesses are paired with France, Poland and Ireland. The first qualifying matches are scheduled for early March.

The four group winners of League A qualify directly for the World Cup.
The numbers two and three from those groups go to the play-offs, together with the six group winners of League C and the two best numbers two from those groups. They enter Path 1 of the play-offs.
Path 2 of the playoffs consists of the four numbers four of League A and the four group winners of League B who will face the numbers three and four of League B. In the second round of the playoffs, the winners of both paths come together.

 

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Wow, they did it

Orange Under 17 Lionesses continue to win and are in the World Cup final against defending champion North Korea

The dream of the Dutch football players Under 17 to become world champion in Morocco remains alive. After a miraculous escape in the quarterfinals against France, Mexico went for the axe on Wednesday evening. Thanks to a goal from Lina Touzani, the Netherlands won 1-0.
The only goal fell in the twenty minutes before time. In injury time, the Netherlands experienced anxious moments when the referee was called to the screen by the VAR for a possible penalty for Mexico. After studying the images for minutes, the ball was not put on the spot. The final will be played on Saturday and then a tough task awaits the young Lionesses. Opponent is North Korea, to whom the lionesses lost 5-0 in the group stage. North Korea is the defending champion at the Under 17 World Cup, the Netherlands has never reached the final.

 

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Orange in World Cup final against North Korean football machine: 'They just keep going, never experienced before'

The football players of the Orange Under 17 will take on Saturday evening (20.00 hours) in the final of the World Cup against a striking opponent: North Korea. At least, for the general public a special opponent. In women's youth football, the closed country has been the favorite for international titles for years. How is that possible?

With no less than 5-0, the Dutch were defeated in the group stage by North Korea. The Asian team was also too strong for Mexico, Cameroon, Morocco, Japan and Brazil at the World Cup in Morocco. 22 goals for and only 3 against in 6 games. In the final, the Netherlands is again the opponent. And that is of course striking, because North Korea's adult national teams have not reached a quarterfinals at a World Cup since 2007 (women) and 1966 (men). But the Women's Under 17 has already become world champion three times, just like the Under 20. Only Germany and the United States also became world champions three times in the Under 20s.
"I've never seen such an opponent," says Kee Hubert, defender of the Orange Under 17 and player of De Graafschap. "They are physically strong, but just don't give up. They are so task-conscious, they just keep going. There is no holding back."

Why this is specifically in women's youth football is also still unclear to some Korea experts. The closed country makes little known. But Dr Jung Woo Lee, lecturer in Sport and Leisure Policy at the University of Edinburgh, did have an idea. He told the German medium Deutsche Welle in 2024 that it is deliberate government policy. "International sport is one of the few ways in which North Korea can demonstrate its sovereignty, existence and identity to the international community. In addition, it is used as propaganda in their own country, to praise their leader and emphasize how great their country is."

No wonder, then, that in 2024, for once, media were allowed into the training center of the North Korean female youth soccer players. They were allowed to film a training session and interview selected players. Dictator Kim Jong-un also took a picture with the players of the Under 20 team.

Near military training
In adult professional football, there is little to win for North Korea, because the level abroad is so high. But in youth football, Europe also focuses on fun and training. While for teenagers from North Korea it can be the end point at which the prizes have to be won.

In the documentary Hana, dul, sed... from 2009 also showed how the young female soccer players in North Korea have to endure almost military training. "When you're 13 or 14 in North Korea, you participate in a strictly disciplined and professional training regime, so you can excel at a young age," said Jung Woo Lee.
Hubert saw that too. While the Dutch team is doing a group activity on Thursday evening and she is doing an interview by phone, she sees the North Korean girls in the same hotel doing exercises and running. "It's not normal. They are like robots." The final is Saturday at 20:00 in Rabat and can be seen here. A crazy idea to think that Dutch football players such as Lina Touzani, Anne Gelevert and Rosalie Renfurm will be seen en masse on North Korean televisions. Probably only if they lose. With a historic world title for the Orange, the images may not make it to the closed country.

I wouldnot be surprised if the NK cheat with the age of their players.

Match can be seen for free on FIFA +.

 

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Orange Women U17 look a lot like Sarina Wiegmans England Lionesses!

6 november 2025 Auteur: Jan-Kees Joosse

Winning can be done in many ways. The Spanish women won at the World Cup in 2023 on individual quality from players such as Aitana Bonmatí. The English Lionesses managed to beat Spain on resilience and belief. In the Netherlands, it has been eight years since the European Championship was won. The number of players of the Dutch national team who have experienced this and know what winning is – and how to win – is minimal. Could this be what Andries Jonker meant by the golden generation? Is that why Sherida Spitse, who knows what winning is, stayed with the team for so long? Is that why a Daniëlle van de Donk is so desired at Orange in the future? There is no data to prove it, but you can recognize a winner's mentality. These weeks I see it with the Orange under 17, who play at the World Cup in Morocco, after their win at the European Championship last May.

