More than 500 years since Christopher Columbus crossed the ocean, 24 teams from all corners of the globe have travelled to South America with their eyes on one glittering prize: the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The captain who manages to guide his crew to victory at the event will have the honour of brandishing aloft the striking silver trophy in Bogota on 20 August. Champions last time around in Egypt in 2009, Ghana’s plans of defending their crown were scuppered in qualifying, but five former winners are among the teams keen to succeed them.
Argentina (six wins), Brazil (four), Portugal (two), Spain and France (both one) not only have the proven pedigree, but can also boast squads brimming with players accustomed to competing at the top of the game. La Albiceleste’s Juan Iturbe and Erik Lamela, as well as A Seleção’s Oscar and Philippe Coutinho, have already proved themselves in some of the best leagues in the world, as have French prodigies Gael Kakuta and Antoine Griezmann.
But despite their previous triumphs and the firepower they have at their disposal, these would-be conquerors are not going to have everything their own way in Colombia, especially not as far as the host nation is concerned. Led by winger James Rodriguez, fresh from a fantastic season with Porto, Los Cafeteros intend to combat any incursions into their territory by going on the offensive themselves, as they dream of a glorious conquest on home soil.
England, meanwhile, whose hopes at this level have often been sunk prematurely in the past, are determined to make their mark on the tournament once and for all. To achieve that aim, the English will need to negotiate some tough-looking group-stage encounters with Argentina, Mexico and Korea DPR.
Other nations arriving with the wind in their sails include Cameroon, Egypt, Mali and Nigeria, who hope to make it two African successes in a row at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, following on from Ghana’s eye-catching exploits two years ago. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), on the other hand, has never previously supplied the champions, but Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia and Australia will attempt to rectify that record.
And despite the absence of USA for the first time since 1995, CONCACAF’s delegation is certainly not to be taken lightly, with Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama and Mexico in particular likely to provide their group opponents with stiff competition.
The remaining European qualifiers, namely Austria and Croatia, will also be confident of departing from the Americas with some newly-acquired silverware. While the Austrians reached the semi-finals in 2007, their last appearance in the competition, the Croatians’ record is not quite as impressive. Their only campaign ended in a Round-of-16 exit at the hands of Brazil in 1999, even though finishing above Argentina in the group phase was a notable achievement in itself.
South America’s other two representatives, Uruguay and Ecuador, may not have had as far to travel as most of the other teams present in Colombia, but both would still prefer to push back the return leg of their journey for as long as possible. Finally, New Zealand, the solitary Oceania side on show, will be aiming to improve on their first and last appearance in the competition in 2007, when they failed to pick up a single point.
Hidden gems
In total, 504 patriotic competitors await whatever the fates have in store for them across eight welcoming host cities: Armenia, Barranquilla, Bogota, Cali, Cartagena, Manizales, Medellin and Pereira.
The players will not be the only ones looking to strike gold during the 18th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, however, as scouts from some of the biggest clubs on the planet have descended on the event in the hope of discovering the next Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Luis Figo, Rafael Marquez, Andreas Moller, Michael Essien or Junichi Inamoto, all of whom initially rose to prominence at the tournament.
But this year’s competition is not just about going for gold. The colour that organisers hope will make the most lasting impact at Colombia 2011 is green, thanks to the government’s support for the environmentally-friendly initiative known as Green Goal.
“FIFA and the Colombian FA have backed the planting of 35,000 trees in the heart of the country and in the Andean region,” said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, making reference to one of the key points of the environmental and climate protection programme. “We thank them for their meaningful support for this project, which should provide us with a carbon-neutral World Cup."
As competing sides make final preparations for the crucial duels that lie ahead, and fans look forward to a month of intriguing battles, one thing is clear: the quest for glory is well and truly underway.
Senior internationals set for Manizales kick-off
The consensus is that Spain will win Group C at the FIFA U-20 World Cup and that the race for second place in the pool, and a guaranteed place in the Round of 16, is a wide-open race between Costa Rica, Australia and Ecuador. If that is to be trusted then much could rest on the outcome of the contest between the South Americans and the Asian representatives.
The game
Australia-Ecuador, Sunday 31 July, Manizales, 6:00pm (local time)
The stakes
The Young Socceroos are adept at hitting the ground running in this competition, having only lost one of their 13 curtain-raisers. And although that was in the previous edition two years ago, Jan Versleijen has a considerably stronger squad this time around, including highly-rated captain Ben Kantarovski and senior international winger Tommy Oar. Sixto Vizuete, who was at the Ecuador reins during their South Africa 2010 qualification bid, also has a full international at his disposal as he leads the country into their second FIFA U-20 World Cup: the jet-heeled Edson Montano, who plays his club football for Gent in Belgium and has been tipped to become one of the finest La Tri forwards in decades.
The stat
8 – The number of years since Australia last won a match at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Since upsetting eventual champions Brazil 3-2 in a group-stage game at UAE 2003, the Socceroos have drawn twice and lost five times. Prior to their current seven-match winless streak, the Australians had recorded 16 victories and losses apiece in the tournament.
