WYC 2007 News

[Joe MacCarthy]

FIFA official favours T.O. over Edmonton
Apr. 12, 2006. 07:16 PM
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1144878609770&col=1053692575155&call_page=TSS_Main&call_pageid=968867503640&call_pagepath=Sports/Index

FIFA vice-president Jack Warner praised Canada's buildup for the 2007 world under-20 tournament Wednesday, but took a swipe at Edmonton for its recent lukewarm reception to soccer.

Edmonton drew 47,484 fans to Commonwealth Stadium in 2002 for the Canada-U.S final at the inaugural FIFA women's under-19 championship, winning rave reviews from FIFA and others.

But for the men's under-20 tournament in 2007, Canadian organizers have opted to stage the July 22 final at Toronto's National Soccer Stadium. The venue, currently under construction, will hold no more than 25,000.

Edmonton will still play a large role as tournament co-host, but will see its participation end at the semifinal stage.

"I don't live here, so I can say quite honestly that I think Edmonton has been lucky to even get a semifinal," Warner, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, said in an interview after a news conference on the grounds of Exhibition Place, a stone's throw from the Toronto stadium construction site.

"While the (2002) women's event was a success, it seems to me from the records we have seen that it could be looked at as an aberration. Because following that, international matches have been played in Edmonton and the (attendance) figures have been from 11,000 to 7,000."

Last September, there were 8,812 at Commonwealth Stadium to see Germany beat the Canadian women's team 4-3 under a light rain. The Canadian men's team drew 9,654 in September 2004 for a 1-1 World Cup qualifying tie with Honduras.

Warner said Toronto was "the logical choice" to host the final because of its new stadium, the diversity of its population and the co-operation of local governments.

Edmonton will host two of Canada's first-round games — the Canadian men's opening outing will be in Toronto — plus two round-of-16 games, a quarter-final and semifinal.

Warner is a FIFA heavyweight who doubles as president of CONCACAF, the continental confederation that covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. He is also chairman of the Canadian tournament's organizing committee.

Warner and other officials have spent the last nine days touring Edmonton, Toronto and the tournament's four other venues: Victoria, Burnaby (Vancouver), Ottawa and Montreal.

Warner and Canadian Soccer officials said the inspection process turned up some issues to be fixed, but nothing insurmountable.

"They are critical, they are important, but in the (overall) scheme of things they are not mind-boggling," Warner said.

With Montreal Impact boss Joey Saputo putting his planned new Montreal stadium on the backburner, the Montreal site remains a question mark. Everyone involved wants to go to Molson Stadium on the McGill University grounds, but the artificial turf there has lines on it and FIFA demands a pristine green surface.

Kevan Pipe, chief operating officer of the Canadian Soccer Association, bit his tongue when asked whether he felt the urge to say `I told you so."

In 2003, when McGill was examining its turf options, Pipe and Canadian soccer officials pressed hard for a plain surface to avoid just this problem. The CFL Alouettes, a major tenant, wanted a football-ready field with stitched in lines.

In the end, the university and CFL thought they had found a compromise with an artificial surface whose lines could be covered up. But that solution never worked.

The options now to make the stadium ready for the FIFA tournament are to spend $500,000 on new plain turf or lay a temporary grass surface.

"The problem is it doesn't fix it for a long-term period," Pipe said of the temporary solution. "If we have the opportunity to do things right, we have to take that opportunity. So that's what we're trying to do right now, we're trying to establish a long-term solution so we can come back to McGill University in future and bring big international games to McGill University."

The issue is who pays for the new artificial turf.

There are lesser issues in Victoria and Burnaby, B.C., involving stadium lighting, dressing rooms and VIP seating.

The CSA and Burnaby have already struck a deal to upgrade Swangard Stadium, Pipe said.

The City of Ottawa, meanwhile, has pledged to replace the artificial turf at Frank Clair Stadium with a higher-grade surface at a cost of $440,000.

Warner raved about Victoria, saying it and Cape Town were two places in the world he would consider retiring to — with Victoria No. 1 on that list.

He also praised Ottawa, saying it was the best venue on the tour while marvelling you can sit in the stands and see boats sailing along the Rideau Canal.

FIFA officials will be back in October to inspect the progress.

Notes: The under-20 tournament — whose official name is the unwieldy FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 — is second only in size to the men's World Cup, with 24 countries and 52 matches. ... The 2007 tournament will mark the 17th edition of the event. ... Pipe estimates the final will draw a worldwide television audience in excess of 100 million. ... TV talks continue with Canadian networks, he added, with an "opening salvo" goal of airing all 52 matches. ... The plan is to complete the Toronto stadium May 1, 2007, two months ahead of the tournament kickoff. ... Pipe says the CSA has already bid to host the CONCACAF 2008 women's Olympic qualifying tournament, adding Toronto has already been confirmed as one of the host sites for the 2009 men's Gold Cup.

[Joe MacCarthy]

FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
FIFA & CSA Unveil FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 Emblem
http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2420
http://www.canadasoccer.com/images/media/U20WC_logo.jpg
Ottawa, Ontario – Soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, along with the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) unveiled the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 tournament emblem at a joint press conference in Toronto this afternoon. FIFA.com

Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) President Andy Sharpe and FIFA vice-president and Chairman of the Organising Committee for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Jack A. Warner unveiled the Official Emblem after officially closing FIFA’s 9-day venue inspection tour today.

“We had a busy but tremendously valuable nine days,” said Sharpe. “I am extremely happy with the organization of not only the Site Organizing Committees but the National Organizing Committee and I am convinced that the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007 will be the largest and most impressive single-sport event in Canada’s history.”

