Asian Games Organisers Apologise After Blunder Broadcasts North Korean Anthem for South Korea

A mistaken stadium audio track following South Korea’s 5-0 hockey win over Bangladesh triggers protests amid wider logistical issues in Japan.

Organisers of the Asian Games in Japan issued a formal apology on Friday after mistakenly playing the North Korean national anthem for South Korea’s men’s hockey team.

The embarrassing mix-up occurred shortly after South Korea secured a commanding 5-0 victory over Bangladesh, leaving players standing perplexed on the pitch as the wrong national anthem echoed through the stadium speakers.

Following the initial blunder, venue operators played the national anthem of Bangladesh before finally broadcasting South Korea’s proper anthem, prompting a stadium announcer to issue an immediate apology over the public address system.

However, South Korea coach Min Tae-seok condemned the oversight as an inexcusable operational failure. Min stated that while tournament officials blamed an individual operator for selecting the wrong audio file, an international competition must never tolerate errors of such sensitive political magnitude.

Furthermore, the anthem blunder compounds wider operational difficulties facing Japanese host venues ahead of Saturday’s official opening ceremony. Several delegations have voiced strong frustration over logistical arrangements, with visiting teams reporting airport delays lasting up to six hours.

In addition, members of South Korea’s basketball squad published videos showing water pouring from broken pipes into their athlete village rooms, intensifying pressure on local organisers to resolve village infrastructure and technical coordination before mainstream competitions begin.

Asian Games Organisers Apologise After Blunder Broadcasts North Korean Anthem for South Korea

Osimhen Is ‘One of the Best Strikers in the World’ – Terim

Victor Osimhen has received another major endorsement after former Galatasaray boss Fatih Terim described him as one of the best strikers in world football.

Terim said Osimhen’s combination of strength, finishing ability and movement makes him a difficult player for defenders to contain.

He particularly pointed to the striker’s ability to punish opponents immediately when they make mistakes.

“Even when there’s no scoring opportunity, he can score goals” Terim said. “He’s a striker who earns his own living the hard way.”

Terim, however, identified one area Osimhen needs to manage, advising the Nigerian to avoid unnecessary emotional reactions and psychological tension during matches.

Six Goals Before Injury

Osimhen had already made an impressive start to the new campaign before injury interrupted his run.

He recorded six goals and two assists across four Süper Lig appearances for Galatasaray.

His latest goal came in Galatasaray’s 3-2 win over Istanbul Basaksehir, although he was forced off in the 33rd minute with a groin problem. The club later confirmed a strain in his right adductor muscle.

He has nevertheless been included in Nigeria’s squad for the opening 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

Osimhen Is ‘One of the Best Strikers in the World’ – Terim

Mbappé Targets 2026 Ballon d’Or, Wants Trophy Back at Real Madrid

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has made clear his ambition to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, saying he wants the prestigious individual award to return to the Santiago Bernabéu and give Real Madrid supporters another reason to celebrate.

The France captain stated this in an interview with Spanish sports newspaper AS, as preparations intensify for the presentation of the Ballon d’Or 2026 in London next month.

Mbappé said he wants the trophy back at the Bernabéu and with Madrid supporters, while also acknowledging the quality of other players competing for the award.

The comments came days after the 27-year-old said he believed he could win the award despite Real Madrid and France failing to secure major team trophies during the 2025/26 season.

Mbappé’s individual statistics form a major part of his case. He scored 25 goals in La Liga and 15 in the UEFA Champions League during the 2025/26 campaign. He also scored 10 goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot.

His World Cup campaign also produced a major individual milestone. Mbappé took his career tally at the tournament to 22 goals, moving past Lionel Messi to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

France, however, failed to reach the final after losing to Spain in the semi-final, while Real Madrid ended the season without a major trophy.

That has generated debate over the importance of team success in the Ballon d’Or selection, but Mbappé has maintained that the award recognises individual performance.

The French forward has pointed to his achievements in the Champions League, La Liga and World Cup as evidence of his individual contribution and has maintained that the absence of major team silverware should not automatically rule him out.

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Mbappé’s latest comments further underline his determination to become the first Real Madrid player since Karim Benzema to win the men’s Ballon d’Or. Benzema claimed the award in 2022.

The French forward joined Real Madrid in 2024 after leaving Paris Saint-Germain and has since become one of the club’s principal attacking figures.

His Ballon d’Or ambitions will be tested against a field of 30 nominees announced for this year’s men’s award.

The shortlist includes defending winner Ousmane Dembélé, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, PSG’s Vitinha, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and several other leading players from European and international football.

Real Madrid has four players on the men’s shortlist: Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Marc Cucurella.

Mbappé has also spoken positively about Yamal, despite the Barcelona teenager being another prominent name in this year’s individual-award discussion.

The Real Madrid forward has maintained respect for his fellow nominees while making it clear that his personal objective is to take the trophy to Madrid.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 at the London Palladium Theatre in England. The event will mark the 70th anniversary of the award, which was created by France Football in 1956. UEFA and France Football have jointly organised the award since 2024.

The winner will be selected through an international voting process involving specialist journalists representing countries from across the FIFA rankings.

The 2025 Ballon d’Or was won by Dembélé after his performances for Paris Saint-Germain.

For Mbappé, this year’s contest provides another opportunity to add the individual honour to an already decorated career.

His campaign has combined prolific domestic scoring, a strong Champions League record and a historic World Cup scoring achievement. However, the final result will depend on the voting process involving all the shortlisted players.

For now, Mbappé has publicly stated his objective: to win the Ballon d’Or 2026 and bring the trophy back to Real Madrid and the Bernabéu.

Mbappé Targets 2026 Ballon d’Or, Wants Trophy Back at Real Madrid