The words
Jan Versleijen, Australia coach: “It is is good to have the majority of the squad back together that did so well at the AFC Championships last year. It is also good to see that since last October the majority of the players have progressed to the starting line-ups of their respective Hyundai A-League or overseas based clubs.”
Sixto Vizuete, Ecuador coach: “We don’t know much about the Australians yet, but in general terms their football has become very European in style. They’ve got very strong players and I can’t see their U-20 squad being any different.”
Hosts and European champs resume rivalry
Colombia face France as both sides make their first appearances at this FIFA U-20 World Cup. The two title hopefuls square off in Group A, with Los Cafeteros out to delight their home crowd and Les Bleuets determined to confirm their status as genuine contenders for the trophy.
The match
Colombia-France, Saturday 30 July, Bogota, 20.00 (local time)
The stakes
Colombia and France know each other well, having met in the final of the Toulon Tournament last month. The match went to penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time, and it was the South Americans who emerged victorious. Coach Eduardo Lara will be hoping his side can maintain the positive form they have shown since their below-par performance at the South American Youth Championship earlier this year. With players like Porto’s James Rodriguez among their ranks, Colombia have every chance of mounting a strong challenge.
For their part, France will be making their first FIFA U-20 World Cup appearance in a decade. The reigning European champions will be looking to key men Gael Kakuta and Antoine Griezmann for inspiration, and the pair will no doubt be keen to help the team build on that impressive continental triumph.
The stat
2 – Only two teams have won the FIFA U-20 World Cup as hosts: Portugal in 1991 and Argentina in 2001. Can Colombia add their name to the list in 2011?
The words
Eduardo Lara, Colombia coach: “We can’t afford to switch off or make mistakes against France, because they’re a very dangerous opponent. The tactical side is ready, so all that’s left is to wait and see how the players respond."
Antoine Griezmann, France forward: “Colombia are playing at home and the stadium will be full. This is the most important match of the group phase, and the one I’m fearing the most.”
Mali, Korea Republic seek quick lift-off
Group A will kick off with a fascinating encounter at the Estadio Nemesio Camacho in Bogota, with Mali and Korea Republic expected to contest the first of several tight games in an evenly balanced pool.
The two sides exploded out of the blocks in qualifying before later losing momentum, and they will be keen to make a similarly strong start to keep the pressure on Colombia and France.
The game
Mali-Korea Republic, Bogota, Saturday 30 July, 17.00 (local time)
The stakes
As outsiders, Mali and Korea Republic will be desperate to rack up early points and that should make for an entertaining spectacle in the Colombian capital. The Africans have been careful not to play up their chances in the competition, but they boast an experienced youth coach in Cheik Fantamady Diallo, who has labelled his squad “one of the best generations in Mali’s history”.
The challenge for Korea Republic will be to cope without key attacking trio Ji Dong-Won, Son Heung-Min and Nam Tae-Hee, whose performances for the U-17s have earned them promotion to U-23 and senior levels. Coach Lee Kwang-Jong is not unduly concerned, however, and has played up his side as potential semi-finalists who can beat all three of their section rivals.
If they meet his target, the young Taeguk Warriors will grace the last four for the first time since 1983, when they were stopped in their tracks by eventual winners Brazil. As for the Flying Eagles, they can look a little closer to the present for inspiration, having reached the semi-finals of Nigeria 1999 with a line-up featuring Seydou Keita.
The stat
4 – The number of goals Korea Republic slotted past Mali in their only previous U-20 meeting, in 1999. However, the African side went on to finish third – the best-ever performance by any Malian side in a major global tournament. Their successors would no doubt cherish a repeat display.
The words
"Our youngsters will show that they’re ambassadors for the whole continent and make Mali the showcase for an Africa that wins things. I can only encourage them to be willing to make sacrifices and tell them that the people of Mali will be behind them during this adventure,” Amadou Toumani Toure, Mali President
"Our goal is to do better than we did last time, when we reached the quarter-finals. The semis would be a great result for us,” Lee Kwang-Jong, Korea Republic coach
Cameroon, Kiwis eye strong start
Though it is Portugal and Uruguay who currently enjoy the Group B favourites’ tags, Cameroon and New Zealand will be determined to show that their lesser FIFA U-20 World Cup pedigree does not rule them out of chasing a knockout berth. This Saturday’s clash between the latter pair could therefore prove decisive for both teams’ hopes, with defeat for either a significant first step towards an early exit.
The game
Cameroon-New Zealand, Cali, Saturday 30 July, 17.00 (local time)
The stakes
After finishing runners-up at April/May’s CAF African Youth Championship, Cameroon will aim to continue their good run of form and kick off their Colombia 2011 campaign with all three points. On the back of a 15-day preparatory period in Venezuela, featuring friendly clashes and a win over Guatemala, the Cameroon contingent arrived in Cali in confident mood. However, they may rue the absence of Edgar Salli, one of the country’s brightest talents, whose non-involvement is a blow to the Africans’ hopes of finally making a serious impact at what will be their sixth FIFA U-20 World Cup.
