One of football’s most famous victories on the international stage occurred in June 1966. It took place at the now defunct Ayresome Park in Middlesbrough, England. This was the occasion in which North Korea defeated the then-two-time winners, Italy, in the final group game and secured their passage to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Whilst the stadium is now a housing estate, a bronze imprint of a football boot is visible there today and signifies the precise position from which Pak Do Ik converted the winning strike for his country.

Six years later, North Korea made their debut at