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We are little more than a month away from the biggest footballing event to be held in India- the FIFA U-17 World Cup. In 39 days, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi will be jam-packed where the first two matches of the tournament will take place, first between Colombia and Ghana and between India and USA.
This tournament will see tomorrow’s superstars showcase their talent at the world stage. Since its inception in 1991, the FIFA U-17 World Cup has seen numerous players who have gone on to play for their respective senior national teams and also play and score at the FIFA World Cup. Here are 10 footballers who have scored at both the FIFA U-17 World Cups as well as in the FIFA World Cup
Honorable Mentions: Granit Xhaka, Wilson Oruma and Harry Kewell
#10 Haris Seferovic
Currently at Benfica with 3 goals in 4 league games, Haris Seferovic has appeared for Switzerland 38 times, scoring 8 goals. Seferovic first played for the Switzerland U-17 team at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. The former Fiorentina star was the joint top goal-scorer of the tournament with 5 goals, having scored two goals in an exciting 4-3 group win over Japan and scored in every knockout game except the quarter-finals. He scored the 63rd minute winner for Switzerland against hosts Nigeria in the final.
The forward later made his senior debut for Switzerland in 2013 and was selected in their squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He came on as a 75th minute substitute for Josip Drmic in Switzerland’s opening match of the tournament against Ecuador and went on to score the injury-time winner which helped Switzerland beat the South Americans 2-1.
#9 Hidetoshi Nakata
One of the greatest Asian footballers of all-time and the finest footballer to have come out of Japan, Hidetoshi Nakata played for Japan’s youth teams in the early '90s and featured during the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup in his homeland where he started in two out of Japan’s three group games as they qualified for the quarter-finals ahead of Mexico and Italy.
In the quarter-finals, Japan faced Nigeria. The Nigerians were 2-0 up thanks to goals from Wilson Oruma (who would be the top goal-scorer at the tournament and score at the 1998 World Cup) and Festus Odini. Nakata found the net in the 56th minute to keep the hosts’ hopes alive but that goal would be a consolation as Nigeria ran out 2-1 winners and would go on to win the tournament after beating Ghana in the final.
Five years later, Nakata would play in his maiden FIFA World Cup in 1998 aged 21 after helping Japan qualify for their first FIFA World Cup by scoring 5 goals in the qualifiers. Nakata played all of Japan’s group games as they were knocked out in the first round.
Nakata played his second World Cup in 2002 which was co-hosted by Japan and scored Japan’s second goal against Tunisia which confirmed their qualification to the knockout stages. After the conclusion of the tournament, the former Roma midfielder was named in the 7-man reserve team of the tournament.
Nakata would also feature at the 2006 World Cup where he was named the Man of the Match in Japan’s 0-0 draw against Croatia. Following Japan’s elimination, he announced his retirement from international football at the age of 29 with 77 appearances and 11 goals to his name.
#8 Landon Donovan
Perhaps the greatest footballer that United States ever produced, Landon Donovan broke into USA’s youth teams in 1998 and played for them at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Cup where he scored three goals throughout the tournament as they ended the tournament in 4th place after they lost the 3rd place play-off to Ghana 2-0. Donovan was named the Best Player of the Tournament and was awarded the Golden Ball.
Donovan made his senior debut in 2000 and played for the USA at the 2002 World Cup where they reached the quarter-finals. He scored 2 goals during the tournament- against Poland in the group stage and against Mexico in the round of 16. The 20-year old forward would be eventually named the Best Young Player of the Tournament and was also named in the 7-man reserve Team of the Tournament.
Donovan would score at the World Cup again in 2010, in USA’s 2-2 draw against Slovenia in the group stage. The forward scored a last-gasp winner in USA’s final group game against Algeria to send The Stars and Stripes into the next round where he plundered his third goal of the tournament in an eventual 2-1 defeat to Ghana.
#7 Esteban Cambiasso
Just when he began his youth career at Argentinos Juniors, Esteban Cambiasso represented Argentina at the 1995 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Egypt at the age of 14, thus being the youngest player in the squad. Argentina won all their group games to qualify for the quarter-finals where they beat Ecuador 3-1 to reach the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, Argentina were beaten 3-0 by eventual runners-up Brazil. In the 3rd place play-off, the Albiceleste were up against Oman and were in the lead after only 20 minutes thanks to Fernando Gatti. With 19 minutes to go, 14-year old Cambiasso doubled Argentina’s lead to assure them of the bronze medal.
Cambiasso helped Argentina win the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship and captained them at the 1999 edition before making his national team debut in 2000. The defensive midfielder played his first World Cup at the 2006 World Cup where he scored one of the goals of the tournament during Argentina’s second group game against Serbia and Montenegro.
This was to be Cambiasso’s last World Cup as he was surprisingly left out of Argentina’s squad for the 2010 World Cup and retired from international football in 2011 after scoring 5 goals from 52 appearances.
#6 Carlos Tevez
Currently plying his trade in China, Carlos Tevez came into Argentina’s U-17 team in 2001 and was included in the team to play the U-17 World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago that year. Tevez scored two goals during the tournament; one during Argentina’s 3-0 drubbing of Oman in the group stages and the opening goal during Argentina’s 2-1 loss to eventual winners France during the semi-finals. Argentina eventually ended the tournament in 4th place after losing the 3rd place play-off 2-0 to Burkina Faso.
