THE FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP

THE FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP

AN OVERVIEW

FLASHBACK....

• The tournament was started in 1985. And, China PR hosted that very first edition. Since then, it takes place in every  alternative year.
• From the inaugural edition to that of 2005, there were 16 berths in the tournament. After that, 24 teams are selected to take part in every edition.
• In the FIFA U-17 World Championship China PR 1985, the Champion team was Nigeria and the Runners-Up was Germany FR.
• The first goal in the history of this tournament was scored by (Oh1 not sure.)

PAST EDITIONS
16th:  Chile 2015
Champion: Nigeria
Runners Up:Mali

15th:  UAE 2013
Champion: Nigeria

14th: Mexico 2011
Champion: Mexico

13th: Nigeria 2009
Champion: Switzerland

12th: Korea 2007
Champion: Nigeria

11th: Peru 2005
Champion: Mexico

10th: Finland 2003
Champion: Brazil

9th: Trinidad and Tobago 2001
Champion: France

8th: New Zealand 1999
Champion: Brazil

7th: Egypt 1997
Champion: Brazil

6th: Ecuador 1995
Champion: Ghana

5th: Japan 1993
Champion: Nigeria

4th: Italy 1991
Champion: Ghana

3rd: Scotland 1989
Champion: Saudi Arabia

2nd: Canada 1987
Champion: Soviet Union

And now, the very first...
1st: China PR 1985
(31 July - 11 August)
Winner: Nigeria
Runners-Up: Germany FR
Third: Brazil
Fourth: Guinea
Adidas Golden Ball: William (BRA)
Adidas Golden Boot: Marcel Witeczek (FRG)
Fair Play Award:  Germany FR
Wow! Those golden moments...
Watch on Youtube: Great champions of past U-17 World Cups
(Credit: FIFATV, It is not my property!)

Teams with the most victories:

Nigeria: 5   ('85, '93, '07, '13, '15)
Brazil: 3  ('97,'99, '03)
Ghana: 2  ('91,'95)
Mexico: 2  ('05, '11)
Soviet Union: 1  ('87)
Saudi Arabia: 1  ('89)
France: 1  ('01)
Switzerland: 1  ('09)

NOW, A CLOSER LOOK ON FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP INDIA  2017:

• This is the 17th edition.
• This is the first time that India is hosting a FIFA tournament. It is also the first time an Indian team will play in a FIFA competition.
• Tournament hosts India automatically secured their place in the competition.

ROAD TO INDIA:

• From AFRICA: Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Niger reached the semi-finals of the 2017 CAF Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Gabon to take Africa's spots at India 2017.
• From ASIA : Iraq, Iran, Japan and Korea DPR joined the hosts in qualifying for India 2017 by virtue of reaching the semi-finals of the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship.
• From EUROPE : Spain, Turkey, England and Germany reached the 2017 UEFA European U-17 Championship semi-finals and, in doing so, secured berths at India 2017. They will be joined by France, who won a play-off match against Hungary.
• From NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN : The 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship was held in Panama from 21 April to 7 May 2017. Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and USA secured the four available spots for India 2017.
• From OCEANIA : The 2017 OFC U-17 Championship was held in Tahiti from 11 to 24 February 2017. New Caledonia and New Zealand reached the OFC final to qualify for India 2017.
• From SOUTH AMERICA : The 2017 South American U-17 Football Championship took place from 23 February to 19 March 2017 in Chile. Paraguay, Chile, Brazil and Colombia collected the four available slots.

GROUPS:

There were six groups, and India was in Group A with USA, Ghana and Colombia.

VENUES:

Six venues were chosen for the World Cup:
1.New Delhi (JN Stadium),
2. Navi Mumbai (Dr. DY Patil Stadium),
3. Kolkata (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan),
4. Kochi (JN International Stadium),
5. Goa (Pandit JN Stadium),
6. Guwahati (Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium)

The tournament started in New Delhi and Navi Mumbai with the first double headers. The quarter-finals were in Goa, Guwahati, Kochi and Kolkata, while  Kolkata  and Navi Mumbai hosted the semi-finals.(Actually the 1st semi-final was to be held in Guwahati, but cancelled due to heavy rain there.) The final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 was held in Kolkata’s iconic Salt Lake Stadium.

