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I stumbled on the squad list for the Japan 1993 U17 world cup, and immediately observed that a large number of the players who participated for such great football nations as Brazil, Argentina et al, did not make a single appearance for the national team in the long run. A quick analysis of the squad list of African nations such as Nigeria and Ghana, as well as Japan and Germany immediately showed that Africa and Asia have fared better than European countries in this regard.
Citation preview
FOOTBALL TALENT & FIFA AGE
GROUP COMPETITIONS
2011
CRIG CONSULT
9/12/2011
FOOTBALL TALENT & FIFA AGE
GROUP COMPETITIONS
2011
CRIG CONSULT
FOOTBALL TALENT & FIFA AGE
GROUP COMPETITIONS
www.crigconsult.webs.com [email protected]
2 | P a g e
CONTENTS
1. Cover page page 1
2. Contents page 2
3. Preface page 3
4. Scope of study page 4
5. Results page 4
6. Argentina page 5 – 9
7. Brazil page 10 – 14
8. Germany page 15 – 17
9. Ghana page 18 – 21
10. Japan page 22 – 25
11. Nigeria page 26 – 29
12. Spain page 30 – 33
13. Chart and analysis page 34 – 35
14. Conclusion page 36
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3 | P a g e
PREFACE
“…take a look at Xavi Hernandez and Iker Casillas, can we boast of our own players who
competed with them at the Nigeria U20 world cup?” This is an age long statement that you
will easily hear from a Nigerian football analyst. It is readily assumed that European and
South American countries employ a more effective age group progressive system to
provide talents for the National teams. But, how true is this assumption? Do we have facts
to prove that indeed this is not a mere cliché, and a wrong one at that?
I stumbled on the squad list for the Japan 1993 U17 world cup, and immediately observed
that a large number of the players who participated for such great football nations as
Brazil, Argentina et al, did not make a single appearance for the national team in the long
run. A quick analysis of the squad list of African nations such as Nigeria and Ghana, as well
as Japan and Germany immediately showed that Africa and Asia have fared better than
European countries in this regard.
The list of footballers who garnered at least one (1) cap for the senior national team, having
participated in either the FIFA U17 or U20 world cup competition between 1993 and 2005
were collated and recorded. The aim of this report is to provide incontrovertible answers
to the following questions:
1. Is it correct to say that the FIFA age group competitions serve as a nursery bed for
football talents?
2. What are the statistics of football talents that have progressed from the age group
competitions into full fledged international?
3. Which country and continent has effectively employed the FIFA age group tourney
to serve the aim of their establishment?
These questions are the motivating factors for this book. Have we really performed
abysmally? In what areas have we done well?
Now, let the fact speak for itself!
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4 | P a g e
SCOPE OF STUDY
CONTINENTS COVERED:
� AFRICA
� ASIA
� EUROPE
� SOUTH AMERICA
COUNTRIES COVERED:
� ARGENTINA
� BRAZIL
� GERMANY
� GHANA
� JAPAN
� NIGERIA
� SPAIN
AGE-GROUP COMPETITIONS COVERED (1993 – 2005):
� FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
� FIFA U20 WORLD CUP
Rationale:
1. For easy collation of data
2. At the maximum, players that participated in the 2005 edition of the U17 world cup
are expected to be 23 years old, as at 2011. At this age, a player can be said to be at
the beginning of his peak.
