When the Korea DPR and Netherlands delegations exchanged greetings in the corridors of the Olympic Stadium of Rabat ahead of the pre-final press conference on Friday, it wasn’t the first time they had shaken hands in Morocco.
Drawn together in Group B, the two finalists of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025™ have faced each other once before. That match, a one-sided 5-0 victory for the reigning champions, gave little indication that the sides would cross paths again on the very last day of the competition.
Yet the Dutch have defied all expectations since then, toppling the USA in the Round of 16, France in the quarter-finals and Mexico in the last four. On Saturday, a very different Oranje side will enter the pitch – one now brimming with belief and competing for the title.
“We have known difficulty during this tournament, but this has only made us stronger,” said captain Rosalie Renfurm. “We have grown so much. It’s been a difficult start. And we have had a very difficult group, I think. And it was a strong group that we were in at the start. We have shown what we’re worth and that we have our place here in the tournament and we will be at our best tomorrow.”
The challenge for the Dutch is that Korea DPR, too, have grown since that first encounter – which they won against ten players after an early red card against Aline Weerelts. From an emphatic 6-1 victory over hosts Morocco in the round of 16 to a dominant 5-1 triumph over Japan in the all-Asian quarter-final and a more hard-fought semi-final success against Brazil, they have impressed at every step. They arrive in the final fully assuming their status as favourites.
Head coach Pak Song-jin leaves no doubt about why his side have advanced so convincingly. “The skills and capabilities of the players cannot be built over just a single night,” he explained. “Our players started to play football from a very early age as a national strategy, so that is why they have all of the skills to play well at tournaments.”
“I’m very happy to be here,” added Kim Su-jin. “However, for us, this is not just about this match, but I think that we need to exert our power and show to the world how strong we are.”
That collective strength is no longer a surprise. The Netherlands will take to the field armed with detailed knowledge of their Asian opponents – and determined to turn the lessons of their earlier defeat into a weapon on the biggest stage.
“We have faced Korea DPR before, so the experience of that match will be taken into consideration for this match, of course,” affirmed Netherlands coach Olivier Amelink. “We have also looked at how they played over the past games, and we have a defense plan to stop Korea DPR’s offence.”
If those words are matched by deeds under the Rabat floodlights, the final of the ninth U-17 Women’s World Cup could well go down as one of the most thrilling in tournament history. And fittingly, the Moroccan capital will witness a clash between the world champions and the European champions – a match-up worthy of the ultimate prize.
As ever, only one can finish with their hands on the trophy.
