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We are just days away from the first match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup! Amidst all the excitement for the biggest footballing tournament to be hosted in the country, the quality of football to be displayed by the top football nations is one of the major things to look forward to. It is too early to talk about the favourites for the World Cup but the likes of Spain, Mexico and England are said to have the strongest squads on display.
Every strong needs a solid defence to hold ground at the back with the saying, "Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles," still holding true in the game of football. In the upcoming World Cup, future international defenders will get a first-hand experience of playing at the highest level. On that note, here is a list of the top five defenders to watch out for in the FIFA U-17 World Cup:
#5 Jonathan Panzo (England)
Playing every minute for England in this year's Euros U-17, Jonathan Panzo announced himself with a bang. Known to be an imposing defender, the Chelsea teenager is a leader at the back. Panzo was the captain of the England U-16s and made his debut in the U-17 age group when he was just 15.
His U-17 debut came against Croatia last year with the English side winning with a comfortable margin of 5-0. Panzo is good in the air and is a tough tackler. The Chelsea staff will be looking at Panzo's performance in the World Cup with utmost scrutiny with Panzo being termed as the next big thing for the English backline.
#4 Juan Miranda (Spain)
The 17-year-old left back is a typical modern-day fullback who loves to bombard forward and help out the attackers with his overlapping runs. But Miranda also has a good recovery sense and was seen winning numerous challenges in the Euros U-17, earlier this year.
A product of La Masia, Miranda is Spain's second most senior member of the U-17 setup with the Spanish side often looking to Miranda for stability and creation. He has played for the Barcelona B this season and has already notched an assist in the UEFA Youth League.
#3 Steven Sessegnon (England)
A club knows it has a special talent in their ranks when the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur chase a player who is yet to turn 18. One of the most highly rated players in England's second division, Fulham's Steven Sessegnon will be seen marauding down the left flank for the Three Lions in India.
Sessegnon has been with Fulham since he was nine years old. So far, the teenager has made 31 appearances for the senior side and has got on the scoresheet six times. He was an important part of the England U-19 side which won the Euros earlier this year and will now test himself in the U-17 setup. After being named in the PFA Championship team of the year, Sessegnon is considered by many as the future of English football.
#2 Alexander Nitzl (Germany)
Germany has a tradition of churning out talented defenders year after year which has seen the European country establish its reputation as one of the best in the world. The Germans have always encouraged young defenders to take risks and the clubs have given the teenagers a run in the first team as early as possible. Alexander Nitzl, the German U-17 defender is another glorious example of this tradition.
Nitzl currently plies his trade for Bayern Munich and is a regular for the Bavarian U-19 side. A ball playing defender, Nitzl is good at starting an attack from the back and is a threat offensively during set pieces. He is one of the first names on the team sheet for the Germany U-17 side and the national team will be looking at their central defender to bail them out on difficult situations at the back.
#1 Victor Chust (Spain)
Chust is a trusted lieutenant for both his club and country. A crucial player for Spain, the 17-year-old is also one of the first names on the team sheet for the Real Madrid Castilla side. Playing at the heart of the defence, Chust is considered as the finest centre-back in all of Spain's youth age groups and was also included in Euros U-17 team of the tournament.
A no-nonsense defender, Chust is also good with taking spot kicks and has scored in the penalty shootouts against Germany and England in the Euros U-17. Chust is the vice-captain of this Spanish U-17 side and he needs to be at the top of his game if Spain want to have a crack at the title.