Tevez would make his international debut in 2004 and would play his first World Cup in Germany two years later. After being benched for Argentina’s tournament opener against Ivory Coast, Tevez came off as a second half substitute for Javier Saviola in Argentina’s subsequent match against Serbia and Montenegro and scored their 5th goal of the match in an eventual 6-0 win.
Tevez scored no more in the tournament as Argentina were beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals on penalties. However, the forward would play another World Cup in 2010 where he scored two goals in his side's 3-1 win over Mexico in the round of 16, the first one being a controversial offside header while the second, a powerful shot from outside the penalty area which would be one of the goals of the tournament.
#5 Toni Kroos
One of the finest midfielders in the world today, Toni Kroos first played for Germany’s U-17 team in 2005 and captained Germany at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup at South Korea. Kroos was in terrific form throughout the tournament as he scored 5 goals with Germany, ending the tournament in third place after beating Ghana in the 3rd place play-off. Prior to that game, Kroos scored the only game in a 3-1 defeat to eventual champions Nigeria in the semi-finals.
Kroos was later awarded the Golden Ball as the Best Player of the Tournament as well as the Bronze Shoe for being the joint third-highest goal-scorer of the tournament. The former Bayern star made his senior debut for Germany in January, 2010 and was chosen in the team to play the 2010 World Cup in South Africa where the midfielder made four appearances as a substitute as Germany ended the tournament in 3rd place.
Having already established himself as a world-class midfielder, Kroos was selected in Germany’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He scored two goals during Germany’s 7-1 annihilation of Brazil in the semi-finals and recorded 4 assists throughout the tournament. Following the conclusion of the tournament, Kroos was named in the Team of the Tournament.
#4 Alessandro Del Piero
It is a lesser known fact that Alessandro Del Piero-- one of Italy’s greatest footballers ever-- played at the U-17 World Cup. He actually played at the inaugural FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by Italy in 1991. Del Piero scored only one goal throughout the tournament in a 2-2 draw against China as the hosts would be ousted in the first round after finishing third in their group behind USA and Argentina.
Del Piero made his senior debut in 1995 and featured for them in Euro 1996, 1998 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2000 where he scored a goal but also missed two easy chances against France in the final. Del Piero played for the Azzurri in the 2002 World Cup and scored an 85th minute equaliser in Italy’s final group game against Mexico which helped Italy qualify for the round of 16 where they were beaten by South Korea.
The striker then featured for Italy at the 2006 World Cup and scored Italy’s second goal in their 2-0 win over Germany in the semi-final. He also scored in the penalty shootout against France which Italy won 5-3.
#3 Neymar
The most expensive footballer on the planet and one of the best footballers in the world right now, Neymar played for Brazil at the 2009 U-17 World Cup at Nigeria and scored a goal in Brazil’s 3-2 win against Japan in their tournament opener at Lagos. Brazil ended third in their group behind Switzerland and Mexico and due to an inferior goal difference, they missed out on a round of 16 spot by virtue of being one of the four best third placed teams and were eliminated.
5 years later, Neymar would represent Brazil at the 2014 World Cup which was hosted by Brazil. Neymar scored a brace in Brazil’s tournament opener against Croatia and scored another brace in their final group game against Cameroon.
However, his tournament was over when he injured his back in the quarter-final against Colombia. Brazil were eliminated in the semi-finals and at the end of the tournament, Neymar received the Bronze Shoe for being the third highest goal scorer of the tournament with 4 goals.
#2 Francesco Totti
One of Italy’s finest footballers, Totti played for Italy at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup and scored the Azzurri's only goal of the tournament in their opener against Mexico. Italy ended last in their group and were knocked out of the competition.
Totti later made his debut for Italy in 1998 and played a key role in the Azzurri reaching the final of Euro 2000. Two years later, Totti played his first World Cup where he was controversially sent off in Italy’s 2-1 defeat to South Korea in the last 16. After a disappointing Euro 2004, he played in the 2006 World Cup.
Totti was in fine form throughout the tournament despite concerns regarding his fitness. He scored Italy’s last-gasp winner from the spot in their round of 16 encounter against Australia. Italy won the tournament and Totti recorded the most number of assists (4) in the tournament alongside Andrea Pirlo, Juan Roman Riquelme, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Luis Figo. Totti eventually retired from international duty following the tournament.
#1 Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is one of the few Brazilian footballers who has played for the side at every youth level. In 1997, Ronaldinho played for Brazil at the U-17 World Cup in Egypt where he scored two goals, both from the spot. His first goal of the tournament came in Brazil’s tournament opener against Austria which they won 7-0, their joint-highest win at the U-17 World Cup (having attained this victory a decade later against New Zealand).
Ronaldinho’s second goal came in Brazil’s 4-0 drubbing of Germany in the semi-finals. Brazil went on to win the World Cup by defeating Ghana 2-1 in the final and Ronaldinho was awarded the Bronze Ball.
Three years later, the attacking midfielder would play in his first senior World Cup in Japan and South Korea where he once again scored two goals and as many assists. His first goal was a spot kick against China and his second was a looping free-kick against England in the quarter-finals. Brazil won the tournament by defeating Germany 2-0 in the final and this time, Ronaldinho was named in the Team of the Tournament.
