Argentina favourite again at U-20 World Cup

Opinion

Before he was scoring the extra-time winner of the 2010 South Africa final, Andrés Iniesta was improvising a scooped finish from outside the box against Uzbekistan in the 2003 Under-20 World Cup.

Two years later, a future Barcelona teammate of Iniesta’s — one Lionel Messi — was whipping the ball inside the near post in a showdown with Brazil. Iniesta, Messi and Xavi, another U-20 World Cup star, would win the Champions League together the following spring.

And before anyone really knew about FIFA’s biennial youth championship, Diego Maradona was drilling a low free kick into the back of the net against the Soviet Union in the 1979 final.

Everyone knew about it after that.

Ever since, the U-20 has been a platform from which future superstars are launched. There was Marco van Basten in ’83, Thierry Henry in ’97 and Luis Suárez at the 2007 event here in Canada. In 2019, four years before he won the treble with Manchester City, Erling Haaland scored nine goals in a single match against Honduras.

The FIFA Under-20 World Cup is a tournament of moments. It’s also a competition of quirks.

The Europeans, for example, are less enthusiastic about it than the South Americans. A lot less. By the time their best young players are 18, 19 and 20, club commitments supersede underage international call-ups.

In South America, the country’s uniform takes precedence. Plus, they love an opportunity to stick it to the Europeans. It’s a similar story in Africa, Asia and Oceania. And, to FIFA’s credit, the U-20 is much more equitably balanced than the senior World Cup.

Since Ghana’s triumph in 2009, seven different teams from three continents have lifted the trophy. Curiously — call it another quirk — none of them have been the U-20’s most successful nation: Argentina.

Favourites

It’s late in the football calendar, but the 2025 Under-20 World Cup will kick off Saturday in Chile (all matches streaming on FIFA+ and broadcast on TSN and TSN+). Argentina, as is so often the case, is among the favourites, though they haven’t actually won the thing since 2007.

As it gets set to face Cuba in its Sunday opener (6 p.m. CT), the Albiceleste will be without Claudio Echeverri, whose Bayer Leverkusen side will face St. Pauli today. The 19-year-old would’ve been Argentina’s best player — as he was at the recent CONMEBOL Sub 20 — but his absence only means the likes of Maher Carrizo will have the chance to step up.

Also 19, Carrizo plays for Buenos Aires club Vélez Sarsfield. He’s direct, has a good first touch and scored a pair of crucial goals against Uruguay at the Sub 20.

Back in January, Argentina’s U-20s beat Brazil 6-0 in Venezuela. Of that starting 11, eight have made the trip to Chile. They know how to win, and they’ll be expecting to play in the Oct. 19 final in Santiago.

Contenders

Brazil — despite that early drubbing by its archrival — actually went on to win the CONMEBOL Sub 20. It also used the embarrassment of the 6-0 to tighten up its defence and allowed just six goals from the next eight games.

In Pedrinho, the Canarinha have the playmaking talent that’s expected of them, but it’s the back line that will take it places in Chile. Flamengo teammates João Victor and Iago Teodoro are Brazil’s stalwart centre-backs, and Vasco da Gama fullback Leandrinho will provide an attacking outlet from the left-hand side.

Finishing atop its bracket would likely put Brazil on a U-20 World Cup final collision course with Argentina. Group C rivals Spain and Mexico, however, will have a say in the matter.

Youth champions most recently in 1999, Spain relies on shifty wingers Adrián Liso and David Mella to unlock opposing defences. It also has ball-moving Barcelona defender Andrés Cuenca to launch its attack from the back. Mexico, meanwhile, has one of the tournament’s players to watch in Gilberto Mora. Still just 16, he became his country’s youngest-ever senior international when he debuted against Saudi Arabia in July.

Over in Group E, France will be looking to advance beyond the round of 16 for the first time since 2013, when a stacked lineup including Paul Pogba, Kurt Zouma, Lucas Digne, Florian Thauvin and Alphonse Areola beat Uruguay in the final.

Unfortunately, since finishing runner-up to Spain at the 2024 U-19 European Championship, Les Bleuets have overturned most of its squad. One player who will stand out — because of his stature and the name on his shirt — will be six-foot-five defender Elyaz Zidane, youngest son of the iconic Zinedine Zidane.

Italy and Colombia round out the U-20 World Cup’s serious contenders, although Japan warrants mention as well.

Drawn into a winnable bracket, Colombia might have the competition’s best striker in Néiser Villarreal. Powerful, confident and always sighting for a shot, the 20-year-old is the sort of forward who can strap a team to his back and take them deep into the knockouts.

Key Matches

Brazil vs. Mexico: Sunday, Sept. 28, 6 p.m. CT
In such a tight group, this Matchday 1 opener will have big ramifications.

Colombia vs. Norway, Thursday, Oct. 2, 3 p.m. CT
These two free-scoring teams could deliver one of the more entertaining matches of the group stage.

Egypt vs. Chile, Friday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m. CT
The host nation and an under-the-radar Egypt team will have a last chance to qualify for the round of 16.

Argentina vs. Italy, Saturday, Oct. 4, 6 p.m. CT
This will be the Group D decider.

 

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