3. Studying the players that participated in 1993 – 1999 will give a good track and
sense of history
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5 | P a g e
ARGENTINA
� FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1993
1. Fabricio Fuentes
2. Federico Dominguez
1995
1. Esteban Cambiasso
2. Aldo Duscher
3. Pablo Aimar
FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1 cap
1 cap
52 caps
3 caps
52 caps
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6 | P a g e
1997
1. Franco Costanzo 1 cap
2. Gabriel Milito 42 caps
3. Luciano Galleti 13 caps
4. Ernesto Farias 1 cap
1999 (Absent)
2001
1. Gonzalo Rodriguez 6 caps
2. Javier Mascherano 75 caps
3. Carlos Tevez 59 caps
4. Pablo Zabaleta 14 caps
2003
1. Oscar Ustari 1 cap
2. Ezequiel Garay 3 caps
3. Lucas Biglia 6 caps
4. Neri Cardozo 1 cap
5. Walter Avecedo 1 cap
6. Fernando gago 33 caps
2005 (Absent)
� FIFA U20 WORLD CUP
1993 (Absent)
1995
1. Federico Dominguez 1 cap
2. Gustavo Lombardi 2 caps
3. Juan Pablo Sorin 76 caps
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7 | P a g e
4. Ariel Ibagaza 2 caps
5. Diego Crosa 1 cap
1997
1. Leo Franco 4 caps
2. Leandro Damian Cufre 4 caps
3. Walter Samuel 56 caps
4. Esteban Cambiasso 52 caps
5. Juan Roman Ruquelme 117 caps
6. Bernardo Romeo 4 caps
7. Pablo Aimar 52 caps
8. Diego Placente 22 caps
9. Sebastian Ariel Romero 1 cap
10. Lionel Scaloni 7 caps
1999
1. Franco Costanzo 1 cap
2. Gabriel Milito 42 caps
3. Esteban Cambiasso 52 caps
4. Luciano Galleti 13 caps
5. Aldo Duscher 3 caps
6. Daniel Montenegro 52 caps
7. Sebastian Saja 4 caps
8. Ernesto Farias 1 cap
9. Federico Insua 14 caps
2001
1. German Lux 6 caps
2. Nicolas Burdisso 43 caps
3. Nicolas Medina 1 cap
4. Fabricio Coloccini 34 caps
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8 | P a g e
5. Javier Saviola 40 caps
6. Leandro Romagnoli 1 cap
7. Maxi Rodriguez 41 caps
8. Leandro Daniel Ponzio 7 caps
9. Andres D’Alessandro 25 caps
10. Mauro Rosales 10 caps
2003
1. Gonzalo Rodriguez 6 caps
2. Javier Mascherano 75 caps
3. Leandro Fernandez 5 caps
4. Pablo Zabaleta 14 caps
5. Fernando Cavenaghi 4 caps
6. Carlos Tevez 59 caps
7. Jonathan Bottinelli 1 cap
8. Neri Cardozo 1 cap
9. Jose Sosa 9 caps
2005
1. Oscar Ustari 1 cap
2. Lucas Biglia 6 caps
3. Pablo Zabaleta 14 caps
4. Ezequiel Garay 3 caps
5. Neri Cardozo 1 cap
6. Fenando Gago 33 caps
7. Lionel Messi 62 caps
8. Sergio Aguero 32 caps
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9 | P a g e
INTERESTING FACTS:
1. Esteban Cambiasso, who participated at the 1995 U17 world cup at the age of 14,
has won 22 official titles (as of the end of 2010) being the most decorated Argentine
footballer in history, alongside Alfredo di Stefano.
2. Gustavo Eberto, the Argentine 1st choice goalkeeper at the 2003 U20 world cup, died
of testicular cancer at the age of 24 in 2004.
ANALYSIS
U17 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1993 1995 1997 2001 2003
Successful
players (%)
11.10 16.70 22.20 22.20 30.00
Average % of successful players = 20.40%
U20 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
Successful
players (%)
27.80 55.60 50.00 52.60 45.00 38.10
Average % of successful players = 44.90%
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BRAZIL
� FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1993 (Absent)
1995
1. Julio Cesar 61 caps
2. Juan 79 caps
3. Renato 28 caps
