April 25 Sports Club

4.25
Full name April 25 Sports Club
Founded July 1949 (1949-07) (as February 8 SC)
Ground Yanggakdo Stadium, P'yŏngyang
Capacity 30,000
Chairman Ri Mun-sŏng
Manager Pak Sŭng-jin
League DPRK Premier Football League
2017 1st (Highest Class Football League)
April 25 Sports Club
Chosŏn'gŭl 4.25체육단
Hancha 4.25體育團
Revised Romanization Sa io cheyukdan
McCune–Reischauer Sa io ch'eyuktan

April 25 Sports Club (Korean: 4.25체육단, Sa jŏm i o ch'eyuktan), or 4.25 SC for short, is a multi-sports club in North Korea based in P'yŏngyang, primarily known outside of North Korea for its men's and women's football teams. The club belongs to the Korean People's Army;[1] all members of the professional teams (male and female) are considered officers of the Army.

Established in July 1949 as the Central Sports Training School Sports Club (중앙체육강습소체육선수단, Chung'ang ch'eyukkangsŭpso ch'eyuksŏnsudan), it was soon renamed February 8 Sports Club, after the date on which the Korean People's Army was established (8 February 1948). On 26 June 1972, the name was changed again, at the orders of Kim Jong-il, to its current name;[2] Kim Il-sung's anti-Japanese guerilla army, considered the predecessor of the KPA, was formed on 25 April 1932.[3] A new team called February 8 Sports Club was formed in 2015 after 8 February was reinstated as a civic holiday that year,[3] and began taking part in competitions in 2016;[4] that team is unrelated to this one.

Officially, this club is called April 25 Sports Group "National Defence Sports Club" (4.25체육단 '국방체육단', Sa i o ch'eyuktan "Kukpang ch'eyuktan"), as it is but one of several sports clubs belonging to the Army's April 25 Sports Group. Other Army clubs affiliated with the April 25 Sports Group are Sobaeksu, Ch'ŏngch'ŏn'gang, Taedonggang, Chobyŏng, and Maebong. However, referring to "April 25" on its own is generally understood to refer to this team.[5]

The men's football team plays in the DPR Korea Premier Football League, and is the most successful club side in the country, having won 17 national championships.[6] April 25's home stadium is the Yanggakdo Stadium, but in international club competition, home matches are usually played at the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium. In 2015, April 25 achieved an uncommon feat, with both the men's and women's clubs winning their respective national championships.[7]

Rivalries

April 25's primary rival is Amrokkang. Amrokkang belongs to the Ministry of People's Security, and the professional rivalry between the Army and the MPS carries over onto the sports field. There is also a strong rivalry with P'yŏngyang City, known as "the P'yŏngyang Derby".[8]

Current squad

As of 20 February 2018[9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 North Korea GK Ri Kang
2 North Korea DF Jang Kum-nam
3 North Korea DF Ri Hyong-mu
4 North Korea MF Sim Hyon-jin
5 North Korea DF Pak Jin-myong
6 North Korea DF Kwon Chung-hyok
7 North Korea MF O Hyok-chol
8 North Korea MF Han Song-hyok
9 North Korea MF Kim Jong-chol
10 North Korea FW An Il-bom
11 North Korea FW Om Chol-song
12 North Korea DF Kim Chol-bom
13 North Korea FW Rim Chol-min
14 North Korea DF Son Pyong-il
15 North Korea MF Won Song
16 North Korea MF Yun Il-gwang
No. Position Player
17 North Korea FW Kim Ju-song
18 North Korea FW Kim Yu-song
19 North Korea MF So Hyon-uk
20 North Korea MF So Kyong-jin
21 North Korea FW Jang Hyok
22 North Korea MF Ri Hyong-jin
23 North Korea GK An Tae-song
24 North Korea MF Choe Jong-hyok
26 North Korea DF Pak Myong-song
27 North Korea MF Myong Cha-hyon
28 North Korea MF Kim Kuk-bom
29 North Korea DF Pak Song-rok
30 North Korea DF An Song-il
31 North Korea DF Kim Kwang-jin
33 North Korea MF Jong Chung-son
36 North Korea GK Ha Jin-myong

