2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup Preview

2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup Preview

The 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup begins today. The tournament is being hosted in Argentina with La Plata, Mendoza, San Juan and Santiago del Estero serving as the host cities.

The tournament consists of players who are 20 or younger and has served as a launching pad for many world-class players. Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba and Erling Haaland all played in the U-20 World Cup at one point. The tournament offers a chance for young stars to perform and elevate their careers and is an exciting watch for all soccer fans.

In this article, I will be previewing information about the tournament, the favorites, exciting matchups and players to watch.

The Tournament:

Unlike the senior FIFA World Cup, the U-20 World Cup is a tournament exclusively for U-20 players.

There are six groups of four teams labeled Group A thru Group F. The top two teams from each group and the four best third-place teams qualify from the group stage and enter the knockout stage. The knockout stage begins with the Round of 16, then goes to the quarterfinals, semifinals and final.

Controversy:

Indonesia was originally selected as the host for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. However, FIFA decided to remove Indonesia as the host for the tournament in March after the governor of Bali refused to host Israel’s team.

“FIFA decided Indonesia didn’t follow through with its earlier commitments while bidding,” PSSI chief and former sports minister Zainudin Amali told KompasTV.

FIFA then selected Argentina as the new host on April 17.

The Favorites:

Brazil is the undeniable favorite heading into this tournament. Brazil won the 2023 South American U-20 Championship in Colombia and is looking to carry this momentum into the tournament. They have potential future stars in every position and look like the most complete team at the tournament. They have also won the FIFA U-20 World Cup five times before and look hungry to add a sixth.

England and France are also heavy contenders, though both of these teams do not have all of their best U-20 players available. Some have not been released by their clubs and others waiting for senior international games this summer, they still both have very strong squads and have won the U-20 World Cup in the past.

The hosts Argentina, Uruguay and the U.S. are the dark horses to watch out for.

Exciting Matchups:

The most exciting matchup in the group stage will likely be the England and Uruguay clash on May 25. These are two of the favorites heading into the tournament and this is likely to be a fiery contest as both teams attempt to finish on top of Group E.

Group D has three exciting games: Italy vs Brazil on May 21, Italy vs Nigeria on May 24 and Brazil vs Nigeria on May 27. Both Nigeria and Italy have the ability to challenge the tournament favorites Brazil and these games are sure to be an interesting watch.

Group C is another group to keep an eye on. Senegal, Japan, Israel and Colombia make up what many are calling the “group of death” in this U-20 World Cup. While there is no pre-tournament favorite in this group, it is an incredibly difficult group and may produce some of the best games during the group stage.

Players to Watch:

Kendry Paez, the 16-year-old from Ecuador, is potentially the most exciting player at this U-20 World Cup. Chelsea has already paid £17.6 million for the talented teenager, known for his exciting dribbling ability and incredible potential.

Alex Scott from England is another to watch. The 19-year-old currently plays for Bristol City and has been described by Pep Guardiola as an “unbelievable player.” Scott will be a key part of a strong England squad and will look to add more admirers in Argentina.

Other players to watch include Marcos Leonardo from Brazil, Quinn Sullivan from the U.S. and Luka Romero from Argentina.

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