“While we certainly have some work to do in every venue, we also have plenty of time to implement those changes in order to bring each site up to the standard of this most prestigious event.

“But what I am most excited about is what this tournament will mean for the hundred’s of thousands of players across the country. They now have an opportunity to see some of the best young players in the world and over the course of the event, I am sure some Canadian role models will be born.”

In 2007, Canada will host the World’s finest youth players in six cities across the country – Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Burnaby, and Victoria – with the tentative dates for the tournament set for June 30-July 22, 2007.

The biennial event is second only to the FIFA World Cup™ in size and scope and will showcase the most talented under-20 soccer players in the world. The tournament has been the coming-out party for some of the game’s top players - Maradona, Saviola, Raúl, Marco Van Basten, Luis Figo, Ruiz Costa, Thierry Henry, Adriano, Roberto Carlos, Bebeto and Dunga as well as Canada’s Craig Forrest and many members of the current Men’s World Cup Team including Julian de Guzman, Paul Stalteri, Atiba Hutchinson and Iain Hume.

Last held in CONCACAF in 1983 in Mexico, Canada’s most recent participation in this event occurred last June in the Netherlands from June 10 - July 2, 2005.

Canada enjoyed it’s its best ever finish in a World Championship in December 2003, losing to eventual silver medalist Spain on a golden goal in the quarter finals in the United Arab Emirates.

FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 Emblem

The emblem for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 features the prominent use of Canada’s most visible National symbol – the Maple Leaf.

According to many historians, the maple leaf began to serve as a Canadian symbol as early as 1700 – celebrating Canada’s nature and environment. The maple leaf depicted on the Canadian flag and now in the FIFA U-20 World Cup emblem is the sugar maple leaf which is native to Canada and is perhaps best known for it’s vibrant fall foliage.

In 1834, the first St. Jean Baptiste Society in North America made the maple leaf its emblem. Two years later, Le Canadien, a newspaper published in Lower Canada, referred to it as a suitable emblem for Canada.

Almost fifteen years later, the Toronto literary annual The Maple Leaf referred to it as the chosen emblem of Canada. By 1860, the maple leaf was incorporated into the badge of the 100th Regiment (Royal Canadians) and was used extensively in decorations for the visit of the Prince of Wales that year.

Songwriter Alexander Muir wrote The Maple Leaf Forever as Canada’s confederation song in 1867; it was regarded as the national song for several decades. The coats of arms created the next year for Ontario and Quebec both included the maple leaf.

The maple leaf today appears on the penny (one-cent piece); however, between 1876 and 1901, it appeared on all Canadian coins. The modern one-cent piece has two maple leaves on a common twig, a design that has gone almost unchanged since 1937.

During the First World War, the maple leaf was included in the badge of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Since 1921, the Royal Arms of Canada have included three maple leaves as a distinctive Canadian emblem. With the proclamation of Canada’s new flag in 1965, the maple leaf has become the most-prominent Canadian symbol.

In 1939, at the time of World War II, many Canadian troops used the maple leaf as a distinctive sign, displaying it on regimental badges and Canadian army and naval equipment.

In 1957, the colour of the maple leaves on the arms of Canada was changed from green to red, one of Canada’s official colours.

On February 15, 1965, the red maple leaf flag was inaugurated as the National Flag of Canada.1

The launch of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 emblem (like the recently announced emblem for the FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007) marks a new era in the field of branding for FIFA. The official emblem of the Canadian event is the second emblem to be released under FIFA’s new brand of architecture. This has the aim of unifying all the different emblems and logos of the world football’s governing body, including the 12 competitions and projects such as Goal, Fair Play and the FIFA Quality Concept for footballs and artificial turf. The main feature of this new branding strategy is a consistent design for all FIFA’s activities. In addition, all FIFA tournaments will be consistently called “World Cup”. The FIFA corporate mark with the two globes is no longer a component of any of the official emblems and will only be used for corporate communication purposes.

[1] Information regarding the Maple Leaf was taken from Canadian Heritage’s website – www.pch.gc.ca

[Joe MacCarthy]

Tks to torontosports at BS for headsup

Inside Soccer Magazine
By: Kris Fernandes
http://www.insidesoccer.ca/league.php?scriptName=LEAGUEINFO&leagueID=5349&leagueInfoID=28241&cache=no

Today the Canadian Soccer Association and FIFA held a press conference regarding the progress of the stadiums and training grounds that will be used in next years U20 World Cup which will be held in 6 cities across the country. In addition, they also unveiled the official logo for the event. There were five major players on stage for this event which included CSA bigwigs Andy Sharpe (President) and Kevan Pipe (COO). Among the other guests was Bob Hunter, VP of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, Toronto City Councilor Joe Pantalone and the biggest name of them all, Jack Warner, VP of FIFA and CONCACAF Head.

The event kicked off with Pantalone ranting the same facts that everyone has been hearing for the past year about how many kids in Toronto play soccer and how many fields we have, which in case you're wondering is 438. Not too shabby for a hockey town eh?

Then the thick Scottish voice of Andy Sharpe rang through the crowd as he spoke about the status of the venues that will be used for the 3 week long event that starts June 30th and ends July 22nd. Here is a light breakdown;

Burnaby and Victoria will be the western hosts as Swangard and Centennial will be upgraded in various capacities over the next year to meet FIFA requirements with proper lighting and training grounds being the focus there.

Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium, current home of Team Canada and the successful U19 World Cup in 2002, will have some upgrades as well including some VIP seats and the local organizing committee has assured that whatever FIFA requests they will cover it.

