U20 World Cup 2023 - 20th May til 11th June

[JuriM]

https://www.goal.com/en/lists/20-wonderkids-watch-u20-world-cup/blt5e27c3cf91e49241

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Who to keep an eye on and how England can do regarding their recent success in youth football?

 

[NYAS]

Did anyone else see what the ref just did in the Argentina game?

Goes to the monitor, overturns the pen he gave, then explains his decision through the stadium speakers, like how they do in the NFL!

Clearly they’re using this WC as a trial for it but felt like a historic moment watching it

 

[Lash]

Federico Redondo looks like a fecking player, wonder if he'll be anything close to his dad. Certainly looks like he has inherited a lot of his qualities!

 

[Malkovich]

Italy, Nigeria, Brazil and USA through to the QFs

Argentina the home team eliminated.

 

[Sea-Cow]

Federico Redondo looks like a fecking player, wonder if he'll be anything close to his dad. Certainly looks like he has inherited a lot of his qualities!

I saw his name popping up all over Twitter so I watched some highlights, and while his passing quality obviously stood out, he also looked slower than Lukaku. He looked huge and lumbering compared to everyone else out there.

But then of course the clip would show him taking a ball under pressure, turning, and spraying it around confidently like it was a walk in the park.

 

[Lash]

I saw his name popping up all over Twitter so I watched some highlights, and while his passing quality obviously stood out, he also looked slower than Lukaku. He looked huge and lumbering compared to everyone else out there.

But then of course the clip would show him taking a ball under pressure, turning, and spraying it around confidently like it was a walk in the park.

Yeah he's proper gangly and a bit ungamely at points, but some moments of quality.

I hoped to have seen a match later in the tournament with him in it to get a real sense of what he's like.

 

[AndOr Hererra]

Yeah he's proper gangly and a bit ungamely at points, but some moments of quality.

I hoped to have seen a match later in the tournament with him in it to get a real sense of what he's like.

Opportunity missed. Argentina knocked out yesterday by Nigeria

 

[Lash]

Opportunity missed. Argentina knocked out yesterday by Nigeria

Yeah, I just did a sneaky edit after I posted as I forgot Nigeria won.

 

[AndOr Hererra]

Yeah, I just did a sneaky edit after I posted as I forgot Nigeria won.

My bad I didn’t see it. Too excited to flex a Nigeria win I think

 

[Lash]

My bad I didn’t see it. Too excited to flex a Nigeria win I think

very quick with it, fair play. You always do well at the youth tournaments though, shame it's not fully translated to the senior teams. You've got an incredible batch of strikers at the moment.

 

[Spiersey]

Probably most open World Cup ever. There’s no real standout side. All the big sides have poor sides (for their levels) as loads of players weren’t allowed to be called up.

Pretty good chance of a big underdog reaching the final. I had Usa, Uruguay and Gambia as the 3 potentials for big upsets pre tournament. Luciano is a huge talent; got sent off today though, which will be a huge loss if Uruguay go through. He’s probably the best ball striker I’ve seen at youth level.

The bottom half of the draw is quite open, not sure who will come through that side.

Shame so many of the pitches have been awful, made some of the games much worse than they should have been.

 

[antohan]

So, Italy v Uruguay for the final.

We reached the U20 final twice before.

In 1997 we lost 2-1 to this Argentina side: Franco, Cufré, Samuel, Serrizuela, Placente, Cambiasso, Riquelme, Aimar, Scaloni, Quintana, Romeo.

France had Silvestre, Gallas, Henry, Trezeguet and Anelka. England had Upson, Carragher, Danny Murphy and Michael Owen. There was Duff, Appiah and Benni McCarthy as well.

In 2013 we lost on penalties to this France side: Areola, Foulquier, Zouma, Digne, Sarr, Pogba, Kondogbia, Veretout, Sanogo, Bahebeck, Thauvin. Nowhere near the same quality, but France have done quite well since.

So, Serie A experts out there, any gems in this Italy side? Are they going places in the future?

Italy: Sebastiano Desplanches; Mattia Zanotti, Daniele Ghilardi, Gabriele Guarino, Riccardo Turicchia; Cesare Casadei, Matteo Prati, Samuel Giovane; Giuseppe Ambrosino, Francesco Esposito, Tommaso Baldanzi

 

[Pintu]

Maybe this guy?

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[JuveGER]

So, Serie A experts out there, any gems in this Italy side? Are they going places in the future?

Italy: Sebastiano Desplanches; Mattia Zanotti, Daniele Ghilardi, Gabriele Guarino, Riccardo Turicchia; Cesare Casadei, Matteo Prati, Samuel Giovane; Giuseppe Ambrosino, Francesco Esposito, Tommaso Baldanzi

Wrong crowd to address, I am afraid, these guys aren’t playing in Serie A.

I haven‘t watched as much football as I used to this season, far from it. So take it with a grain of salt. But Casadei was the only name I immediately recognized from the team you posted. He has a bit of hype around him, because he was signed by Chelsea. He played half a season in the Championship after being injured.

Looking at the profiles of the others from that team you posted, only Balzani had a meaningful run in Serie A this season. Two or three others played in Serie B. The rest played in Serie C or even the youth team, although almost all of them are already 20. Not exactly impressive. That said, surprisingly they are the first Italian team to make the final.

 

[antohan]

Wrong crowd to address, I am afraid, these guys aren’t playing in Serie A.

I haven‘t watched as much football as I used to this season, far from it. So take it with a grain of salt. But Casadei was the only name I immediately recognized from the team you posted. He has a bit of hype around him, because he was signed by Chelsea. He played half a season in the Championship after being injured.

Looking at the profiles of the others from that team you posted, only Balzani had a meaningful run in Serie A this season. Two or three others played in Serie B. The rest played in Serie C or even the youth team, although almost all of them are already 20. Not exactly impressive. That said, surprisingly they are the first Italian team to make the final.

 

[antohan]

Final in about four hours. Quite excited about Anderson Duarte and Luciano Rodríguez, particularly Duarte as he is an attacking midfielder but in the face of the starting striker being injured has played there and been a revelation.

Can't wait to see the back of feckin' Darwin

Boselli at the back has been imperious, Godín style.

Fingers crossed these kids go on to address some of the more glaring holes left by the aging of Suárez, Cavani and Godín. Midfield core is the strongest in my lifetime with Valverde, Bentancur, Vecino and Ugarte.

 

[Spiersey]

Uruguay deserved winners. Easily the best side in the competition. Better side in every game, even against England when they lost.

Diaz and Duarte the standout players overall for them. Liverpool Montevideo are going to make a fortune on Diaz and Luciano.

Israel the surprise of the tournament for me. Very solid side who were well coached. Good win today even without their best players. They released 5 players before the match to go and prepare for the u21 euros.

 

[antohan]

Uruguay deserved winners. Easily the best side in the competition. Better side in every game, even against England when they lost.

Diaz and Duarte the standout players overall for them. Liverpool Montevideo are going to make a fortune on Diaz and Luciano.

Israel the surprise of the tournament for me. Very solid side who were well coached. Good win today even without their best players. They released 5 players before the match to go and prepare for the u21 euros.

Israel probably second best actually. They gave us a game far more than Italy, at least trading blows in a different way and without outrageous refereeing.

VAR overturned a red wh8ch was clear as daylight, the guy not sent off knocking fists with the ref Then they had like a 5 minute VAR check on the goal searching for something, anything. Nothing.

By the end the Italians were just slapping our kids safe in the knowledge nowt would come of it. Good on us uncharacteristically keeping our cool.