April 25 Sports Club facts for kids
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| Full name | April 25 Sports Club | ||
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| Founded |
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| Ground | Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang | ||
| Capacity | 114,000 | ||
| Owner | Ministry of People's Armed Forces | ||
| Chairman | Ri Mun-song | ||
| Manager | O Yun-son | ||
| League | DPR Korea Premier Football League | ||
| 2023–24 | 1st of 12 (Champions) | ||
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| April 25 Sports Club | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | |
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| Hancha | |
| Revised Romanization | Sa io cheyukdan |
| McCune–Reischauer | Sa io ch'eyuktan |
April 25 Sports Club (Korean: 4.25체육단, Sa io ch'eyuktan), also known as 4.25 SC, is a big sports club from Pyongyang, North Korea. It's famous for its men's and women's football (soccer) teams.
This club is special because it belongs to the Ministry of People's Armed Forces, which is like the country's military department. This means all the professional players on their teams are considered officers in the Army.
Contents
History of the Club
The club started a long time ago, either in March 1947 or July 1949. Back then, it was called the Central Sports Training School Sports Club.
Its name changed to April 25 Sports Club on June 25, 1971, or June 26, 1972. This new name, "April 25," is very important. It refers to April 25, 1932, which is the date when a special army, seen as the start of the Korean People's Army, was formed.
The men's football team plays in the top league in North Korea, the DPR Korea Premier Football League. They are the most successful team in the country, having won 22 national championships! Their main home stadium is the Yanggakdo Stadium. For international games, they often play at the Kim Il Sung Stadium. In 2015, both the men's and women's teams won their national championships, which was a big achievement.
April 25 vs. February 8 Sports Club
You might hear about another club called February 8 Sports Club. Even though both clubs are connected to the military, they are run separately by the Ministry of People's Armed Forces. They are like two different teams from the same big organization. For example, in 2017, April 25 Sports Club won two major tournaments, the Paektusan Prize and the Mangyongdae Prize, with February 8 Sports Club coming in second place.
Team Rivalries
April 25 has some exciting rivalries with other teams. Their main rival is Amnokgang. Amnokgang belongs to the Ministry of People's Security, which is like the police force. So, the games between April 25 (military) and Amnokgang (police) are often very intense, like a friendly competition between different parts of the government.
There's also a strong rivalry with Pyongyang. This match is known as "the Pyongyang Derby" because both teams are from the city of Pyongyang.
Playing in Asia
April 25 Sports Club has also played in international competitions against teams from other Asian countries. They have taken part in the Asian Club Championship and the AFC Cup. In the 2019 AFC Cup, they had a great run and even reached the final match, showing they are one of the top teams in the region.
Club Achievements
April 25 Sports Club has won many trophies over the years.
Domestic Trophies
- DPR Korea Premier Football League (National Championship)
- Winners (21 times): 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23
- Second Place (2 times): 2014, 2016
- Hwaebul Cup
- Winners (4 times): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- Man'gyŏngdae Prize
- Winners (7 times): 2002, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- Paektusan Prize
- Winners (1 time): 2017
- Poch'ŏnbo Torch Prize
- Winners (3 times): 2005, 2011, 2014
- DPR Korea Championship
- Winners (3 times): 2001, 2006, 2011
Continental Trophies
- AFC Cup
- Runners-up (1 time): 2019
- Asian Club Championship
- Fourth place (1 time): 1990–91
Invitational Trophies
- DCM Trophy
- Winners (1 time): 1972
Women's Football Team
April 25 also has a very strong women's football team. They are one of the best women's teams in North Korea. They have won the national championship at least six times, including in 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015.
Other Sports at April 25
Besides football, April 25 Sports Club is involved in many other sports. These include athletics (like running and jumping), ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, and handball.
Basketball
April 25 has a basketball team. In 2015, they even traveled to Mongolia to help train the Mongolian national team for a competition.
Ice Hockey
The April 25 ice hockey team won the national championship in 1989.
Volleyball
April 25 has both women's and men's volleyball teams. The women's team took part in an international tournament in Vietnam in 2015, called the 2015 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup. They won the bronze medal (third place) in that tournament. One of their players, Jong Jin Sim, was even named the Most Valuable Player!
Volleyball Achievements
- VTV Bình Điền Cup: 1
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- Champions: 2015
- VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup: 2
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- Champions: 2008
- Third place: 2015
See also
In Spanish: 4.25 Sports Club para niños
- February 8 Sports Club
