Strange Moment from a North Korean U17 Player at U17 World Cup 2025
A bizarre moment occurred during the Round of 16 knockout match between the U17 Japan and U17 North Korea teams at the U17 World Cup held in Qatar on November 18.
As both teams lined up for the pre-match handshake ritual, instead of friendly handshakes, several U17 North Korean players opted for aggressive fist gestures.
The U17 North Korean players surprisingly used fist gestures instead of traditional handshakes with the U17 Japanese players (Photo: The Sun).
The U17 Japanese players reportedly felt shocked by their opponents’ actions before the match (Photo: The Sun).
“As the two teams lined up before the match, things got strange when some North Korean players started forcefully striking their opponents. The U17 Japanese stars were going through the traditional handshake and high-five routine. Initially, it was a friendly exchange, but as they proceeded, they were met with some aggressive blows,” The Sun newspaper described the baffling behavior from the U17 North Korean players.
The U17 North Korean players were not penalized by the referee for this behavior, but the Japan Football Association (JFA) has requested FIFA to clarify the incident.
“We want to ask FIFA to make a decision,” a JFA spokesperson told Japan’s Chunichi news agency.
The subsequent match between U17 Japan and U17 North Korea ended in a 1-1 draw, forcing both teams into a penalty shootout to determine the winner. Ultimately, U17 Japan won 5-4 to advance to the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinal match played last night (November 20), U17 Japan suffered a 0-1 defeat against U17 Austria.
