U20 FOOTBALL
Julio Gonzalez Ferreira: a tale of triumph over adversity
- A car accident put an end to his professional football career
- But thanks to football he overcame the odds and succeeded
- Today he is a member of FIFA’s Technical Study Group at the U-20 World Cup in Argentina, the same tournament and country in which he shone so brightly 22 years ago
The accident happened on 22 December 2005, on the road between Vicenza and Venice, hours before he was due to fly home to Paraguay for the holidays.
Twenty-seven days later, and despite their best efforts, the medical team were forced to amputate his left arm.
Julio Gonzalez Ferreira was 24 years old. The dreams he had had as a kid kicking the ball around near his childhood home in Asuncion were now over.
Dreams that had been sustained by goals and hard work at club level and with the national team.
He had featured in the Paraguay sides that finished fourth at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2001 and won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, while his debut on the biggest stage was to come, with La Albirroja having had qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany.
“When the surgeon told me that they had to amputate my arm, my world fell apart,” Gonzalez Ferreira told FIFA.com, during a break from his duties with the FIFA Technical Study Group at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023.
“It’s hard to express everything that went through my head…I even had a pre-contract signed with Roma…I was going to replace my childhood hero, Gabriel Batistuta!” he added.
How did he get through it? “Football was at the heart of it. I knew that my future depended on my perseverance, on the same thing that made me a professional footballer in the first place.
“So I set out with the aim of playing again, no matter what the doctors said, or how many people thought it was impossible,” explains Gonzalez Ferreira, now 42 years old.
While Vicenza offered him a coaching role within their youth set-up as his recovery advanced, Julio returned to Paraguay in 2007, and signed with Tacuary.
There, after a great deal of hard work, on 18 November 2007, 22 months and 26 days after the accident, he took to the field and played professionally once more.
With his brother Celso playing alongside him, Gonzalez Ferreira was on the field for nearly 60 minutes against a powerful Olimpia side.
The story made headlines worldwide, and served as inspiration for thousands of people. “That achievement meant that football could be the main priority in my life once more. Since then, I’ve stayed in the game in one form or another.”
He retired in 2008. Since then, he has worked with Inter Milan’s foundation in Paraguay, running training sessions for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. He also qualified as a coach, working in the lower divisions. Last year, he joined the FIFA Legends programme.
His time at the current tournament in Argentina is, he says, “bringing back so many memories”.
It was here that he was one of the key players when Paraguay secured a historic fourth place finish in the U-20 World Cup Argentina 2001. He is surprised when FIFA.com shows him a video of the two goals he scored in that competition, against Iran in the group stage and against Ukraine in the round of 16.
“I really wanted to see them again. They bring back such happy memories, a really nice feeling!” he smiles.
He speaks with a touch of emotion when asked what it means to him to form part of the FIFA Technical Study Group here. “It’s life’s way of answering me, of saying ‘this is your reward for all that effort, all that sacrifice, for never giving up, never throwing in the towel. Life and football are repaying you now.’”
In between memories, the former forward organises his papers and his tablet ahead of the first of the round of 16 games.
During the matches, he observes and analyses all the “tactical, technical, physical and even psychological aspects of the game, generating data that the teams and players can then use.
And FIFA makes them available to the world of football via their Training Centre, which anyone can access,” he explains. “All this material we generate is fantastic, because it goes into a final report for the tournament.
“Have you any idea how valuable all this information would have been in my time as a player?” he adds.
With his coach’s eye, he has been impressed by what he has seen so far in the tournament, particularly “how the teams are building play from the goalkeeper or the central defenders, through the full-backs and midfield and ending up in organised attacking plays”.
The next game is about to begin, and Gonzalez Ferreira dives back into his work with a smile, happy at what he now helps to create. Football always gives a second chance to those who persevere.
-FIFA
U20 FOOTBALL
On the King’s orders, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan presided over a ceremony honoring the Atlas Lion Cubs
Upon the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan presided, on Wednesday at the Royal Palace in Rabat, over a ceremony offered by the Sovereign in honor of the members of the national under-20 football team, following their triumph at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Chile.
