With so many other pressing issues being decided in the football world over recent weeks, you could be forgiven for not realising that the FIFA Under-20 World Cup was being held in Argentina during the past month.
Not all of the world’s best young players were in South America.
Some nations didn’t qualify, of course, while some didn’t get to select their first choice as clubs were, quite rightly, given the choice whether or not to release their young starlets for international duty as domestic season reached a climax across many continents.
Among those absent from the showpiece event were Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Lewis Hall (Chelsea), Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (Borussia Dortmund), Malo Gusto (Lyon) and Samuel Iling-Junior (Juventus).
While some will argue they were denied the opportunity to play at the tournament and create some FIFA Under-20 World Cup highlights to savour, it was understandable clubs wanted to protect their prized young assets after an already arduous campaign.
There was still plenty to witness, however, as nations from across the globe battled it out.
This SBOTOP writer doesn’t know which of the standout players from this tournament will make the grade.
After all, there is no guarantee the way in which young talents develop.
Yet if a look at England’s 2017 winning squad tells us anything, at least a handful could emerge to become well know names with their respective clubs, if not country.
The FIFA Under-20 World Cup betting odds may have fancied a fifth consecutive European triumph but the South Americans of Uruguay were having none of it as they defeated Italy 1-0 in the final at the Estadio Ciudad de la Plata.
Luciano Rodriguez netted the only goal four minutes from time and few could argue with the outcome.
More than 40,000 people, mostly cheering for Uruguay, attended the match at the Diego Maradona Stadium, among them FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
It was largely one-way traffic for Celeste, who lost in the final of this tournament in 1997 and 2013.
In the end, Rodriguez’s special moment was enough to spark celebrations all involved will never forget.
There was also a special success story for competition debutants Israel who saw off South Korea 3-1 to secure third place in the same stadium in La Plata.
It was a happy ending for a country which was unwittingly embroiled in controversy before a ball was kicked.
Indonesia was initially scheduled to host the tournament, but the Muslim-majority country did not accept Israel´s participation, prompting FIFA to hand the organisation over to Argentina one month before it was due to start.
For a nation still on a high following its unforgettable World Cup triumph, it seemed a wise choice and Israel would no doubt have endeared themselves to the locals as they stunned one of the pre-tournament favourites, Brazil, in the quarter-finals.
Dor Turgeman manoeuvred past several defenders and rifled the winning goal into the net in a 3-2 victory – one of the many moments of a tournament which would surely have received more worldwide coverage had it not clashed with the conclusion of leagues across Europe.
When the president of your country, in this case Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reacts on Twitter, writing that “our youth team has made history and brought huge pride to the State of Israel”, you know it’s big news!
The final word goes to Italy who at least had some consolation as midfielder Cesare Casadei, who is on the books of Chelsea, won both the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot awards as a result of his stellar performances.
The 20 year-old, who spent the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan with Championship side Reading at club level, finished his international campaign as the tournament’s top goalscorer with an impressive return of seven goals from midfield.
Casadei netted a pair of braces in Italy’s group stage games against Brazil and Dominican Republic, before scoring in three consecutive knock-out matches against England, Colombia and South Korea on the team’s way to the final.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