4. Luis Eduardo 1 cap
1997
1. Ronaldinho 89 caps
2. Flavio 1 cap
3. Geovanni 1 cap
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1999
1. Eduardo Costa 7 caps
2. Leo Lima 4 caps
3. Adriano 48 caps
2001
1. Diego 33 caps
2003
1. Ederson 1 cap
2005
1. Marcelo 7 caps
2. Anderson 8 caps
3. Renato Augusta 3 caps
� FIFA U20 WORLD CUP
1993
1. Dida 91 caps
2. Argel Fucks 1 cap
3. Mario Jardel 10 caps
1995
1. Ze Elias 22 caps
2. Caio Rebeiro 4 caps
3. Cesar Belli 8 caps
4. Luizao 12 caps
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5. Denilson 68 caps
1997
1. Paulo Cesar 3 caps
2. Athirson 5 caps
3. Pedrinho 1 cap
4. Fernando 1 cap
5. Alex 49 caps
6. Helton 3 caps
7. Roni 5 caps
1999
1. Julio Ceasar 61 caps
2. Juan 79 caps
3. Ronaldinho 89 caps
4. Luis Eduardo 1 cap
5. Mancini 6 caps
6. Geovanni 1 cap
2001
1. Maicon 66 caps
2. Edu Dracena 2 caps
3. Eduardo Costa 7 caps
4. Fernando 8 caps
5. Adriano 48 caps
6. Baptista 47 caps
7. Leo Lima 4 caps
8. Luisao 42 caps
9. Kaka 82 caps
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2003
1. Fernando Henrique 1 cap
2. Daniel Alvez 50 caps
3. Daniel Carvalho 3 caps
4. Dudu Cearense 11 caps
5. Nilmar 23 caps
6. Adriano Correia 10 caps
7. Fernandinho 3 caps
2005
1. Rafinha 1 cap
2. Diego Souza 1 cap
3. Rafael Sobis 8 caps
4. Felipe kasmirski 1 cap
5. Diego Tardelli 5 caps
INTERESTING FACTS:
1. Rodrigo Lacerda Ramos and Denilson, captains of the Brazilian squad to the Nigeria
1999 U20 world cup and the Peru 2005 U17 world cup respectively, are yet to be
capped by the senior national team.
2. Julio Cesar, Juan, Ronaldinho and Adriano have all participated in the U17, U20 and
the FIFA world cup with Brazil.
3. Tiago dos Santos, who was part of the Brazilian squad to the 1999 U20 world cup,
has been capped once by Bulgaria.
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14 | P a g e
ANALYSIS
U17 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
Successful
players (%)
22.20 16.70 16.70 5.60 5.00 15.00
Average % of successful players = 13.50%
U20 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
Successful
players (%)
16.70 27.80 38.90 33.30 50.00 35.00 23.80
Average % of successful players = 32.40%
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GERMANY
� FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1993 (Absent)
1995
1. Fabian Ernst
1997
1. Sebastian Kehl
2. Sebastian Deisler
1999
1. Thomas Hitzlsperger
2. Andreas hinkel
3. Andreas Gorlitz
FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
24 caps
31 caps
36 caps
52 caps
21 caps
2 caps
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16 | P a g e
2001 (Absent)
2003 (Absent)
2005 (Absent)
� FIFA U 20 WORLD CUP
1993
1. Carsten Ramelow 46 caps
2. Carsten Jancker 33 caps
3. Dietmar Hamann 59 caps
1995
1. Mustafa Dogan 2 caps
1997 (Absent)
1999
1. Timo Hildebrand 7 caps
2001
1. Hanno Balitsch 1 cap
2. Jermaine Jones 3 caps
3. Andreas Hinkel 21 caps
2003
1. Robert Huth 19 caps
2. Piotr Trochowski 35 caps
3. Christian Shulz 4 caps
4. Christian Pander 2 caps
5. Malik Fathi 2 caps
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17 | P a g e
2005
1. Rene Adler 10 caps
2. Marvin Compper 1 cap
3. Christian Gentner 3 caps
4. Marcel Jansen 36 caps
INTERESTING FACT:
1. Having been capped three (3) times by Germany in unofficial matches, Jermaine
Jones eventually garnered 12 caps for the USA.