If you can only win with a winner's mentality, then Veurink selects all the influencer gurus for his team. There must be very good football, and the Dutch under 17 can absolutely do that! Every player has quality on the ball. Then it was Rosaly Renfurm again who, as midfielder and captain, crossed a line with a tight pass. Then it was Rietveld who didn't play the ball back, but chose the attacking option sharply past a pressing Mexican, so I wanted to highlight her. Moments later, it was Van der Vliet who played her way out of trouble and later hit the crossbar with an incredible long-distance shot, which made me think: where does such a slender player get it from?! She almost shot herself with it! Ranneke Derks may have played a frustrating match, but I love that extra muscle in her leg with which she knows how to overtake players at speed.
Also Gelevert, who seems very unobtrusive, but so incredibly composed and mature gave an assist to Touzani. The fact that Touzani scored the winning goal was well deserved given the match picture. In the crowds, the winger often found the footballing solution against Mexico.

It is not unjustified that a golden generation is considered.
The footballing quality is already dripping from these teenagers. There is no one who excels – they all excel. A bucket of light is shined in your face when you look at the footwork, the technique in the assumptions and the sharp passing of the players. This is what a Dutch national team needs to make the creative and attacking Orange football a success. But the seniors of the Orange Women have never lacked technique and skill on the ball – they did lack a winner's mentality.

Nowadays, it takes more to win. Winning in modern football with a busy schedule is also about character and perseverance. The tournament of the Dutch under 17 has been anything but easy. In the group stage they narrowly beat Nigeria 4-3, against Mexico they lost 1-0 and against North Korea they were razed to the ground: 5-0! Against the USA, they won on penalties, after a 1-1 score. In the extra time of the quarterfinals, they made up for a 2-0 deficit in a phenomenal way! That is footballing quality, but also mentality.

The course of this tournament reminds me of how Sarina Wiegmans England Lionesses won at the European Championship in England. There, a deficit was turned into a win in all kinds of ways. In the group stage, they first lost to France and only then waltzed over the Netherlands and Wales. Against Sweden, they made up for a 2-0 deficit and won on penalties. Against Italy, it was Michelle Agyemang who equalized a 1-0 deficit in extra time. In the final, it was Russo who equalized the deficit to Spain and forced a winning penalty shootout. The belief always remained with England, thanks to their coach Sarina Wiegman, who kept the winning mentality alive.
The Dutch U17 have also tasted this belief, at the World Cup and the European Championship. That experience is something magical at a young age that they will take with them into the future with the adult Orange. Tactics and technique can be learned. Spain has much better footballers than England, but the difference with England was that they kept believing in it as a team. At the European Championships, the Lionesses proved that to win, you have to believe. Believing as a team is something elusive, but they have managed to do it – just like this generation of Oranje. I won't be surprised if a Derks, Renfurm, Touzani, Van der Vliet, Pennock or Dapp starts playing international football and the commentator on duty refers to the European and World Cup finals, where all these youngsters first learned the mentality of winning.

 

I'd say it's quite possible that North Korea cheats with the player ages. You can cheat with ages at the youth level---and we've seen it a lot in baseball---but you can't cheat with ages with adult teams. This might explain why NK has. been so good for so long at youth level but not at adult level. Military-like training is certainly also a factor--but what kind of coaching expertise and technical training are they getting in North Korea? I can't imagine that they are getting the same level of coaching/training of European countries. I get being strong and very physically fit--but there is also a lot of technical skill, and I haven't seen NK youth teams enough to know if they are good technically.

 

While visual clues are not always reliable I have watched all the DPR matches and they show a LOT (too many for me) of close ups of the players, and I have coached between U13 and U19 for most of my coaching, and not one player seems too old. In fact the French team looked the eldest in the tournament.
I do not believe that DPR "cheats" in player ages but I do believe that their youth training is the best, and most oppressive, in the world and I also think that they ruin many kid's lives by being too focused too young on winning.
The reason they are so good is that their players do little else.
DPR is a totalitarian state and every person's life is under total government control. They have no reason at all to "cheat" about age in football.
That post sounds more like racial (or ethnic) profiling than reasonable analysis.

 

Racial profiling? Uh, you do realize were talking about North Korea--arguably the most isolated country in the world. I'm sure you know that cheating has a long history in athletics at all levels. Over the years there has was a lot of age cheating by various countries in the Little League World Series. Developing nations sometimes cheat to win and thus achieve a bit of international status that they don't have in any other ways--and I can't think of another nation to which that more aptly applies than North Korea. Totalitarian states have certainly been known to cheat: The East Germans were notorious cheaters/dopers in swimming. China has been caught cheating--and Russia. In any case, I didn't say NK was cheating; I said it wouldn't surprise me if they were. I do agree that a teenage level, if you practically abuse young people with intensive strength and aerobic work/training, you can athletically overpower others teen teams who might have more technical skill.