SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Chinese soccer fans prepare to cheer on North Korea

Record ID: 454704

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Chinese soccer fans prepare to cheer on North Korea
  • Date: 16th June 2010
  • Summary: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 15, 2010) (REUTERS) WORLD CUP MASCOT VARIOUS OF CHINESE SOCCER FANS POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MASCOT SOUTH AFRICAN WORKERS VARIOUS OF CHINESE SOCCER FANS TALKING VARIOUS OF CHINESE SOCCER FAN DRAWING CHINESE SOCCER FANS HOLDING SIGN READING "CHINESE STAR FOOTBALL TEAM" (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF CHINA SPORTS EVENT MANAGEMENT GROUP, WANG QI, SAYING: "Well the World Cup is great to watch, plus the North Korean team is an Asian team, and their style has similarities with China's. Other than that, we like the North Korean team. They have a great forward, Jong Tae-se, who is the Maradona of North Korea. We especially like him." T-SHIRT READING "CHINESE STAR FOOTBALL TEAM" (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF CHINA SPORTS EVENT MANAGEMENT GROUP, WANG QI, SAYING: "Everyone thinks that Brazil will win, but North Korea can sometimes create miracles. Just like in the World Cup in 1966, when North Korea beat Italy in the group division, 1-0. I hope North Korea can create another miracle." FAN PUTTING ON T-SHIRT VARIOUS OF FANS GETTING ON BUS FANS CHEERING INSIDE BUS
  • Embargoed: 1st July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA8R88O1JYZTTBZOKR5ZWJ7F5SC
  • Story Text: A group of Chinese soccer fans, dubbed the "fans volunteer army", who travelled to the World Cup finals in South Africa to cheer for neighbouring North Korea entered into the spirit of the game on Tuesday (June 15) as they prepared to watch their team play powerhouse Brazil in the opening Group G match.
    The group known as the "Chinese Star Football Team", made up of Chinese celebrities and football enthusiasts, say they were thrilled to hitch their allegiance to North Korea, since China did not send a team to compete.
    "Well the World Cup is great to watch, plus the North Korean team is an Asian team, and their style has similarities with China's. Other than that, we like the North Korean team. They have a great forward, Jong Tae-se, who is the Maradona of North Korea. We especially like him," said Wang Qi, executive vice-president of China sports event management group.
    Relations between China and North Korea are close -- North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il visited recently -- and millions Chinese, technically volunteers, fought alongside their eastern neighbours in the Korean War of the 1950s.
    Since few North Koreans can afford to travel to the World Cup and may not be allowed visas, the North Korean sports ministry authorized a Chinese sports PR agency to sell 2,000 tickets in China, said organiser Wang Qi, manager of the ticketing agency CSGI.
    Wang, whose company has close ties with North Korean Football Association, said not to count North Korea out, even though they were playing a star-filled Brazil.
    "Everyone thinks that Brazil will win, but North Korea can sometimes create miracles. Just like in the World Cup in 1966, when North Korea beat Italy in the group division, 1-0. I hope North Korea can create another miracle," added Wang.
    Hundreds of Chinese fans, including many famous actors, comedians and singers in China, were to join the group for the match against Brazil in Johannesburg, Ellis Park and on July 21 against Portugal in Cape Town.
    North Korea have been drawn to play against Brazil, Portugal and the Ivory Coast at the World Cup, this will be their first appearance since their 1966 run to the quarter-finals.
    China qualified for the World Cup just once in 2002, returning home from South Korea and Japan in ignominy having failed to score a single goal in three defeats.
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