ANALYSIS
U17 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1995 1997 1999
Successful
players (%)
5.60 11.10 16.70
Average % of successful players = 11.10%
U20 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1993 1995 1999 2001 2003 2005
Successful
players (%)
16.70 5.60 5.60 16.70 23.80 20.00
Average % of successful players = 14.70%
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18 | P a g e
GHANA
� FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1993
1. Sebastian Barnes
2. Samuel Kuffour
3. Mark Edusei
4. Daniel Addo
5. Emmanuel Duah
1995
1. Bashiru Gambo
2. Stephen Appiah
3. Christian Gyan
4. Christian Saba
FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1 cap
59 caps
10 caps
27 caps
23 caps
4 caps
69 caps
23 caps
4 caps
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19 | P a g e
1997
1. Osei Boateng 1 cap
2. Hamza Mohammed 28 caps
3. Godwin Ansah 9 caps
4. Aziz Kingston 41 caps
5. Daniel Quaye 10 caps
1999
1. Michael Essien 52 caps
2. Razak Pimpong 10 caps
3. Ibrahim Abdul Razak 24 caps
4. Anthony Obodai 4 caps
5. Stephen Tetteh 5 caps
6. Stephen Oduro 1 cap
2005
1. David Telfer 1 cap
2. Samuel Oppong 1 cap
3. Opoku Agyemang 9 caps
4. Jonathan Quartey 9 caps
5. Emmanuel Ansong 1 cap
� FIFA U 20 WORLD CUP
1993
1. Tephen Baidoo 3 caps
2. Nii Lamptey 38 caps
3. Augustine Ahinful 19 caps
4. Emmanuel Duah 23 caps
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20 | P a g e
5. Charles Akonnor 51 caps
6. Samuel Kuffour 59 caps
7. Daniel Addo 27 caps
1995 (Absent)
1997
1. Kofi Amponsah 9 caps
2. Christian Gyan 23 caps
3. Stephen Appiah 69 caps
4. Peter ofori Quaye 18 caps
5. Bashiru Gambo 4 caps
1999
1. Sammy Adjei 37 caps
2. Baffour Gyan 25 caps
3. Hamza Mohammed 28 caps
4. Stephen Appiah 69 caps
5. Aziz Ansah 9 caps
6. Laryea Kingston 41 caps
7. George Blay 7 caps
8. Osei Boateng 1 cap
9. Peter Ofori Quaye 18 caps
2001
1. Sulley Muntari 62 caps
2. Michael Essien 52 caps
3. Emmanuel Pappoe 28 caps
4. Ibrahim Abdul Razak 24 caps
5. Razak Pimpong 10 caps
6. Derek Boateng 26 caps
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21 | P a g e
7. Anthony Obodai 4 caps
8. John Mensah 73 caps
9. John Paintsil 68 caps
10. George Owu 9 caps
INTERESTING FACTS:
ANALYSIS
U17 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1993 1995 1997 1999 2005
Successful
players (%)
27.80 22.20 33.30 33.30 25.00
Average % of successful players = 28.30%
U20 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1993 1997 1999 2001
Successful
players (%)
38.90 27.80 50.00 55.60
Average % of successful players = 43.10%
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22 | P a g e
JAPAN
� FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1993
1. Naoki Matsuda (RIP)
2. Tsuneyasu Miyamoto
3. Hidetoshi Nakata
4. Kazuyuki Toda
1995
1. Tomoyuki Sakai
2. Junichi Inamoto
3. Shinji Ono
4. Naohiro Takahara
1997 (Absent)
FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
40 caps
71 caps
77 caps
20 caps
1 cap
82 caps
56 caps
57 caps
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23 | P a g e
1999 (Absent)
2001
1. Naoya kikuchi 1 cap
2. Kisho Yano 19 caps
3. Jungo Fujimoto 8 caps
2003 (Absent)
2005 (Absent)
� FIFA U 20 WORLD CUP
1993 (Absent)
1995
1. Ryuzo Morioka 38 caps
2. Naoki Matsuda (RIP) 40 caps
