World Cup: 2019 U17 World Cup

[Pavel Buchnevich]

This tournament starts in a few weeks. It's being played in Brazil this year. There's usually some interest here in these big youth tournaments. Which countries have good age groups this time around and who are some of the players to watch?

Click to read more...

 

[ecemleafs]

Joe Scally, Tayvon Gray and Andres Jasson were called into Raphael Wicky’s team for the competition. All three players played important roles in NYCFC’s back-to-back U-19 U.S. Soccer Development Academy National Championship winning seasons in 2018 and 2019—a first for any Club at the U-19 age level


From nycfc's website.

 

[YNWA14]

The roster for the Netherlands will be pretty similar to what it was when they won the u17 Euro in emphatic fashion earlier this year. I haven’t looked at all the participating teams yet but France was the 2nd best team at that tournament so I’d say those two are probably the favourites overall. Very talented age group for them (and Netherlands won’t even have their best players from that age group most likely, as they didn’t in the Euro).

 

[Ajacied]

A lot of the players that won the EC U17 back to back are still on the team. Oranje will likely miss Brobbey (88D - Ajax) and Kasanwirjo (81C - Ajax) as both have been injured for a while now. Hopefully Brobbey heals up just in time as he is the perfect striker for this team. But Oranje isn't lacking in high end skill. A lot of players from this team have world class potential, probably more so than any other Oranje U17 team. It's also a really fast paced, offensive side with lots of technique and creativity. But, the team as a whole lacks grit and size. I also think the team can be much more clinical in their chances. A lot of players overdo the fancy stuff, though it is entertaining football to watch, it can drive me nuts. Oranje's weakest link is between the posts, as it usually is in their youth squads these days.

I think they'll play without a true DM, as they don't really have one:

---------------------------------- Noufal Bannis (80C - FEY) ----------------------------------------
--- Jayden Braaf (84C - MAN CITY) ------------------------- Sontje Hansen (84C - AJA) -----
-------------------------------------- Naci Unuvar (92B - AJA) --------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------ Ian Maatsen (84C - CHE) ----- Kenneth Taylor (83A - AJA) -----------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salah-Eddine (86B - AJA) ------------------------------------------ Ki Jana Hoever (83B - LIV)
-------------------- Devyn Rensch (87B - AJA) - Melayro Bogarde (84C - HOF) ----------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------- Calvin Raatsie (75C - AJA) ------------------------------------------

With Taabouni (81C - AZ), Regeer (80C - AJA) and Postema (81B - GRO) as the most notable subs. That's a lot of skills and goals to be added in if need be. Ihattaren (90C - PSV) and Gravenberch (90B - AJA) are still very much eligible for this U17 team, but both were promoted to the U19 squad.

 

[Savi]

A lot of players from this team have world class potential

That seems like a very optimistic thing to say about a group of 16/17 year olds. I mean usually when you look back at these tournament squads in a couple of years it seems like only a few players even made it as pro players nevermind being world class. Most players just disappear.

Anyway, still a bit frustrated Belgium didn't make the tournament after losing to Hungary in a playoff game for the final UEFA ticket. Our current U17 team is pretty decent, with Jeremy Doku (Anderlecht) probably the most well known prospect.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Just seems like a tourney that depends heavily on players who develop early, that is imo, why African nations tend to do well at these..

That, or nations who have a large pool of youth players to select from - Often with good youth leagues aswell.

Do not really take a win the U17 worlds as an indicator of a big future.

The 2009 Swiss win is a good indicator of that.

 

[Ajacied]

Just seems like a tourney that depends heavily on players who develop early, that is imo, why African nations tend to do well at these..

That, or nations who have a large pool of youth players to select from - Often with good youth leagues aswell.

Do not really take a win the U17 worlds as an indicator of a big future.

The 2009 Swiss win is a good indicator of that.

No age group is the most honest in showing a nation's true talent. The best players usually play for older teams while the best U19 and U21 players usually play for the men's squad already. For me, the U17 is still the most telling as you still have boys 15-16 year old who, because they still have their physical shortcomings, still play for the U17's. Only very rare exceptions, usually physical freaks, are promoted.

The U17 WC is usually a crapshoot because these players rarely play together and rosters are rarely stable with players moving up and down. Some nations only have a few or even one good youth setup, meaning a lot of players are developed at one place, all within the same philosophy. That brings any team in an advantage. Even Oranje benefits from this with a special generation at Ajax right now. Eight are or were Ajax products from that starting line-up. Youth educations also differ a lot in quality globally while the men's facilities are usually top notch everywhere.