Ottawa will be one of two hosts in Ontario and will utilize picturesque Frank Clair Stadium, former home of the now defunct Ottawa Renegades. Surprisingly, there will be a new FIFA 2 Star artificial turf pitch installed to the tune of an incredible $440,000 CDN. No word yet on what the citizens of Ottawa will think about dishing out that kind of money for a scarcely used field, unless of course they add a bubble like their neighbours in Toronto. )Edit: They have had a bubble for years)Easily the most anticipated stadium of the bunch is the new stadium at the Exhibition grounds near Lake Ontario, the Toronto stadium project has generated so much excitement and so much anger within the last 2 years it has become quite the circus. The CSA has repeatedly had 'egg on their face' for altering the stadium's location numerous times and had to have Bob Hunter, the stadium project manager, publicly assure doubters of its current progress and eventual completion. He stated that the venue will have the excavation completed within a month, the seating will go up in June/July and the field turf will be installed in the late fall. The soccer-specific venue will be fully constructed 60 days before the event kicks off and will seat 20,000 fans. It will be accessible year round, as the bubble will provide, to youth and adult soccer clubs as well as the home to the national teams. It is without question the clear legacy project for this tournament. However the money from the federal government isn't 100% yet although they anticipate that the finalized deal will take place within a week if not days. For the sake of Canadian soccer, let's hope so.

The final venue being used for the 2nd largest soccer event in the world is in Montreal. Oddly enough no stadium has actually been chosen to stage their share of the games although Kevan Pipe announced that Molson Stadium on the campus on McGill University is the likely location and if so they, like Ottawa, might be in store for the same upgraded FieldTurf next May.

The man who headed the entire 9 day evaluation of the stadiums was controversial CONCACAF President, Jack Warner, who Canadian soccer fans might remember a while back when he stated that Canada had 'no business' beating his homeland of Trinidad. Warner tried to make the crowd forget that blemish as he romanced the crowd with inspired talk of Canadian youth growing up to new found heroes as a result of next summer's event and by stating that of all the cities in the 161 countries he's ever visited, Victoria, BC is the one city he would live in. He emphasized that although the the Toronto Stadium is a big part of the legacy, that Toronto's tourism would see a positive impact as well as on the diversity that the city is famous for. He also came up with the quote of the day when he stated,

"Young footballers in Canada can now believe that they can play at the professional level. This is a new sense of hope. Canada is a country that moves mountains."

You can't argue with the man on that one. He also mentioned that improvements must be made especially with the installation of proper lighting, new fields and with VIP areas. Overall he was enthusiastically optimistic about the visit and said he looks forward to the delegations next visit in October and is positive that everything will go according to plan.

The event closed off with the official unveiling of the logo for the championships. It features a red old-style maple leaf on the left side on a baby blue background with a soccer ball that resembled the Adidas Questra Ball from USA 94. The reaction was modest from the crowd and it would have been better if they used a more modern day leaf but overall it's a nice humble logo that fits well with Canada's image.

The FIFA website for this event is now up and running with all sorts of facts and history about the U20 World Cup, including the incredible 312 players from the event that have gone on to play in the World Cup. For the official announcement feel free to visit soccercanada.com for the CSA's official press release. "All flags are green", were the words Kevan Pipe used to describe the progress. Let's hope so otherwise the CSA's face will be redder than the leaf on their logo.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Under-20s over hump
New stadium, world tourney 'going to rise'
By ROB LONGLEY -- Toronto Sun
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2006/04/13/1533064-sun.html

If it gets built -- on time, of course -- they will come.

An estimated 100 million viewers worldwide tuning in to the final of the 2007 under-20 World Cup, for starters.

Some of the best young players in the world for arguably the biggest soccer event to be played in Canada, for another.

And, Canadian Soccer Association officials are confident, a huge boost to the sport's development in this country.

But before the tournament arrives next summer, Toronto's new soccer stadium at Exhibition Place has to be built.

The CSA's bid hinged on the stadium, which will play host to the opening ceremonies and the Cup final, becoming a reality

With a hole in the ground and construction humming, organizers yesterday proclaimed it a sure thing the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., project will be done on time.

"It was a question a year ago: What's Plan B," CSA chief operating officer Kevan Pipe said. "At some point in time, people have got to start realizing that the sun is going to rise on this.

"The exterior structure will be finished in October and the field turf installation will be laid. All that will be left is the interior finishing.

"It is time to stop the second-guessing."

MLSEL will operate the facility for its main partner in the project, the City of Toronto. MLSEL vice-president Bob Hunter said yesterday the simplicity of the 20,000 seat structure will help keep construction on schedule.

'SIMPLE DESIGN'

"It's actually a fairly simple design to build," Hunter said. "The most complicated elements are elements that can be built this summer. The stands are pre-fab, off-site.

"I can absolutely assure you we will (be done on time.)"

Hunter, Pipe and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner were at Exhibition Place yesterday to unveil the official tournament logo and offer an update following a nine-day cross-country tour to inspect other under-20 World Cup sites.

Warner said stadiums in Victoria and Burnaby will need some updates before the tournament kicks off next July.

As well, Pipe says he expects to finalize a deal soon to confirm Montreal's Molson Stadium as a venue.

Warner acknowledged that Toronto is the key venue, however, and is satisfied old promises are being kept.

"When we met with the CSA four years ago, I said if they could build a field in Toronto, I would work to make sure they could have (the tournament)," Warner said. "Two years ago, I reported the same thing.

"I must say I am very pleased. Nothing we have seen is insurmountable."

[Joe MacCarthy]

FIFA wants stadium upgrades
Peter Mallett
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060413.SOCCER13/TPStory/TPSports/

Stadium improvements will be needed before Canada is ready to play host to the under-20 men's world soccer championship in the summer of 2007, a FIFA site-inspection team announced yesterday.