3. Nobuhisa Yamada 15 caps
4. Hidetoshi Nakata 77 caps
5. Daisuke Oku 26 caps
6. Takashi Shimoda 1 cap
1997
1. Kazuyuki Toda 20 caps
2. Tsuneyasu Miyamoto 71 caps
3. Tomokazu Myojin 26 caps
4. Nozomi Hiroyama 2 caps
5. Atsushi Yanagisawa 58 caps
6. Yoshiteru Yamashita 3 caps
7. Satoshi Yamaguchi 2 caps
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24 | P a g e
8. Yuichiro Naga I 4 caps
9. Shunsuke Nakamura 98 caps
1999
1. Akira Kaji 64 caps
2. Junichi Inamoto 82 caps
3. Tomoyuki Sakai 1 cap
4. Mitsuo Ogasawara 55 caps
5. Naohiro Takahara 57 caps
6. Masashi Motoyama 28 caps
7. Yasuhito Endo 111 caps
8. Koji Nakata 57 caps
9. Shinji Ono 56 caps
10. Yuichiro Nagai 4 caps
11. Ryuji Bando 7 caps
2001
1. Toruyuki Moniwa 9 caps
2. Yuichi Komano 60 caps
3. Takeshi Aoki 2 caps
4. Naohiro Ishikawa 5 caps
5. Hisato Sato 31 caps
6. Koji Yamase 13 caps
7. Ryoichi Maeda 14 caps
2003
1. Eiji Kawashima 23 caps
2. Yuhei Tokunaga 7 caps
3. Naoya Kikuchi 1 cap
4. Mitsuru Nagata 2 caps
5. Yasuyuki Konno 47 caps
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25 | P a g e
6. Daigo Kobayashi 1 cap
7. Daisuke Sakata 1 cap
8. Satoru Yamagishi 11 caps
9. Yuzo Kurihara 6 caps
10. Sota Hirayama 4 caps
2005
1. Hiroki Mizumoto 19 caps
2. Masahiko Inoha 6 caps
3. Sota Hiroyama 4 caps
4. Koki Mizuno 4 caps
5. Keisuke Honda 31 caps
6. Akihiro Ienaga 2 caps
7. Takayuki Morimoto 9 caps
8. Shusaku Nishikawa 5 caps
ANALYSIS
U17 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1993 1995 2001
Successful
players (%)
22.20 22.20 16.70
Average % of successful players = 20.40%
U20 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
Successful
players (%)
33.30 50.00 61.10 36.80 50.00 38.10
Average % of successful players = 44.90%
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26 | P a g e
NIGERIA
� FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1993
1. Celestine Babayaro
2. Pascal Ojigwe
3. Nwankwo Kanu
4. Wilson Oruma
1995
1. Albert Yobo
2. James Obiorah
1997 (Absent)
FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
26 caps
17 caps
87 caps
19 caps
1 cap
3 caps
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27 | P a g e
1999 (Absent)
2001
1. Richard Eromoigbe 6 caps
2. Femi Opabunmi 2 caps
3. Akpan Bassey 1 cap
2003
1. Isaac promise 3 caps
2. John Obi Mikel 33 caps
3. Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke 17 caps
4. Solomon Okoronkwo 2 caps
2005 (Absent)
� FIFA U 20 WORLD CUP
1993 (Absent)
1995 (Absent)
1997 (Absent)
1999
1. Samuel Okunowo 8 caps
2. Haruna Babangida 1 cap
3. Pius Ikedia 15 caps
4. Joseph Yobo 81 caps
5. Rabiu Afolabi 20 caps
6. Jilius Aghahowa 32 caps
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28 | P a g e
2001 (Absent)
2003 (Absent)
2005
1. Taye Taiwo 48 caps
2. Onyekachi Apam 7 caps
3. Monday James 1 cap
4. Chinedu Ogbuke 17 caps
5. John Obi Mikel 33 caps
6. Isaac Promise 3 caps
7. Solomon Okoronkwo 2 caps
8. Adfemi Olubayo (RIP) 5 caps
9. Dele Adeleye 9 caps
10. Sani Kaita 24 caps
11. John owoeri 1 cap
INTERESTING FACTS:
1. Albert Yobo is the elder brother of current captain of the Super Eagles, Joseph Yobo.
2. Nwankwo Kanu holds the record for most substitute appearances in the English
premier League history, appearing from the bench 118 times.