That seems like a very optimistic thing to say about a group of 16/17 year olds. I mean usually when you look back at these tournament squads in a couple of years it seems like only a few players even made it as pro players nevermind being world class. Most players just disappear.

How? Having world class potential is something different than realizing it. Right now this Oranje U17 squad has a lot of players with high end upside, but naturally not all will reach their full potential. I think Brobbey for one is a lock to bust professionally, but he still has world class upside if everything works out well.

 

[QuietContrarian]

No age group is the most honest in showing a nation's true talent. The best players usually play for older teams while the best U19 and U21 players usually play for the men's squad already. For me, the U17 is still the most telling as you still have boys 15-16 year old who, because they still have their physical shortcomings, still play for the U17's. Only very rare exceptions, usually physical freaks, are promoted.

The U17 WC is usually a crapshoot because these players rarely play together and rosters are rarely stable with players moving up and down. Some nations only have a few or even one good youth setup, meaning a lot of players are developed at one place, all within the same philosophy. That brings any team in an advantage. Even Oranje benefits from this with a special generation at Ajax right now. Eight are or were Ajax products from that starting line-up. Youth educations also differ a lot in quality globally while the men's facilities are usually top notch everywhere.



How? Having world class potential is something different than realizing it. Right now this Oranje U17 squad has a lot of players with high end upside, but naturally not all will reach their full potential. I think Brobbey for one is a lock to bust professionally, but he still has world class upside if everything works out well.

I dunno man, I think you often see nations were youngsters develop early, or where there is a large population do well.

With exceptions, like the Dutch having a very cohesive bunch just like the Swiss.

I remember Denmarks U17s went to the Euro U17 semi finals and were unlucky not to be finalists, they played very well against Euro teams, but at the 2011 U17 worlds, they were boys amongst "men" and were totally overmatched physically. I don't watch the u19s either.

For me U21s are fun, as some
nations do stack their U21 teams just to win, and that makes for some fun games, and gives and opportunity to watch some up and commers.

But to each their own I guess.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I imagine the streams to watch this will be hard to find?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I imagine the streams to watch this will be hard to find?

I doubt it. You should be able to find one for every game.

 

[robertmac43]

Canada's U-17 is solid. In tough starting off against the Brazilians, Angola and New Zealand will be decent match ups though.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I could see the US lining up something like this

----------------------Las---------------------------
Scally-----Carrera-----Hernandez-Foster----Bello
-------------Saldana-----Leyva--------------------
------------------------Busio---------------------------------
Reyna----------------Pepi--------Ocampo-Chavez

The back line and keeper should be pretty good, but both fullbacks are coming off recent long-term injuries, so that's something to watch. The CM is where the team will struggle a lot. Leyva is the only good CM in the squad, and he's from the younger of the two age groups, so he can't yet do his job and then do the job of others around him. The attack has some good options, but has limited depth.

I would say the main players in the US squad to keep an eye on are Las, Reyna and Ocampo-Chavez as the standout performers for this tournament. Leyva might be more of a player to keep an eye on for a transfer in a year or two as opposed to being the best player in this team right now, as he's the youngest player in the squad and is going to be pulled down by the CM's around him.

I'm not expecting much. They should likely go out in the first round, but we now have good enough players in these youth teams to beat any team at this tournament and these tournaments are always unpredictable, so it's possible we could get to the later stages.

 

[robertmac43]

Some pre-tourney notes:

Under-17 World Cup Preview: What To Watch For At Brazil 2019

 

[John Pedro]

Here's my top 3 brazilian players to watch

Talles Magno


Talles Costa


João Peglow

 

[YNWA14]

Wouldn't it be easier to just use the same youth topic we always do since there's only like...5 of us that post in it anyway?

 

[John Pedro]

kick off in 10 min

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

And predictably, the USA sucked. Shocker!