Continental history

Season[10] Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1985–86[11] Asian Club Championship Qualifying Tournament
East Asia 1		 Hong Kong Seiko SA 4–1 2–1 2nd
China Liaoning 3–1 0–0
1986[12] Asian Club Championship First Round
Group 7		 China Liaoning 0–0 1–0 0-1
1987[13] Asian Club Championship Qualifying Round
Group 5		 China August 1st 0–2 2nd
Macau Hap Kuan 2–1
1988–89[14] Asian Club Championship Qualifying Round
Group 6		 Hong Kong South China 3–0 1st
Macau Wa Seng 4–0
China Guangdong Wanbao 1–0
Japan Yamaha Motors 3–1
Semi Final League
Group B		 Bangladesh Mohammedan 1–0 3rd
Qatar Al-Sadd 1–2
Saudi Arabia Al-Ettifaq 1–1
Malaysia Pahang FA 2-0
1990-91[15] Asian Club Championship Qualifying Round
Group 7		 Japan Nissan Yokohama 1-0 1st
China Liaoning 1-0
Group B Iran Esteghlal Tehran 2-1 2nd
Bangladesh Mohammedan 0-0
Thailand Bangkok Bank 4-3
Semi Final China Liaoning 3-0
Third Place Indonesia Pelita Jaya 2–2 (6–7 PSO) Fourth Place
1991[16] Asian Club Championship Group B Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 2-0 3rd
Iran Esteghlal Tehran 1-1
2017[17] AFC Cup Group I Mongolia Erchim 6–0 0–5 1st
North Korea Kigwancha 2–2 1–1
Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final India Bengaluru FC 0-0 3-0 0-3
2018 AFC Cup Group I North Korea Hwaebul SC 1–0 0-2 1st
Chinese Taipei Hang Yuen 5-1 1–5
Macau Benfica de Macau 8–0 0–2
Inter-Zone Play-off Semi Final Singapore Home United 9-1 0-2 11-1
Inter-Zone Play-off Final Turkmenistan Altyn Asyr 2-2 1-1 3-3(Altyn Asyr Wins on away goals)

Achievements

Domestic

1st, gold medalist(s) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017
2nd, silver medalist(s) 2014, 2016
3rd, bronze medalist(s) 1996
1st, gold medalist(s) 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
  • Man'gyŏngdae Prize: 7
1st, gold medalist(s) 2002, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
  • Paektusan Prize: 2
1st, gold medalist(s) 2017
3rd, bronze medalist(s) 2015
  • Poch'ŏnbo Torch Prize: 3
1st, gold medalist(s) 2005, 2011, 2014
1st, gold medalist(s) 2001, 2006, 2011

International

Fourth place: 1991

AFC clubs ranking

As of 4 December 2017.[18]
Rank Team
127Singapore Warriors FC
128Kyrgyzstan FC Dordoi
129North Korea April 25
130Vietnam Than Quảng Ninh
131Lebanon Salam Zgharta

Women's football

Jang Il-ok playing in April 25 Sports Club attire at the 2007 Military World Games

April 25's women's football team is one of the strongest women's football teams in North Korea, too; they have become national champions at least six times, in 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013,[19] and 2015.[7]

Other sports

In addition to football, April 25 participates in dozens of different sports, including athletics, ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, and handball.[20]

Basketball

April 25 has fielded a basketball team. In May 2015, they came to Mongolia to assist in training the Mongolian national team as preparation of the latter's campaign at the 2013 East Asian Basketball Championship.[21]

Ice hockey

April 25's ice hockey team won the national championship in 1989.[22]

Volleyball

April 25 has both women's and men's volleyball teams.[23][24] April 25 participated at the 2015 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup, an invitational tournament in Vietnam. The North Korean club won the bronze medal defeating Vietnamese side, VTV Bình Điền Long An. Their player, Jong Jin Sim was named Most Value Player of the tournament.[23]

Achievements

  • VTV Bình Điền Cup: 1
Champions - 2015
Champions - 2008
Third place - 2015

References

  1. ↑ Watts, Jonathan (20 June 2010). "World Cup 2010: Why North Korea are in a league of their own". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  2. ↑ On the Tasks Facing the April 25 Sports Team
  3. 1 2 A Few Facts on North Korea’s Army Day
  4. ↑ http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/en/?page=Sports&no=22661
  5. ↑ 최상급축구련맹전
  6. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablesn/nkorchamp.html
  7. 1 2 https://kcnawatch.co/newstream/1451904168-357901124/premier-league-football-matches-end/
  8. ↑ 북한의 축구 클럽 현황 : 빅 4 위주로 (펌)
  9. ↑ Squad - 4.25 SC
  10. ↑ "Decision by Competitions Committee & Executive Committee for AFC Club Competitions" (PDF). The-AFC.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  11. ↑ http://rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup86.html#cc
  12. ↑ http://rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup86.html
  13. ↑ http://rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup88.html#cc
  14. ↑ http://rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup89.html#cc
  15. ↑ http://rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup91.html#cc
  16. ↑ http://rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup92.html#cc
  17. ↑ http://rsssf.com/tablesa/ascup2017.html#afc
  18. ↑ "AFC Club Ranking (2nd July 2017 )". globalfootballranks.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  19. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablesn/nkor-womchamp.html
  20. ↑ Ri Sung Ik (2 November 2017). "National Championships top annual sporting calendar off with new records". The Pyongyang Times. Archived from the original on 2017-12-04. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  21. ↑ "North Korean "April 25" Basketball Team to assist Mongolia's national team". infoMongolia.com. 7 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  22. ↑ Müller, Stephan (2005). International Ice Hockey Encyclopedia 1904-2005. Germany: Books on Demand. p. 485.
  23. 1 2 Hoang Quynh (31 March 2015). "North Korea's 4.25 dethrones Lien Viet at volleyball championship". Thanh Nien News. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  24. ↑ "Winners of "Spring Best" Open Volleyball Tournament". infoMongolia.com. 3 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
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