INAUGURATION:

On Friday, 06 October, 2017 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, NEW DELHI.

CLOSING (Not the end!):

On Saturday 28 October  2017 at Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), Kolkata.

OFFICIAL MASCOT:

Kheleo
The clouded leopard is a vulnerable wild cat whose habitat extends from the Himalayan foothills to mainland Southeast Asia.

OFFICIAL SONG:

Kar Ke Dikhla De Goal!

Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya, Composition: Pritam,
Artists: Sunidhi Chauhan, Neeti Mohan, Babul Supriyo, Shaan, Papon, Mika along with a rap performance by actor Abhishek Bachchan.
Watch on Youtube:Kar Ke Dikhla De Goal! 
(Credit: FIFATV, It is not my property!)

OFFICIAL SLOGAN:

 ' Football Takes Over’

PILLARS OF THE TOURNAMENT(!!):

• Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC): Praful Patel
• Head of FIFA Tournaments: Jaime Yarza
• LOC Tournament Director: Javier Ceppi

FIRST MATCH:

Colombia Vs Ghana

• Score Line: 0-1
• Man of the match: 
• Held on: 06 OCT 2017 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi
• First goal of this edition scored by: Sadiq IBRAHIM (Ghana)

FINAL MATCH:

England Vs Spain

• Score Line: 5-2
• Man of the match:
• Held on: 28 October, 2017 at Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan, Kolkata.

Watch on Youtube: The Final: England v Spain – FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017
(Credit: FIFATV, It is not my property!)

AWARDS:

• Winner: England

Watch on Youtube: England: U-17 World Champions
(Credit: FIFATV, It is not my property!)

• Runners Up: Spain
• Third: Brazil
• Fourth: Mali
• Adidas Golden Ball: Philip FODEN (England)
• Adidas Golden Boot: Rhian BREWSTER (England)
• Adidas Golden Glove: Grabriel Brazao (Brazil)
• Fair Play Award: Brazil
• Top scorer of the tournament: Rhian BREWSTER (England), 8 goals
• Best Player of the Tournament: Philip FODEN (England)
• Besy Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Grabriel Brazao (Brazil)

NEXT EDITION (18th):

FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019

26 October - 17 November

TEAM INDIA

Players:
Dheeraj MOIRANGTHEM, Boris THANGJAM, Jitendra SINGH, Anwar ALI, Sanjeev STALIN,Suresh WANGJAM, Ninthoinganba MEETEI, Amarjit KIYAM, Aniket JADHAV, Abhijit SARKAR, Komal THATAL, Hendry ANTONAY, Lalengmawia LALENGMAWIA, Rahim ALI, Jeakson THOUNAOJAM, Nongdamba NAOREM, Rahul KANNOLY, Namit DESHPANDE, Mohammad SHAHJAHAN, Prabhsukhan GILL, Sunny DHALIWAL.

Coach: Luis Maria CABRAL NORTON DE MATOS (POR)

India’s Performance:

• Match 1:  India 0-3 USA
• Match 2:  India 1-2 Colombia
• Match 3:. India 0-4 Ghana
• Total Points: 0
• Jeakson Thounaojam (Manipur) scored India’s first-ever goal in a FIFA competition.

Watch on Youtube: India v Colombia – FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017
(Credit: FIFATV, It is not my property!)

NOTE:

• Golden Ball award goes to the Best Player of the tournament and Top scorer gets Golden Boot. The Golden Glove Award is awarded to the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
• Full form of:

1. FIFA: Fédération Internationale de Football Association
2. CAF: Confederation of African Football 
3. AFC: Asian Football Confederation
4. UEFA: Union of European Football Associations 
5. CONCACAF: Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football 
6. OFC: Oceania Football Confederation. 
7. AIFF: All India Football Federation 

• AIFF President: Praful Patel
• FIFA President: Gianni Infantino
• FIFA Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland

Source: www.fifa.com