International Football
FACT FILE ON THE FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP
The 2019 edition which begins in Brazil this Saturday the 18th edition since the inaugural one as U16 World Tournament in China in 1985.
- The competition was first held in 1985 and has since been held by all six confederations: Africa (twice, in Egypt and Nigeria), Asia (five times, in India, Korea Republic, China PR, Japan and the United Arab Emirates), Oceania (once, in New Zealand), North, Central America and the Caribbean (three times, in Canada, Trinidad & Tobago and Mexico), Europe (three times, in Scotland, Italy and Finland) and the upcoming event in Brazil will be for the fourth time the competition is held in South America, previously in Ecuador, Peru and Chile.
- Up to and including the 2005 edition, the tournament was played with 16 teams, which was increased to 24 as of 2007.
- A total of 82 associations have taken part in the FIFA U-17 World Cup to date.
- Of the 24 associations that have qualified just once for the tournament, only Switzerland (2009) won the title at their first and so far only participation.
- Excluding the first edition of the tournament in 1985, the highest number of debutants was seven in 1987, 1989 and 2007.
- Angola, Senegal and Solomon Islands will be the three debutants at this year’s tournament.
- With 53 wins in the under-17 age group, Brazil lead the all-time ranking followed by Nigeria with 46 wins.
- Seven of the 17 tournaments have been won by two African teams – Ghana (2) and Nigeria (5), which is also the most number of titles won by any confederation.
- Nigeria have reached eight finals (1985, 1987, 1993, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015) and won five, in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.
- Ghana reached the final four times in a row (1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997), winning twice (1991 and 1995).
- At the 1993 tournament won by Nigeria, kick-in was employed as experiment instead of the conventional throw-in
- Brazil have made it to the final on five occasions (1995, 1997, 1999, 2003 and 2005), winning three times (in 1997, 1999 and 2003).
- As for the number of times that teams have taken part, the USA and Brazil (16 apiece) are practically evergreens, ahead of Argentina and Mexico (13).
- The highest average number of goals per match was recorded at the 1997 and 2003 tournaments in Egypt and Finland (3.66 goals per match), followed by India 2017 (3.52) and Peru 2005 (3.47).
- A total of 664 matches have been played since the inaugural tournament in China PR in 1985.
- Brazil have contested the most matches (82), followed by Nigeria (63) and Argentina (61).
- Nigeria have won an impressive 73% of their 63 FIFA U-17 World Cup games, followed by Brazil with 65% of 82. Switzerland is the only team to have won 100% of their matches but have only played seven.
- Fifteen different teams have played in a FIFA U-17 World Cup final, and nine different teams have lifted the trophy.
- Thirty-two sides, with every confederation represented, have reached the semi-finals, indicating a considerably level playing field in this age group.
- In 1987, 1989, 1999 and 2007, the final was decided on penalties and on each occasion, a team from a different confederation came out on top.
- Three times have teams from the same confederation met in the final, with Ghana playing Nigeria in 1993, Nigeria meeting Mali in 2015, and England against Spain in 2017.
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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