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Palacios hits the cross bar from his own half... if he meant that wow

now Zeballos misses a point blank chance. Yikes

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

lol what an absolute horrendous call to give a penalty... scandalous reslly

now it’s called back for offside. Not the first time this game an absolute bizarre call

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Argentina should've won that match had the better chances and dominated the 2nd half completely. Palacios is a very intelligent player. Already getting the Messi treatment of having to carry the ball from CM for Argentina but he is incredibly smart for his age. Uses his body greatly to protect the ball and draw fouls. Showed some offensive flair but not as much as he would've hoped. Zeballos on the contrary is not impressive a few step overs and his pace caused problems but he looks like the prototypical Argentinean winger fast, tricky and low IQ ala Lavezzi. Argentina looked great as unit the keeper sucks though. Ditto for Spain yet it ended 0-0 lol

For Spain Pedri and Navarro look exciting. Both are creative and full of pace. All in all an enjoyable 90 minutes.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Argentina looked great as unit the keeper sucks though. Ditto for Spain yet it ended 0-0 lol

The Argentine keeper is eligible to play for the USA. His father's American.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

The Argentine keeper is eligible to play for the USA. His father's American.

You can keep him

 

[BMann]

Spain were outplayed for the most part. Argentina played some excellent short and long passing. They pressed well from the front and covered any Spanish counters. Passed out of the back with ease and all the players are very accomplished technically. They are competitive and if the shooting had been better would have won. The Spanish keeper Martinez was very poor.

Sforza has a lot of hype around him but disappointed outshone by Fernandez and Medina (a lovely bit of skill to dummy two Spanish players in the second half). Four others who stood out for their maturity and calmness were Zeballos, Palacios, Luciano Vera and Bruno Amione. Zeballos is not a headless chicken either. His crosses were fine just a pity Godoy replaced by Krilanovich failed to position themselves and Flores did not pick up a deeper cross.

Palacios dropped very deep at times but he loves the ball and is the central distributor and playmaker. Needs to be more aware at times of when to give the ball as he does hold onto to it too much. The Spanish rarely got near him. Luciano Vera the small River Plate left back. Great engine, comfortable on the ball, shut down his flank, made the requisite tackles and will grow and looks a great option going forward for the u20. Bruno Amione of Belgrano the club that produced Cristian Romero. A very similar player. Dominant aerially and is a no nonsense defenders defender. But he is far better on the ball than Romero. One searching seventy cross field pass to Medina that was inch perfect. Also comfortable carrying the ball forward he just needs to know what to do with it when he does as he conceded possession a couple of times.

The sad thing about this match was the pathetic attempt to con the referee by the Spanish player at the end of the first half. Pretending he was elbowed in the face. The actual penalty was not disallowed for that but for an offside in the build up. Disgraceful behaviour.

​

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Spain were outplayed for the most part. Argentina played some excellent short and long passing. They pressed well from the front and covered any Spanish counters. Passed out of the back with ease and all the players are very accomplished technically. They are competitive and if the shooting had been better would have won. The Spanish keeper Martinez was very poor.

Sforza has a lot of hype around him but disappointed outshone by Fernandez and Medina (a lovely bit of skill to dummy two Spanish players in the second half). Four others who stood out for their maturity and calmness were Zeballos, Palacios, Luciano Vera and Bruno Amione. Zeballos is not a headless chicken either. His crosses were fine just a pity Godoy replaced by Krilanovich failed to position themselves and Flores did not pick up a deeper cross.

Palacios dropped very deep at times but he loves the ball and is the central distributor and playmaker. Needs to be more aware at times of when to give the ball as he does hold onto to it too much. The Spanish rarely got near him. Luciano Vera the small River Plate left back. Great engine, comfortable on the ball, shut down his flank, made the requisite tackles and will grow and looks a great option going forward for the u20. Bruno Amione of Belgrano the club that produced Cristian Romero. A very similar player. Dominant aerially and is a no nonsense defenders defender. But he is far better on the ball than Romero. One searching seventy cross field pass to Medina that was inch perfect. Also comfortable carrying the ball forward he just needs to know what to do with it when he does as he conceded possession a couple of times.

The sad thing about this match was the pathetic attempt to con the referee by the Spanish player at the end of the first half. Pretending he was elbowed in the face. The actual penalty was not disallowed for that but for an offside in the build up. Disgraceful behaviour.

​

Vera was good on the ball but defending he was poor and erratic. I was going to mention how impressive (both teams really) with their technical ability. In previous years for Argentina this was lacking in the u20s. Now you have 16/17 year olds that can ball. Interestingly enough the highest rated CBs for Argentina right now are pretty spectacular on the ball.

He didn't attempt to con the ref, it worked very well lol. Luckily there was an offside before it. That nullified the penalty claim.

 

[John Pedro]

Wasn't the Netherlands supposed to be one of the top sides? they lost to Japan 3-0