Eriksen, the former manager of the England national team and the famous coach of Sweden, has long turned to Asia. He recently appeared on a radio program that year, recalling his visit to North Korea.
It was the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and North Korea was nearly half a century apart and once again appeared in the finals. Erikson received a request for his help, a favor he couldn't help...
Eriksen retired as the philippine national team coach in 2019 and became an advisor. He was interviewed by the British media "BBC" on a recording of crime in the sports world, describing that he had traveled to North Korea on business while serving as the football director of the veteran team North County.
Knoxshire was taken over by a consortium led by businessman Russell King, who hired Erikson and tried to invest in the F1 Sauber team.
Erikson said on the show that at the request of Russell King, he went to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, and after the group arrived, they were received by local officials, but the business talks turned into aid. Eriksen said the North Korean representative knew he was a FIFA commissioner and asked if he could help, "I said if I could, of course I could." I thought they wanted something like football or sneakers." Unexpectedly, the demands were beyond his imagination.
It was waiting for the World Cup draw in South Africa, and North Korea had once again qualified for the World Cup finals after reaching the quarterfinals in 1966. Eriksen pointed out that the North Korean representative was very clear: "They want to simply draw lots, they want me to help." I said I couldn't help, no one could help, and it was a crime."
Erikson confessed that it was only then that he understood the reason for his arrival in North Korea. He categorically refused the other party's request, but the other party did not believe it. Erikson said: "The surprise is that they don't seem to believe that I can't do it, they just think I don't want to do it."
North Korea drew the lottery for the tournament, with Brazil, the kingdom of Samba, Portugal in C Ronaldo, and Côte d'Ivoire, captained by Drogba. North Korea was out of the final three matches, scoring only one goal against Brazil.