"The inspection team met with some positive results and some negative ones as well, but the problems that exist aren't something the Canadian Soccer Association can't overcome," said Jack Warner, vice-president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

"Nothing that needs to be done can't be done," he said at a news conference at Exhibition Place in Toronto. "This is Canada, a country that can move mountains."

The media conference wrapped up the inspection team's week-long visit to the six participating cities -- Toronto, Victoria, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal and the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby.

Warner said he was most impressed with the private and public partnership to build Toronto's $62-million, 20,000-seat stadium and the speed at which construction is moving ahead. The first game in the 24-nation tournament will be on June 30 and the championship game on July 22, both in Toronto.

Meanwhile, Infrastructure Canada said yesterday that federal, provincial and municipal governments must still sign off on their financial commitments to the project before it is sent to the federal government's Treasury Board for final approval.

Kevan Pipe, chief operating officer of the Canadian Soccer Association, was confident that funding will be secured despite concerns that the federal government may backpedal on its $27-million commitment to the project.

"There is nothing under the table," Pipe said. "Everything is on the table and we have been very upfront all along the way about Treasury Board and contribution agreements. The project has received ministerial approval, it has now been directed to all three levels of government, and we are just committing to follow that process."

Warner said an inspection team will return to Canada in October to make sure that all of FIFA's recommendations are being implemented.

The inspection team noted deficiencies in stadium lighting, dressing rooms and VIP facilities at Victoria's Centennial Stadium and Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.

Warner expressed concern about the uncertainty of a venue in Montreal. However, CSA officials said McGill University's Molson Stadium has become the venue of choice.

The CSA also said yesterday that it is completing an agreement with McGill to install new turf at Molson Stadium for the tournament.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Alberta site set for U-20
Other soccer fields need upgrading
Toronto stadium on schedule for 2007
Morgan Campbell Sports Reporter
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1144878610435&call_pageid=1044529386722&col=1044529386490

Victoria and Burnaby, B.C., need new stadium lights before they are ready to host games in the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

Stadiums in Ottawa and Montreal need new turf (Edit: artificial), and 14 months before the tournament kicks off, the stadium in Toronto is still just a hole in the ground.

But at least the logo is ready.

Yesterday, officials from FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association finished a nine-day tour of the tournament venues, and found most of them will need upgrades before the tournament starts next July.

FIFA held a news conference yesterday to unveil the tournament's logo — a red maple leaf with a soccer ball swooshing past, vapour trails in its wake.

But the real focus was the facilities.

Of the tournament's six host venues, only Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton is ready to host a World Cup game.

While the officials all praised the host cities and sounded confident about the tournament's success, they also agreed there's still a lot of work to do.

"We leave here feeling very sanguine, very positive that when we come again we will see changes," said Jack Warner, chairman of the U-20 World Cup organizing committee.

FIFA and CSA officials will tour the sites again in October.

Kevan Pipe, the CSA's chief operating officer, isn't worried.

He says the upgrades in Victoria and at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium are simple fixes the CSA budgeted for when they first proposed the tournament.

Pipe expects to upgrade all the stadiums in western Canada in time for the under-20 national team's three-game series with Brazil, scheduled to start May 19 in Edmonton.

In Ottawa, the city has already agreed to pay $440,000 to outfit Frank Clair Stadium with field turf that meets FIFA's standards.

McGill University and the city of Montreal want the same for Molson Stadium but haven't reached a deal with the CSA on who will pay for the project. Pipe hopes to settle the money question by June.

As for Toronto, Bob Hunter of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment said construction of the $65 million stadium is on schedule. He said the seats should be in place by this summer. Hunter said the stadium has a simple design and the project should finish by early next May, two months before the tournament starts.

Pipe shares that optimism and says he's sick of skeptics who don't think the CSA can pull this tournament off.

"At some point people have got to realize that the sun is going to rise on this," he said. "We're almost to the end of a very long marathon race. All flags are green."

[Robino]

You may have seen a tv ad with a soccer ball hitting the earth. Then it flashes to It's gonna be big U20 World cup canada 2007.

Does anyone know if it's true that tickets are on sale july 15 as it says in the ad?

[RichardFH]

I doubt July 15 would be the date advertised if it was not true.

[Joe MacCarthy]

FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Spectator attendance for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 on its way to being huge!
http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2488

Ottawa, Ontario – FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007, It’s gonna be huge.

FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) are pleased to announce that since ticket packages were made available to the public 11 days ago on Saturday, July 15; over 208,000 seats (40% of the stated target of 520,000) have already been sold for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007.

“We are extremely delighted with the success of our national on-sale campaign,” stated Kevan Pipe, CSA’s Chief Operating Officer. “With this type of start, we are now even more confident that we can build on this momentum and reach our goal of 520,000 spectators attending the event next summer. This would break the record for the largest single-sport sporting event ever held in Canada.”

“Strong group tournament package sales in Edmonton, Ottawa, and Victoria have been complimented by brisk online sales through www.FIFA.com for Toronto, Burnaby and Montreal.”

The FIFA World Youth Championship held in the Netherlands in 2005 achieved an impressive attendance of 503,000 spectators.

Ticket packages are available for purchase via www.FIFA.com or by calling 1-866-662-3452 (toll-free in Canada and the USA).

Six European Teams Qualify
Six European sides have now qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 this past week following the conclusion of the final group stage of the UEFA Under-19 Championship in Poland. Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain all placed in the top three positions of their respective groups, guaranteeing them a berth in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The European champion will be decided at the final on July 29.

FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – It’s gonna be huge.
In 2007, the world’s biggest game is coming to Canada. Canada will host the World’s finest Under-20 players in six cities across the country – Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Burnaby, and Victoria – with the dates for the tournament set for June 30-July 22, 2007.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 is expected to be the largest single-sport sporting event ever held in Canada with an anticipated viewership of approximately 750 million worldwide and over 520,000 fans expected to attend the 52-game, 24-team competition.

The biennial event is second only to the FIFA World Cup™ in size and scope and will showcase the most talented under-20 soccer players in the world. The tournament has been the coming-out party for some of the game’s top players - Maradona, Saviola, Raúl, Marco Van Basten, Luis Figo, Ruiz Costa, Thierry Henry, Adriano, Roberto Carlos, Bebeto and Dunga as well as Canada’s Craig Forrest and many members of the current Men’s World Cup Team including Julian de Guzman, Paul Stalteri, Atiba Hutchinson and Iain Hume.

Last held in CONCACAF in 1983 in Mexico, Canada’s most recent participation in this event occurred last June in the Netherlands from June 10 - July 2, 2005.

Canada enjoyed it’s its best ever finish in a World Championship in December 2003, losing to eventual silver medalist Spain on a golden goal in the quarter finals in the United Arab Emirates.

For more information regarding the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007, please visit www.FIFA.com.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Kicked in the teeth
Not taking lost final lying down
By TERRY JONES -- Edmonton Sun
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2006/08/09/1726154-sun.html

http://i2.tinypic.com/24b2f4l.jpg
The city of Edmonton is getting the shaft after being denied hosting the final of the FIFA U-20 World Championships. (AP File Photo/Darko Bandic)

Allan Bolstad resigned. Quit. Told the Canadian Soccer Association to shove it up their shorts.

Bolstad was the chairman of the local organizing committee for the FIFA U-20 World Championships next year.

He took the job on the understanding Edmonton would play host to all of Canada's games and the final in Commonwealth Stadium where a sign still declares it to be Canada's National Soccer Stadium.

Bolstad and his committee believed the success of the U-19 Women's Worlds here in 2002 was the reason Canada won the rights to play host to the event in the first place.

Prior to the sold-out final at the U-19 event, FIFA boss Sepp Blatter called the inaugural event "ballistic" and one of the greatest tournament hostings ever.

POLITICS REARED UGLY HEAD

But politics, the building of a new 24,000-seat stadium in Toronto and the CSA's official reason - that they could make more money in a 24,000 seat stadium in Toronto than a 60,000 seat stadium here - landed Canada's opener and the final in the East.

Bolstad decided to make his own statement and resigned. Quietly.

He didn't call a press conference or send out a release.

In his position, most would have done the same.

In the interim, the same people who organized the FIFA U-19 Women's Worlds have put their old committee back together and appear to be putting this humpty dumpty back together, too. Yesterday they came out of the closet.

Led by new chairman Jim Fleming - Canada's only 'FIFA Order of Merit' winner - they sat your correspondent down and revealed plans which they believe will have the effect of being a massive pie in the face of the CSA.

"I guarantee we will out-draw every city for every game," said Fleming of the 24-nation, 52-game tourney which features nine games, including a semi- final, here.

"We're going to prove that Edmonton has been - and still is - the No. 1 location for big events," said the man who was president of the CSA when Canada made its only World Cup appearance in Mexico in 1986.

Mario Charpentier, president of the Edmonton Minor Soccer Association, arguably the key man to the success of the U-19 Women's Worlds, said what they are doing is for the benefit of soccer in this area, not for the CSA.

"Our goal is to fill the stands to see the best soccer we're ever going to see here, not to make money for the CSA," he said.

The idea is to fill the stands here, expose the event to as many people as possible at the lowest cost possible and prove it will still make more money than they'll make in a 24,000-seat stadium in Toronto.

"We'll fill the stadium again and people will take note of it. We're here to make a statement to the world, not just the CSA," said deputy chairman Wayne Dosman.

"I can't blame Allan Bolstad," said Fleming, just back from being a special guest of FIFA at the Germany World Cup. "A lot of people in Edmonton were bleeped off. I was disappointed.

"But at the end of the day, this is a chance of a lifetime for Canada. This is by far the biggest event we will ever host in soccer in Canada and despite the questionable judgement, this is a great event for soccer in this city.

"I believe in this city and what it has done in the past and can do in the future."

That's where Charpentier and his friends who run district soccer associations come in.

For the U-19 event, they sold all-event ticket packages to area soccer players. They have now been inspired to include parents and the families of the players. And the tickets are transferable.

They already have commitments for 19,433 packages. Charpentier's Edmonton & District Soccer Association has signed up for 10,883, Ray Volmer's Edmonton Inter-District for 3,000, Danny Bowie's Edmonton District for 2,000, Glen Stalker's St. Albert Association for 1,500, Chris Billings's Battle River group for 1,000, Craig Hawkins's Sherwood Park group for 750 and Fran Glenn's Tri-County for 300.

SETTING BIG GOALS

"Our goal is to sell 36,000 through those packages," said Val Close, manager of local hostings.

With the draw not until February, they'll target the lower bowl sideline seats ($196) at a later date.

May I suggest a promotional giveaway for the event? How about 50,000 of those giant foam fingers, except with a different finger indicating 'We're No. 1' than usual.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Fan power could be Canada's saviour
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Jones/2006/11/11/2314851-sun.html

The trick, says Dale Mitchell, is to use home-field advantage for all it is worth in Canada 2007.

And that could be a little tricky, adds the coach of Canada's team in the FIFA U-20 World Championships.

"One of the concerns in Canadian soccer is if we can score and if we can create. But we think we have some of that. We want to show people we can go forward. If we can do some of that, without getting burned going the other way, we think the fans here will really throw themselves behind us.''

