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Showing posts from August, 2025

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...

1977 FIFA U-20 World Cup: A Modest Beginning for a Global Stage

  The inaugural edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup finally kicked off in 1977, marking the birth of a new global tournament with the fewest matches ever recorded in its history. Ahead of 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, which begins at the end of September. There is no better time than today to reflect on the origins of the competition. Known back then as the World Youth Championship, the tournament was established for players under the age of 20 and was the brainchild of Irish FIFA vice president Harry Cavan . A passionate advocate for football development beyond its traditional heartlands, Cavan envisioned a tournament that would give emerging football nations—particularly across Asia and Africa—a genuine platform on the world stage. That vision came to life in Tunisia, the host of the very first edition. Situated in North Africa and part of the Arab world, Tunisia symbolised FIFA's desire to spread the beautiful game beyond Europe and South America. 1977 U-20 World Cup...