New Zealand, for their part, find themselves in a similar situation. After a preparatory sojourn in North America, where they found the going tough against a number of local teams, the Kiwis touched down in Cali only for the promising Marco Rojas to promptly succumb to a thigh injury. “He’s a huge loss,” said coach Chris Milicich, whose medical staff will surely be working on Rojas round the clock so the attacking midfielder can play some part in the competition. Without him, can the New Zealanders improve on the three group defeats and just one goal scored from their only previous FIFA U-20 World Cup appearance in 2007?
The stat
5 – Cameroon’s best performance to date at a FIFA U-20 World Cup came when finishing fifth at the 1995 event. They have never finished higher than 12th in their other four appearances, a statistic they will be keen to improve on at Colombia 2011.
The words
“All our group games will be tricky, mainly because all the teams have different styles. We need to get off to a good start and then try and pick up as many points as possible from the other games,” Cameroon coach Martin Ndtoungou
“Our preparations had been going excellently. The conditions were ideal in California, but we now need to fine-tune a few small things in attack. That’s mainly because we’ve lost our main attacking threat,” New Zealand coach Chris Milicich
Booming Uruguay face off-song Portugal
In the even-looking Group B, the opening round of games features a meeting of two sides with plenty of pedigree in international youth football, both of whom have high hopes for this FIFA U-20 World Cup. Indeed Portugal and Uruguay will square off at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali, knowing a win would be an important first step towards reaching the next round.
The game
Portugal-Uruguay, Cali, Saturday 30 July, 20.00 (local time)
The stakes
Winners of the 1989 and 1991 editions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Portugal’s class of 2011 have a weighty burden of history on their shoulders. Nor do the Lusitanians look like they will have an easy ride, having failed to convince at the 2009/10 UEFA European U-19 Championship, despite securing qualification for Colombia 2011. They were subsequently unable to negotiate their group at June’s Toulon Tournament and only finished third, behind Mexico and Panama, at a recent warm-up competition. However, coach Ilidio Vale remains confident his team have prepared well and will grow in stature as Colombia 2011 progresses.
Though they have yet to win the global U-20 crown, Uruguay can point to a runners-up finish in 1997 and two further semi-final appearances. La Celeste go into the competition buoyed by second spot at this year’s South American U-20 Championship, where only Brazil finished ahead of them, and by recent successes achieved by the country’s U-17 and senior squads. One negative note is the absence through suspension of the highly promising Adrian Luna, which will further hamper the attacking prowess of a side which scored just ten times in nine matches in qualifying.
The stat
4 – This will be the fourth meeting between Portugal and Uruguay at this competition. The South Americans currently have the edge thanks to two wins - in the 1979 quarter-finals and the 1993 group phase - and one draw, which came in the first round at the 1999 event.
The words
Ilidio Vale, Portugal coach: “The team is getting stronger, they’re more competitive and intelligent in their approach to games. But we’re not going to hit our peak until the tournament gets going.”
Juan Verzeri, Uruguay coach: “The recent good results will put more responsibility on our shoulders. It’s a magical time [for Uruguayan football], which spurs us on to work hard. We’ll take it one game at a time, but we want to go as far as we possibly can."
Spanish set out with Costa Rican test
Joel Campbell of Costa Rica and Spain's Sergio Canales are two of the most glistening prospects on planet football. They are set to square off as the Iberians begin their bid to win a second FIFA trophy of the decade and the Central Americans set out to surpass reaching the semi-finals two years ago.
The game
Costa Rica-Spain, Sunday 31 July, Manizales, 3:00pm (local time)
The stakes
Spanish football is on a high. They won the FIFA World Cup™ last year and the UEFA European U-21 Championship last month, while the country also houses the UEFA Champions League holders – an exceptional Barcelona side which comprises three graduates of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique. Out to emulate the former, who inspired La Roja to their only triumph in this competition in 1999, will be another supremely talented cast headlined by Real Madrid ace Sergio Canales. But while many believe a Spain victory in their Group C curtain-raiser is a formality, Costa Rica proved themselves a force to be reckoned with in the previous edition of this tournament two year ago, when they reached the semi-finals before a narrow defeat by Brazil ended their trophy hopes. And with Joel Campbell, a tricky forward coveted by a selection of European giants, eager to continue the eye-catching form he showcased at the recent CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America events, Spain know they have a game on their hands.
The stat
40 – The age that makes Costa Rica's Ronald Gonzalez the youngest coach at this tournament. The former defender, who scored the only goal against Colombia at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1989, was, at 19, the youngest player to find the target at the FIFA World Cup one year later.
The words
Ronald Gonzalez, Costa Rica coach: “Spain always keep the ball and when they change the speed of the play, they are very dangerous. But we have been analysing their traits and working on pressurising them.”
Daniel Pacheco, Spain forward: “I believe Costa Rica will be tough opponents. They've have a good trajectory and have quality players – we know all about Campbell.”
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