The FIFA Under-17 World Cup official draw has just concluded, and India has finally come to know its Under-17 national team’s opponents in the age-group tournament’s group stages.
Luis Norton de Matos’s charges will face the United States of America, Colombia and Ghana in the group stage, progression from which is guaranteed if they finish in the top two places. Otherwise, the Colts will have to be among the four best third-placed teams in the group stage to progress.
The drawn groups are as follows:
Group A: India, USA, Colombia, Ghana
Group B: Paraguay, Mali, New Zealand, Turkey
Group C: Iran, Guinea, Germany, Costa Rica
Group D: Korea DPR, Niger, Brazil, Spain
Group E: Honduras, Japan, New Caledonia, France
Group F: Iraq, Mexico, Chile, England
Looking at the groups subjectively, it can be said that Group F is the "Group of Death", while India have been lucky to escape a few top drawer teams like Spain and England. Group D, comprising Brazil, Spain, Korea DPR and Niger, also promises to be an exciting selection..
Let's have a look at all the six groups, analysing their strengths, and profiling the teams’ history in Under-17 World Cups and the players to watch out for.
Group A
Group A is, based on the draw seedings, the easiest of the six groups. India are participating for the first time and none of the other teams in the group has won the senior FIFA World Cup. That being said, Ghana have been Under-17 world champions twice in the past.
India
Coach: Luis Norton de Matos
U-17 World Cup record, best result: First appearance this year.
Qualification for India 2017: Automatically qualified as hosts.
Last appearance at FIFA under-17 World Cup, result: N/A
Key players: Komal Thatal, Aniket Jadhav
USA
Coach: John Hackworth
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1985, fourth place in 1999.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, group stage exit.
Key players: Justin Garces, Josh Sargent
Colombia
Coach: Orlando Restrepo
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1989, fourth place in 2003 and 2009.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the South American Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2009, fourth place.
Key players: Juan Penaloza, Jaminton Campaz
Ghana
Coach: Paa Kwesi Fabin
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1989, champions in 1991 and 1995.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2007, fourth place.
Key players: Eric Ayiah, Emmanuel Toku
Group B
Group B is also relatively weaker based on the draw seedings with 2015 runners-up Mali being the highest seeded team in the group. With Paraguay, New Zealand and Turkey lurking, progression from this group won't be easy for African champions Mali.
Paraguay
Coach: Gustavo Morinigo
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1999, quarter-finalists in 1999.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the South American Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, group stage exit.
Key players: Martin Sanchez, Antonio Galeano
Mali
Coach: Jonas Komla
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1997, runners-up in 2015.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, finished runners-up.
Key players: Hadji Dramé, Lassana N'Diaye
New Zealand
Coach: Danny Hay
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1997, reached last 16 in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
Qualification for India 2017: Won the OFC Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, reached last 16.
Key players: Charles Spragg, Max Mata
Turkey
Coach: Mehmet Hacioglu
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 2005, fourth place in 2005.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top five at the Under-17 European Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2009, reached quarter-final.
Key players: Ozan Kabak, Malik Karaahmet
Group C
Group C is the second toughest group with the likes of Germany and Iran – Europe and Asia’s best teams respectively – in it. Four confederations are represented in this group, with Germany being the most successful Under-17 World Cup team there.
Iran
Coach: Abbas Chamanyan
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 2001, reached last 16 in 2009 and 2013.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the AFC Under-16 Championship 2016.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2013, reached last 16.
Key players: Alireza Asadabadi, Allahyar Sayyad
Guinea
Coach: Souleymane Camara
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1985, fourth place in 1985.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, group stage exit.
Key players: Djibril Toure, Elhadj Bah
Germany
Coach: Christian Wuck
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1985, runners-up in 1985.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top five at the Under-17 European Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, reached last 16.
Key players: Jann-Fiete Arp, Elias Abouchabaka
Costa Rica
Coach: Breansse Camacho
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1985, quarter-finalists in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2015.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, reached quarter-final.
Key players: Walter Cortes, Jose Alfaro
Group D
Group D is one of the two groups with the strongest line-up of teams based on draw seedings. Brazil and Spain are the glamour teams in this group and their clash in Kochi on 7th October is already a sellout. Korea DPR could have a big say in this group’s results, while Under-17 World Cup debutants Niger will have a tough time.
Korea DPR
Coach: Yun Jong Su
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 2005, quarter-finalists in 2005.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the AFC Under-16 Championship 2016.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, reached last 16.
Key players: Kye Tam, Kim Pom-hyok
Niger
Coach: Tiemogo Soumaila
U-17 World Cup record, best result: First appearance this year.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: N/A
Key players: Habibou Sofiane, Abdoul Moussa
Brazil
Coach: Carlos Amadeu
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1985, champions in 1997, 1999 and 2003.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the South American Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, reached quarter-final.
Key players: Lincoln, Alan Souza
Spain
Coach: Santi Denia
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1991, runners-up in 1991, 2003 and 2007.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top five at the Under-17 European Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2009, finished third.
Key players: Abel Ruiz, Nacho Diaz
Group E
Group E should be relatively straightforward for the favourites France and Japan, with Honduras and New Caledonia being the other two teams. New Caledonia, like India and Niger, are making their first Under-17 World Cup appearance, while France are gunning for their second Under-17 world title.
Honduras
Coach: Jose Valladares
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 2007, reached quarter-final in 2013.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, group stage exit.
Key players: Carlos Mejia, Patrick Palacios
Japan
Coach: Hirofumi Yoshitake
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1993, quarter-finalists in 1993 and 2011.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the AFC Under-16 Championship 2016.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2013, reached last 16.
Key players: Takefusa Kubo, Hiroto Yamada
New Caledonia
Coach: Dominique Wacalie
U-17 World Cup record, best result: First appearance this year.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished runners-up at the OFC Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA under-17 World Cup, result: N/A
Key players: Paul Gope-Fenepej, Bernard Iwa
France
Coach: Lionel Rouxel
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1987, champions in 2001.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top five in the Under-17 European Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, reached last 16.
Key players: Amine Gouiri, Maxence Caqueret
Group F
Group F could be said to be the “Group of Death” owing to the calibre and quality of the teams in it. Mexico are two-time Under-17 world champions and will have a difficult time navigating a group comprising the likes of England and Chile. Iraq, the Asian Under-17 champions, are no pushovers either.
Iraq
Coach: Qahtan Jathir
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 2013, first round in 2013.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the AFC Under-16 Championship 2016.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2013, group stage exit.
Key players: Mohammed Dawood, Muntadher Mohammed
Mexico
Coach: Mario Arteaga
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1985, champions in 2005 and 2011.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, fourth place.
Key players: Jairo Torres, Daniel Lopez
Chile
Coach: Hernan Caputo
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 1993, third place in 1993.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top four at the South American Under-17 Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, reached last 16.
Key players: Gaston Zuniga, Alexis Castro
England
Coach: Steve Cooper
U-17 World Cup record, best result: Debut in 2007, quarter-finalists in 2007 and 2011.
Qualification for India 2017: Finished in the top five at the Under-17 European Championship 2017.
Last appearance at FIFA Under-17 World Cup, result: 2015, group stage exit.
Key players: Rhian Brewster, Jadon Sancho
