North Korea has awarded prizes to its national football players and coaches for reaching next year's World Cup finals, their first entry in more than four decades.

Yang Hyong-sop, vice president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, awarded merit citations and medals in a ceremony Monday, according to the Korean Central Broadcasting Station, the communist country's official radio channel.

The football players "brought glory to the homeland and encouraged our military and people who are in a great struggle to build a thriving nation," the report said.

Among the award winners were Kim Jong-sik and Kim Jong-su, director and a vice director at the Commission of Physical Culture and Sports Guidance. They received merit citations of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung and current leader Kim Jong-il, respectively, Yonhap News Agency said.

The team coach, Kim Jong-hun, and players also received honorary titles of "people's athlete" or "merited athlete," the report said.

North Korea qualified for next year's World Cup finals in South Africa for the first time since 1966. In that World Cup in Britain, North Korea beat Italy on the way to the quarterfinals before losing to Portugal.

As part of preparations for the finals next year, North Korea will hold a friendly with a Brazilian professional club, Club Atletico Sorocaba, at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang Thursday.

In early October, North Korea traveled to the western French city of Nantes to face off with second-league club FC Nantes. The match ended in a scoreless draw.