North Korea slams Spain's 'worn-out' tiki-taka

Spain's Sergio Busquets, Santi Cazorla and David Silva, from left, leave the pitch after the group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and Chile at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, June 18, 2014. Spain was eliminated from the World Cup with a 2-0 loss to Chile.

Spain's shock elimination from the World Cup on Saturday attracted scrutiny from North Korean state media.

North Korean fans said Spain's intricate "tiki-taka" passing style was "worn-out" after the team’s early exit from the tournament, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The reclusive state failed to qualify but state television has aired recordings of matches, which were drawing "great attention of football fans and televiewers", KCNA said.

"But it seems nothing can overpower the shock given to most of them due to the Spanish team's early exit," it said.

Yu Myong-Uk, an official of North Korea's football association, told KCNA he was "very surprised" at Spain's "disgraceful defeat" at the hands of the Netherlands.

"It seems to me that Spanish tiki-taka is going bankrupt," he said.

Reflecting the popularity of the sport, North Korea has released a set of postage stamps to mark the World Cup in Brazil, KCNA reported earlier this week.