Nigeria, team to beat in 2019 U-17 World Cup – FIFA

Nigeria is the team to beat in Brazil when the FIFA Under-17 World Cup kicks off on October 26, according to the world football ruling body.

As Brazil gird their loins for the 18th edition of the event, a new opportunity to make history arises for the 24 qualified teams and their players.

No country has won the Under-17 World Cup more times than Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, who enter this edition of the competition with five titles in tow, most recently raising the trophy four years ago in Chile. The Eaglets also won the inaugural tournament, hosted by China PR in 1985, and have appeared in eight finals.

Nigeria continued with another victorious outing in the 1993 edition in Japan, 2007 in South Korea,2013 in the United Arab Emirates and 2015 in Chile.

Hosts Brazil have been champions three times while appearing in five finals, though the Brazilians lead the Nigerians in all-time competition wins, 53 to 46. These are also the only two teams to successfully defend their titles: Brazil won their second consecutively at New Zealand 1999 while Nigeria did it at Chile 2015.

The other repeat winners have been Mexico (2005, 2011) and Ghana (1991, 1995). El Tri are once again in the mix this time around, but the Black Starlets and holders England are out of the running, having missed out on qualification.Three teams will be making their U-17 World Cup debuts: Angola, Senegal and Solomon Islands.

A total of 82 associations have taken part in the competition to date. Of the 24 that have qualified exactly once, Switzerland are the only side to strike gold in their lone appearance, lifting the trophy at Nigeria 2009.

The two new Africa contenders enter a tournament rich with tradition of African excellence – seven of the 17 editions have been won by either Nigeria or Ghana.

Brazil’s Adriano, Mexico’s Carlos Vela and, more recently, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen have all walked away from the U-17 World Cup as top goal scorer and stepped up to their senior squads shortly after. Osimhen set the all-time record at Chile 2015 by finding the back of the net ten times.

Read Also:FIFA formally welcomes Golden Eaglets to Brazil

Four players have netted two hat-tricks in the same tournament: England’s Rhian Brewster (2017), Côte d’Ivoire’s Souleymane Coulibaly (2017), France’s Florent Sinama Pongolle (2001) and Germany’s Marcel Witeczek (1985).