5 things you need to know about the FIFA U17 World Cup 2015 in Chile
5 things you need to know about the FIFA U17 World Cup 2015 in Chile
Another U17 World Cup is about to begin in Chile. This is the earliest chance for the next generation of stars to showcase their skills to a global audience of scouts and football aficionados. Some great careers have started here. Here's all you need to know about this fantastic tournament.
Another U17 World Cup is about to begin in Chile. This is the earliest chance for the next generation of stars to showcase their skills to a global audience of scouts and football aficionados. Some great careers have started here. Here's all you need to know about this fantastic tournament.
Basic stuff you need to know about the tournament
Dates: 17 October - 8 November 2015
Venues: 8 stadia. The final will be played at Estadio Sausalito (cap. 22,340) in Viña del Mar.
Teams: 24 teams from all confederations
Format: 6 groups, of which the top 2 teams each and the 4 best 3rd placed teams will qualify, followed by a knock-out format.
Who are the record winners?
Nigeria are record holders with 4 victories (1985, 1993, 2007, 2013), followed by Brazil (3 wins), Ghana & Mexico (2 wins each). The most successful confederations are CAF (Africa) with 6 wins, and UEFA (Europe) & CONMEBOL (South America) with 3 wins each.
Who scored the most goals?
Two players scored 9 goals each: Frenchman Florent Sinama-Pongolle (pictured) in 2001 and Ivorian Souleymane Coulibaly in 2011. Sinama-Pongolle became a real journeyman, with stints in England (Liverpool), Spain (e.g. Atlético), Portugal (Sporting CP), Russia (Rostov), USA (Chicago) and Switzerland (Lausanne). Coulibaly currently plays for Peterborough United in England's League 1.
Who were some famous Golden Ball winners?
Some world class players already showed their potential at the U17 World Cup. The biggest stars to win the Golden Ball were Cesc Fabregas in 2003 and Toni Kroos (2007). Other winners were Landon Donovan (1999), ex Man Utd midfielder Anderson (2005) and most recently Man City's Kelechi Iheanacho (2013).
Which players to look out for?
He's goalkeeper for Real Madrid and France, and his surname is Zidane: Luca Zidane clearly carries a lot of expectations on his shoulders. Other likely standout performers are Zidane's teammate Bilal Boutobba, midfielder Kelechi Nwakali (Nigeria), winger Felix Passlack (Germany), centre-back Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Netherlands) and striker Eduardo Aguirre (Mexico).