On this occasion, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was greeted by the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Mr. Fouzi Lekjaa, the national team coach, Mr. Mohamed Ouahbi, and the members of the national team, before posing for a commemorative photo.
A tea ceremony was then held in honor of the members of the U-20 national team.
This reception illustrates the High Solicitude with which His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, continues to surround Moroccan youth, supporting their development through sports, and reflects the special interest that the Sovereign devotes to this sector in general and to football in particular.
It follows the historic achievement of the national under-20 team, which won this world title — the first of its kind in the history of Moroccan and Arab football.
This triumph is fully in line with the enlightened and forward-looking vision of His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, who has elevated national sports training to the highest international standards, notably through the Mohammed VI Football Academy — a true cradle of young Moroccan talent. It also represents a deep source of pride for the entire Nation and highlights, with brilliance, the values of effort, perseverance, and hard work that pave the way to success and excellence.
Following the victory of the Atlas Cubs against the Argentine team in the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, sent a message of congratulations to the members of the national team, in which the Sovereign emphasized that the Moroccan team had honorably represented its country and its youth, as well as the African continent, with dignity and pride.
-MAP
The streets of Rabat were awash in red and green on Wednesday night as tens of thousands of Moroccans poured out to celebrate their national under-20 football team’s historic triumph at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile — the first world title ever won by a Moroccan or Arab national team.
The festivities followed a royal reception at the Royal Palace in Rabat, held on the high instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and presided over by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan.
The Crown Prince warmly received the victorious Atlas Cubs alongside Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, and head coach Mohamed Ouahbi.
A traditional tea ceremony was held in their honor, symbolizing the Monarch’s deep support for Moroccan youth and his personal commitment to the country’s sporting excellence.
A Royal Celebration, a National Pride
The ceremony reflected the King’s long-standing vision for Moroccan sports — a vision embodied by the Mohammed VI Football Academy, whose world-class training programs have produced many of the young talents now hailed as world champions.
In a message of congratulations, King Mohammed VI praised the team for “honoring their country and the African continent with dignity and determination.”
After the reception, the champions boarded an open-top bus for a grand victory parade through Rabat’s main thoroughfares, including the iconic Avenue Mohammed V.
As the bus rolled through the capital toward Salé, chants of “Dima Maghrib!” (“Forever Morocco!”) echoed from every corner.
Children hoisted flags, families waved scarves, and strangers embraced in tears of joy as the bus carrying the young heroes made its way through a sea of ecstatic supporters.
Voices from the Street
For many Moroccans, this moment represented far more than just a football victory — it was a symbol of national pride, unity, and aspiration.
“This is a great day for the youth of our country,” said Abdelhak, one of the fans who gathered along the parade route. “These boys have shown that with perseverance, Morocco can beat the best from Latin America, Europe, and Asia.”
Another supporter, Salma, praised King Mohammed VI for his investment in Moroccan football: “This win is a result of years of planning and support from the King. We are proud, we are united — Dima Maghrib!”
The celebrations drew fans from across the world, including Ayman, who flew in from France just to witness the parade. “I couldn’t miss this moment. It’s history,” he said. “Now we want the Atlas Lions to win AFCON in December — this is just the beginning.”
A Victory Beyond Borders
The jubilant scenes in Rabat reverberated far beyond Morocco. On social media, the parade trended globally as fans and international media joined in the celebration. French outlets ActuFoot, Foot Mercato, and Onze Mondial hailed the young Atlas Lions, describing them as a “golden generation” and “the pride of Africa.”
Across platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok, Moroccan users shared emotional tributes and clips from the parade, filling timelines with red and green hearts and patriotic chants. “A dream come true,” one post read. “Always Morocco.”
Looking Ahead: Morocco’s Football Renaissance
With the country set to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in December, many believe the U-20 triumph signals a new era for Moroccan football.
“This is not just a celebration of victory,” said a sports commentator on national TV. “It’s the fruit of a vision — a foundation for sustained excellence. What we’re witnessing is Morocco’s football renaissance.”