"We already know we're going to have the environment. I'm real pleased the way the ticket sales have gone. It is not a surprise to us,'' said Mitchell of the 182,000 sold to date for the Edmonton games which will include all of Canada's games except the opener in Toronto.

The sales total equals 65% of the tickets sold for Canada 2007's six venues which also include Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver and Victoria.

Mitchell was in town yesterday on a scouting mission. He says he thinks he's going to have a good team.

"We have 14 players, the most we've ever had, playing in Europe.''

He said it's going to take some work to get them enough time together, but hopes to play a pre-tournament game in each venue in which the event will be held.

"You're always a bit worried that you could get a dud age group,'' he said of the crop of junior-aged players, a phenomenon Canadians are familiar with from junior hockey.

"But there's every evidence so far that this is far from being a dud age group.''

[Joe MacCarthy]

U-20 World Cup a big hit
By ROB LONGLEY -- Sun Media
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2007/03/02/3686184-sun.html

Imagine what soccer fans might do when they find out what the tickets will get them.

Organizers for this summer's under-20 World Cup announced yesterday 500,000 tickets have already been sold for the 24-team, 52-game event.

Considering the draw has yet to be made and those games will be spread among six Canadian cities from Victoria in the west to as far east as Montreal, it would seem quite a feat.

"For advance sales to ensure over half a million spectators before our official draw even takes place is truly a tremendous achievement," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said yesterday in a statement.

"(It) speaks volumes about the growth and popularity of soccer in Canada."

We have heard that story before, at least as it pertains to spectator appeal, so the jury is still out.

However, with such a head start in sales and some bona fide attraction with the Canadian team plus sides from Brazil and Portugal, at least the event is set up for success.

The sales brochure will get a boost at tomorrow's official draw, which will determine the six groups and settle the schedule for the biggest soccer event to hit Canada.

Organizers have committed Portugal to Toronto as well as the opening Canadian game to help ensure solid crowds at the flagship stadium at Exhibition Place.

STRONG SUPPORT

The rest of the home country's round matches will take place in Edmonton, a city that has shown strong support for Canadian teams in the past.

Those wondering where they might see traditional fan favourites Italy and England best keep looking -- neither country made the grade.

Officials from FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association toured the yet-to-be completed Toronto Stadium yesterday and say they are pleased with the progress.

The tournament, which opens on June 30 and concludes with the championship game here on July 22, will be played at six venues -- Victoria, Burnaby, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

Organizers also announced recently that a game scheduled for Toronto on July 9 has been moved to Montreal's Olympic Stadium to avoid a conflict with the Grand Prix of Toronto.

The draw, which takes place at the Liberty Grand at Exhibition Place, will be aired live by CBC at 4:30 p.m.

[Vancouver86er]

Congratulations to the rest of Canada on getting a great draw to see this summer's u-20 World Cup. Vancouver on the other hand gets a relatively boring draw I am very disappointed. Jordan, Zambia, Uruguay and Spain. Wow.:boo: I hope it sells out here but I seriously doubt it. I understand giving Canada to Group B in Edmonton as Commonwealth Stadium can hold the most fans but Vancouver should've also be given a country to reflect its fan base. Just as Toronto was given Portugal Vancouver should have been given Japan or South Korea. I know it's luck of the draw but we got screwed.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Canada draws Chile, Austria, and Congo for U-20 World Cup soccer tourney
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2007/03/02/3686558-cp.html

TORONTO (CP) - Canada, Chile, Austria and Congo will play in one of six groups at this summer's FIFA Under-20 World Cup men's soccer tournament.

The draw for the 52-match tournament was held today in Toronto.

"We'll have three tough games against teams from three different federations that will all bring something different," said Dale Mitchell, who will coach Canada's team.

As host, Canada automatically qualified for the 24-country event. Canada, in Group A, opens against Chile on July 1 in Toronto. Subsequent games against Austria and Congo will be in Edmonton.

"Chile is an outstanding technical team with very good skill," Mitchell told CBC. "Playing on turf should help them. They're traditionally the third-best team out of South America."

Victoria, Burnaby, B.C., Ottawa and Montreal also will be host cities for the June 30-July 22 event, FIFA's second-largest after the World Cup.

Advanced ticket sales exceeding 500,000 should make the tournament the largest single-sport event ever staged in Canada.

Canada enjoyed its best-ever finish in the U-20 event in 2003, making it to the quarter-finals in the United Arab Emirates. Canada was knocked out in the first round in 2005.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Scots carry the torch
By ROB LONGLEY
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2007/03/04/3695053-sun.html

With no England or Ireland in the field for this summer's Under-20 World Cup, Canadian fans from over home will have to settle for Scotland.

And Scottish team rep Archie Knox says he will more than welcome the support for his upstart side which beat out several European powers to secure its berth.

"There are a lot of ex-pats in Canada and we're looking forward to seeing them," Knox said. "We're looking to put on a good show."

Early on, that show will take place in Victoria, B.C., where the Scots have drawn into Group F with Japan, Nigeria and Costa Rica.

But later this month, Knox will bring his lads here for a pair of "friendly" matches against the Canadian side.

"It will be a good chance for us to have most of our team together," Canadian coach Dale Mitchell said. "Most of the boys who are playing from Europe will be able to make it.

"We may not get some of them until a few weeks before the tournament, but that's just part of the process."

[Joe MacCarthy]

Kickoff for the future
Choice matchups drawn for Under-20 World Cup
By ROB LONGLEY
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2007/03/04/3695052-sun.html

He was in Toronto merely as an observer, part of his country's delegation here to learn its early fate for this summer's Under-20 World Cup.

