waroffutbol

  The 1993 FIFA U-20 World Cup marked the tournament’s return to Australia, which had first staged the competition in 1981.   Australia became the first nation to host the U-20 World Cup more than once. Initially, Yugoslavia had been chosen as the host , but with the Balkan conflict raging, FIFA moved the tournament to then Oceania giant. Key Facts – 1993 Tournament * Staged from 5 to 20 March with 16 teams divided into four groups. * A total of 32 matches were played across the tournament. * Host cities included Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra. * It was the first major international youth competition featuring a unified Germany and Russia following seismic political changes. * Argentina’s U-20 side was serving a two-year suspension from FIFA tournaments after players reacted violently to a 3-0 defeat against Portugal at the 1991 finals, verbally abusing officials and showing indiscipline on the pitch. * Europe’s six representatives came via ...

  The 1991 FIFA U-20 World Cup was unlike any other, marked by unique circumstances surrounding the host nation and the wider historical events of the era. Unprecedented factors defined the tournament: the surprising performance of teams from Oceania and Asia, extraordinary political developments, and, most notably, the appointment of defending champions Portugal as hosts. To this day, they remain the only reigning champions to have staged the U-20 World Cup—or any FIFA World Cup.  Originally, Nigeria had been awarded hosting rights, but the country was stripped of the tournament after being found guilty of age falsification involving three players at the 1988 Olympic Games. FIFA suspended Nigeria for two years, removing them from international football and transferring hosting rights to Portugal. Key Facts – 1991 Tournament * Held from 14 to 30 June, with 16 teams split into four groups. * Matches were staged in Porto, Lisbon, Braga, Guimarães and Faro. * For the fi...

  The 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup marked the dawn of Portugal’s resurgence in world football, as a new generation delivered the nation’s first international title. Portugal had enjoyed a golden period in the mid-1960s, when Eusébio inspired them to the World Cup semi-finals in 1966, but the national side then faded from prominence. A revival began in the 1980s at club level, with Benfica and Porto reaching European finals—Porto famously winning the European Cup in 1987. The national team also showed promise at Euro 1984, reaching the semi-finals, before suffering a humiliating collapse at the 1986 World Cup amid the “Saltillo scandal.” Failure to qualify for Euro 1988 left Portuguese football in crisis. Against that backdrop, the triumph of Carlos Queiroz’s promising young squad in Saudi Arabia offered a glimpse of a brighter future for the Seleção das Quinas. Key Facts – 1989 Tournament   The 1989 edition carried several notable features: * Held from 16 February to 3 Mar...