The secret machine: Inside North Korea's World Cup squad

London, England (CNN) -- In the shadows of the Swiss Alps, just outside the mountain village of Anzere, Jong Tae Se hit the back of the net with an unnerving, metronomic accuracy.
The North Korean soccer star known around the world as the "People's Rooney" -- thanks to a bullish playing style reminiscent of England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney -- was deep in concentration, drilling the ball into alternative corners of the goal as the midday sun beat down.
He was preparing for the World Cup and arguably three of the toughest matches in world football: North Korea have been drawn against Brazil, Portugal and the Ivory Coast in the so-called "Group of Death."
Around him, on the rest of the pitch, was a sight not usually relayed through the Western media: North Koreans having fun. The players goofed around, blasting the ball at each other, laughing as they piggy-backed across the half way line.
They had got to know each other well over the long qualifying campaign and the intensive overseas training of the past six months. Successive training camps in Spain, Germany and several in South America were designed to drill them into a close knit team that would make the Motherland, as the North Koreans term their nation, proud.


http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/06/08/north.korea.secret.team/index.html?hpt=Sbin