The greeting between North Korean and Japanese players became a sensation.

The greeting between North Korean and Japanese players became a sensation.

20.11.2025 12:04

The moments from the ceremony of the match between North Korea and Japan, which will take place before the Round of 16 of the U17 World Cup, have taken social media by storm. The instances where players bumped their fists instead of shaking hands quickly went viral.

Moments from the ceremony before the match between North Korea and Japan in the Round of 16 of the U17 World Cup have taken social media by storm. The moments when players bumped their fists instead of shaking hands quickly went viral.

WATCHED MILLIONS OF TIMES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

As political tensions between the two countries have persisted for years, the unusual greeting of the young footballers has been viewed millions of times on TikTok and X platforms. Users shared the footage with comments like "tense respect," "the diplomatic side of football," and "friendly but distant."

NO STATEMENT FROM FIFA

While FIFA has not made an official statement regarding the footage, tournament officials stated that the incident did not contain any tension and that both teams competed on the field within the framework of fair play. This moment before the match between North Korea and Japan became one of the most talked-about images of the tournament.

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