As fireworks lit up the Rabat skyline late into the night, one message echoed everywhere — from the palace courtyards to the city streets and across the digital world: Morocco has arrived on the world stage, and its football future burns bright.
“If this is the future,” wrote one fan online, “then AFCON is ours.”
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By Kunle Solaja.
In a night painted red and green under the dazzling Santiago lights, Morocco carved their name into football’s golden history books, stunning six-time champions Argentina 2–0 to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025. It was not just a victory — it was poetry, passion, and pride, beautifully woven into ninety unforgettable minutes at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos.
For Mohamed Ouahbi and his fearless Atlas Cubs, this was destiny fulfilled. Forty-eight years after Morocco first graced the inaugural U-20 World Cup, the North Africans have finally ascended football’s youth summit, becoming only the second African nation — after Ghana’s golden generation in 2009 — to conquer the world at this level.
The Night Zabiri Shone Brightest
If Morocco’s triumph had a heartbeat, it pulsed in the boots of Yassir Zabiri. The elegant forward, all composure and creativity, turned the final into a personal stage. His genius lit up Santiago from the 13th minute when, after being clattered by Argentine goalkeeper Santino Barbi on a breakaway, he rose to curl the ensuing free-kick into the top corner — a goal of artistry and audacity that will be replayed for years in Moroccan football folklore.
That was just the overture. Argentina, the tournament’s darlings and serial winners, pushed forward with their trademark intensity, but Morocco’s counterattack carried a lethal rhythm. Ismael Baouf, imperious in midfield, intercepted a pass and released Othmane Maamma down the flank. His whipped cross found Zabiri, who volleyed home with thunderous precision.
Two goals up. One continent roaring.
A Final of Grit and Glory
From there, the Atlas Cubs defended like lions. Baouf marshalled the midfield, while Fouad Zahouani and captain Oussama Co turned every Argentine advance into frustration. Goalkeeper Ibrahim Gomis, calm and commanding, barely broke a sweat as Argentina’s famed forwards were reduced to long-range hopefuls.
On the stroke of halftime, Argentina’s Mateo Silvetti nearly pulled one back, his shot skimming past the post, but Morocco immediately responded — Maamma cutting inside and firing goalward, only for Juan Villalba’s desperate clearance to deny a third.
The second half brought wave after wave of Argentine possession, but it was Morocco’s discipline, not desperation, that defined the contest. Zabiri’s artistry continued to trouble the South Americans, his curling effort from outside the box narrowly missing. Substitute Ian Subiabre’s late miss summed up Argentina’s evening — plenty of promise, no precision.
When the final whistle sounded, Morocco’s bench erupted in tears and triumph. The players danced, draped in flags, as Ouahbi embraced his staff. From Rabat to Casablanca, from Fez to Marrakesh, the celebrations had already begun.
A New Dawn for African Football
Morocco’s triumph carried echoes of Ghana’s 2009 success — another African nation that defied the odds and the hierarchy of football. But this victory felt uniquely Moroccan: disciplined, artistic, and deeply symbolic.
It also shattered a long-standing record. No team had beaten Argentina in a FIFA U-20 World Cup final for 42 years — not since Brazil’s Dunga and Bebeto-led side triumphed in 1983. Since then, Argentina had bested Brazil, Uruguay, Ghana, Nigeria, and the Czech Republic to lift six titles. Until now.
Legacy of a Golden Generation
For Yassir Zabiri, whose two goals will live forever in Moroccan hearts, the night crowned him the face of a new generation. For coach Mohamed Ouahbi, it was vindication — proof that Moroccan youth football, long respected across Africa, can now rule the world.
“This victory belongs to every Moroccan child who dreams with a football at his feet,” Ouahbi declared, his voice trembling amid the confetti storm. “We came here as students. We leave as champions.”
And so, on a cool Chilean night, Morocco’s Atlas Cubs roared the loudest. From the sands of the Sahara to the shores of the Atlantic, a new story of African brilliance has been written — and it begins, gloriously, in Santiago.
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