ANALYSIS
U17 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1993 1995 2001 2003
Successful
players (%)
22.20 22.20 16.70 20.00
Average % of successful players = 20.30%
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29 | P a g e
U20 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1999 2005
Successful
players (%)
33.30 52.40
Average % of successful players = 42.90%
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30 | P a g e
SPAIN
� FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
1993 (Absent)
1995 (Absent)
1997
1. Iker Casillas
2. Xavi Hernandez
1999
1. Jose Manuel Reina
2. Fernand Navarro
2001
1. Andres Iniesta
FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
124 caps
103 caps
22 caps
3 caps
61 caps
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31 | P a g e
2. Fernando Torres 87 caps
2003
1. David Silva 50 caps
2. Francesc Fabregas 60 caps
2005 (Absent)
� FIFA U 20 WORLD CUP
1993 (Absent)
1995
1. Cesar Martin 12 caps
2. Raul Gonzalez 102 caps
3. Michel Salgado 53 caps
4. Ivan de la Pena 5 caps
5. Joseba Etxeberria 53 caps
6. Fernando Morientes 47 caps
1997
1. Javier Farinos 2 caps
2. Miguel Angel Angulo 11 caps
3. Gerard Lopez 6 caps
4. David Albelda 51 caps
1999
1. Daniel Aranzubia 1 cap
2. Pablo Orbaiz 4 caps
3. Carlos Marchena 69 caps
4. Gabri Garcia 3 caps
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32 | P a g e
5. Xavi Hernandez 103 caps
6. Iker Casillas 124 caps
2001 (Absent)
2003
1. Andres Iniesta 61 caps
2. Sergio Garcia 2 caps
3. Manu del Moral 1 cap
4. Javier Arizmendi 1 cap
2005
1. Raul Albiol 30 caps
2. Fernando Llorente 18 caps
3. David Silva 50 caps
4. Francesc Fabregas 60 caps
INTERESTING FACTS:
1. Marc Bernaus, Spanish player at the 1997 U20 world cup, has 22 caps for Andorra.
2. Aside being capped as full internationals, the following players have also lined up
for the Catalonia National team: Xavi Hernandez (8 caps), Fernando Navarro (3
caps), Andres Iniesta (1 cap), Francesc Fabregas (1 cap) and Sergio Garcia (8 caps).
ANALYSIS
U17 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1997 1999 2001 2003
Successful
players (%)
11.10 11.10 11.10 10.00
Average % of successful players = 10.80%
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33 | P a g e
U20 WORLD CUP
Year of
competition
1995 1997 1999 2003 2005
Successful
players (%)
33.30 22.20 33.30 20.00 19.00
Average % of successful players = 25.60%
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34 | P a g e
CHART
DEDUCTIONS FROM THE CHART
1. The chances of featuring in the national team are observed to be higher in the U20
teams than in the U17 teams.
2. South America, Asia and Africa performed better than Europe in the competitions
surveyed.
3. The rankings of each country is shown in the table below:
S/N COUNTRY
1 Japan
2 Argentina
3 Ghana
4 Nigeria
5 Brazil
6 Germany
0 10
Argentina
Brazil
Germany
Ghana
Japan
Nigeria
Spain
C
o
u
n
t
r
i
e
s
Countries and their averages
DEDUCTIONS FROM THE CHART
The chances of featuring in the national team are observed to be higher in the U20
teams than in the U17 teams.
South America, Asia and Africa performed better than Europe in the competitions
The rankings of each country is shown in the table below:
POSITION (U17) POSITION (U20)
1 1
1 1
3 3
3 4
5 5
6 7
10 20 30 40
Average of successful layers (%)
Countries and their averages
The chances of featuring in the national team are observed to be higher in the U20
South America, Asia and Africa performed better than Europe in the competitions
50
U20 U17
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35 | P a g e
7 Spain 7 6
The indication of the results shown above is self revealing in itself. Note that this study
doesn’t consider talent and quality, the main emphasis is on the effectiveness of the FIFA
age group competitions as a nursery bed for future players of a country.
There are numerous factors which either hamper or spur the growth of a player who
featured in an age group competition and became a revelation. Some of these are:
1. Injury
2. Attitude and personality
3. Choice of club the player moves to
4. Compatibility with a national team coach’s plan
5. Competition for places in the national team squad
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36 | P a g e
CONCLUSION
The world of football can be best described by a pyramid. Depending on how you place it,
you always observe that one end is much bigger than the other. A good illustration of this in
the world of football is the annual release of the top 50 footballers complied by the popular
football website, goal.com. This list is known as Goal.com Top 50.
Of the 50 players listed, only 19 competed in a Fifa age group competition. This trend is an
indication of the emergence of football talents from other routes other than Fifa
competitions. In Europe, the UEFA age group completion is a breeding ground for talents.
In some instance, some of these players do not even get the opportunity to participate in
Fifa age group competitions because their countries fail to qualify. Additionally, some
others are unable to participate because of injuries. There are also those who at a tender
age are already first team players at their club side, and so the coaches refuse to allow them
to participate.
In all, it is fair to say that although the Fifa age group competitions produce plenty talents
there are other avenue for the emergence of such talents.