But when Luiz Felipe Scolari speaks, the soccer world listens. The head coach of the Portuguese men's national team was one of many soccer luminaries at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Centre last night for the event's official draw.

And Big Phil, as Scolari in known, had big talk for the biggest soccer event ever to be played on Canadian soil.

The field is now set for the 24-team, 52-match World Cup, which will be played in six Canadian cities throughout July. Billed as being second only to the men's World Cup in terms of global significance and appeal, Scolari will tell you why.

"This is where so many of the great players begin to make their fame," Scolari said through a translator. "This is where it all begins. Some of the great players in the world got their start in this tournament. Some you will see for many years."

Toronto fans may see plenty of the team Scolari hopes will provide him with future talent, which should go over well with the strong Portuguese community.

Organizers assigned Portugal to Toronto for that reason, hoping to fill the soon to be completed BMO Field, steps away from where yesterday's draw took place.

After playing its opener at the new stadium on Canada Day, the host team will move to Edmonton where the Alberta city's soccer fans have long supported our national teams.

Perennial world power Brazil takes over Montreal for most of its games, a key assignment designed to help fill sprawling Olympic Stadium.

Wherever the games are played, fans can expect to see stars ultimately destined for the sport's biggest stage.

"We realize that the big stars emerge from this tournament," U.S. coach Thomas Rongen said. "Be it Maradona (Argentina), be it Ronaldinho (Brazil), but it Nesti (Argentina) in the last one. This time around, there will be another big player that comes out of this."

The Americans will have their hands full, drawn into Group D against Brazil. When those two clash in Ottawa on July 6, it will be one of the most-watched games in the tournament.

Toronto gets a pair of attractive contests, starting with the host team's opener against the fiery Chilean squad on July 1. The second big clash at BMO Field features reigning under-17 champions Mexico against Portugal on July 5.

Ottawa did well by getting two world powers in the Czech Republic and defending-champion Argentina, who square off in a Group E clash on June 30.

Group play winds up on July 7, leading to the Round of 16 four days later. Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal play host to quarter-finals on July 14-15, with semis going to Edmonton and Toronto on July 18-19.

The 20,000-seat BMO facility at Exhibition Place -- future home to the Canadian men's team -- gets the final July 22.

With half a million tickets sold before spectators even knew who they would be seeing, organizers believe the event will be a huge hit in a country that often is lukewarm to supporting the game in person.

"To have sold 500,000 already is incredible," Canadian Soccer Association president Colin Linford said."We honestly believe that getting to 800,000 tickets is not beyond the realm. We see this as the start of improving the game within Canada and being seen as a serious soccer-playing nation."

[Joe MacCarthy]

FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007
Monday, March 05, 2007
World coming to Canada for FIFA U-20 World Cup
http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2633

The six Canadian cities hosting the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 booked their visiting countries on Saturday 3 March after all 24 teams were seeded at the Official Draw in Toronto. With four months to go, all 24 countries are now in the final stages of their preparations for the biennial tournament. As of the Saturday, they now know their opponents and locations for the opening round.

Most countries that flew in for the Official Draw have now flown to their host cities to visit the stadiums, hotels and venues.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 takes place 30 June to 22 July in Victoria, Burnaby, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal. Each city will have six to eight countries playing in their stadiums in the group stage (30 June to 8 July).

Victoria
Victoria will host all four countries from Group F plus two countries from Group B. Japan and Nigeria each play three games in Victoria while Scotland and Costa Rica each play two games. Uruguay and Zambia visit Victoria for the final day of the group stage.

Burnaby
Burnaby will host all four countries from Group B plus two countries from Group F. Spain and Jordan each play three games at Swangard Stadium while Uruguay and Zambia each play two games at Swangard Stadium. Scotland and Costa Rica visit Burnaby for the final day of the group stage.

Edmonton
Edmonton will host all four countries from Group A (including Canada) and two countries from Group C. Congo plays three games at Commonwealth Stadium while Canada and Austria each play two games and Chile plays once. Mexico and New Zealand visit Edmonton for the final day of the group stage.

Toronto
Toronto will host all four countries from Group C plus three countries from Group A. Portugal, New Zealand, The Gambia and Mexico all play two games at the new National Soccer Stadium. Chile plays two games in Toronto while Canada and Austria each play once.

Ottawa
Ottawa will host all four countries from Group E plus two countries from Group D. Korea DPR and Argentina each play three games at Frank Clair Stadium while Panama and Czech Republic each play two games. Brasil and the United States visit Ottawa for the final day of the group stage.

Montréal
Montréal will host all four countries from Group D plus two countries from Group E and two countries from Group C. Poland and Korea Republic each play three games at the Stade Olympique while Brasil and the United States each play two games. Czech Republic and Panama visit Montréal for the final day of their group stage while Portugal and The Gambia also visit Montréal for the final day of their group stage.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Superstars of tomorrow
Soccer version of World Juniors
By ROB LONGLEY -- Sun Media
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2007/06/28/4297317-sun.html

Before there was the hand of God, a World Cup championship, and later, his considerable fall from grace, one of soccer's greats was just a young boy playing the game he loved.

But when Diego Maradona led Argentina to the Under-20 World Cup title in 1979, it was his shout-out to a global audience, the first electric steps on his road to massive fame.

"I never had so much fun on a football pitch," Maradona told FIFA.com recently. "At that time, I defined it as the greatest happiness of my life."

Others were to follow, including, as just a small sample: from Brazil, Ronaldinho; from France, Thierry Henry; and from Portugal, Luis Figo.

Over the next three-plus weeks and through the 51 matches it will take to declare a champion at Canada 2007, dozens of stars for several World Cups of the future are sure to emerge.

Will it be young Alexandre Pato from Brazil, who at 17 is already joining his country's tradition of being known by one name, only as Pato?

