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1981 U20 World Cup – The Stage for The Underdogs

  The 1981 U20 World Cup, held in Australia, became a showcase for underdog teams that had not been expected to shine. The 1981 edition of the junior world cup was perhaps the first time that surprises dominated the tournament — including the eventual champions, West Germany. Although they came from the UEFA zone and had a strong winning tradition, especially at senior level, they were not actually supposed to qualify for the finals. Their story mirrored Denmark’s success at Euro 1992. Even more astonishing was the emergence of an Asian team that made it to the final for the first time in the history of the U20 championship. Facts and Figures from the 1981 U20 World Cup The third edition of the U20 World Cup featured several unique stories, no less intriguing than other editions. Here are some highlights from the first FIFA competition to be staged in Oceania: * The tournament took place from 3 to 18 October with 16 teams divided into four groups. * A total of 32 matches...

1979 U20 World Cup, The Coronation of Maradona

  The 1979 U20 World Cup became the most talked-about edition for one reason: the official emergence of Diego Armando Maradona. After being snubbed by Cesar Luis Menotti for the seniorteam in the 1978 FIFA World Cup in his own home soil because he was considered too young , Maradona was finally given his stage by Menotti. The World Cup winning manager named him the captain and tasked to lead the team to glory. He accomplished the mission perfectly. El Diego played a major role throughout the tournament, leading the Tango team to their first title and being awarded Best Player—similar to the 1986 World Cup. The 1979 U20 World Cup Fact and Figures The second edition of the U20 World Cup had a number of interesting facts compared to other editions. Here are some highlights of the first junior world cup held in Asia: * The competition was held from August 26 to September 7 with 16 participants divided into four groups. * A total of 32 matches were played throughout the tourna...