Will it be a prodigy from defending champion Argentina, which in 2005 was led by Lionel Messi -- who is now considered one of the best players in the world?

Or how about American star Freddy Adu, who has been playing professionally since he was 14-years-old?

Fans in Toronto and Edmonton, two of the six host venues (Montreal, Ottawa, Victoria and Burnaby are the others) will get to see future Canadian stars emerge. Ontario natives Jaime Peters and David Edgar are two of the more established players on the home side, but how about Edmonton-born Tosaint Ricketts -- who had a hat trick in a recent friendly win over the U.S.?

The competition is one attraction. The chance to gaze into a crystal ball for the world's most popular game is another.

"The biggest attraction with this tournament when you look back, is the players whose international history has been launched in this event," Canadian coach Dale Mitchell said in an interview.

"Thierry Henry, Maradona, Ronaldinho -- that's just some of them. That's why the interest is at such a high level worldwide. People want to see the up-and-coming stars."

An avid sports fan, Mitchell knows he lives in a country where hockey rules and thus can deliver an analogy to put the pending hoopla in perspective to the great soccer unwashed.

"It's a lot like the world juniors, which were recently in my town (Vancouver)," Mitchell said.

"People love to watch and cheer for their team, but hockey fans want to see the stars of the future. The difference here is that instead of going to one or two other countries (like the world juniors), this tournament will be beamed to in excess of 100 countries. In terms of a sporting event at a youth level, nothing would compare with it."

As a portent to future accomplishment, it stands up pretty well. Of the 750 players on rosters in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, 160 had experience in the U-20 event.

The tournament, with its splash and profile, comes to a country which seems poised to finally embrace the game for its domestic product rather than just through fans married to old-world ties.

The success of its new MLS team has suddenly made Toronto a soccer hotbed and BMO Field should be quite a scene on Canada Day when the host country plays its first tournament game against Chile.

"Playing at home is the X-factor, the crowd can be the 12th man," said Mitchell, whose team moves to Edmonton for the remainder of group play.

"The first game in Toronto on Canada Day is sold out and that is something that could really spur us on as the tournament progresses."

While the Canadian team will be the focus of interest both in live gate and coast-to-coast television coverage on CBC, organizers have ensured that other soccer constituencies throughout the country can get involved.

Portugal, for example, will have Toronto as its home base, counting on the city's strong Portuguese community for ticket sales and to add to the festive atmosphere.

Similarly, Poland has been placed in Montreal where the ethnic support will help draw crowds to sprawling Olympic Stadium.

Then again, Group D is already loaded with Brazil, which draws a crowd wherever it goes, and the U.S.

The most compelling game from that group, however, will take place at Ottawa's Frank Clair Stadium on July 6 when the Brazilians face the U.S.

"Playing Brazil is the most exciting thing you could ask for," young U.S. star Adu said. "Personally, I can't wait for that game. Games like that are how you measure yourself."

The 16th edition of a tournament originally known as the World Youth Championship, has some of the world's traditional powers -- Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Spain to name a handful.

In an odd twist though, three of the four semi-finalist nations from the 2006 World Cup in Germany are not here -- champion Italy, runner-up France and third-place Germany. Also absent are two more Euro powers, England and the Netherlands.

From the opening kickoffs in Ottawa and Montreal on Saturday, big games abound. And like the main World Cup, one loss in group play can be disastrous.

That's all part of the beautiful game when played at the highest level, of course. And at such an impressionable age for the participants, there will be lessons learned -- win, lose or draw.

"It's a wonderful chance to get a feel for what international tournament soccer is all about," Mitchell said.

"Where all of these boys would like to go eventually is a World Cup.

"This gives them, fairly early in their career, an opportunity to see what it is like to really have to play against the very best countries in the world."

[Joe MacCarthy]

If you build it, will they come?
By DEREK VAN DIEST -- Sun Media
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2007/06/28/4297320-sun.html

EDMONTON -- It's gonna be huge.

At least that's the slogan. Whether the FIFA Under-20 World Cup turns out to be as big as anticipated remains to be seen. But things are heading in the right direction.

"With the number of tickets forecast to be sold before and during the competition, it will probably be the second-highest attendance of any country that has hosted the event," Canadian Soccer Association president Colin Linford said. "Our numbers will probably be the second highest that the world have ever seen -- so that is huge."

Soccer aficionados can appreciate the magnitude of the event. This is one of FIFA's marquee championships -- second perhaps only to the World Cup itself.

"Normal Canadians as well as soccer followers are buying tickets which tells us something," Linford said. "I think this is big not just for soccer followers, but it|s big to many people, especially in some of the bigger cities. When you can get 52,000 to go out and watch a game in Montreal, that's big."

The opening game will be played on June 30 with Poland going up against Brazil in Montreal. It's one of four games scheduled for that day. The final takes place July 22 in Toronto.

"Every time there's a World Cup, there's an increase in player registration in this country because new people watch the game and then they decide it's a sport they want to participate in."

Canada has traditionally done well at this age group and once made it as far as the quarter-finals of this tournament.

"It's important that Canada do well to keep interest high, but it|s also important that Canada keep performing well at this age group," says Linford.

Positive results by the Canadians should help ticket sales in Edmonton, where so far they've been less than expected.

"Montreal has sold a lot of tickets, Toronto has sold out every game, the smaller areas like Burnaby and Victoria are obviously aware that this is probably the only opportunity they'll get to see players of this calibre and they're selling well," Linford said.

"But, we're a little disappointed in Edmonton. There hasn't been the support there as of yet.

"Maybe Edmonton is a walkup crowd; I don't know. Given the fact Canada is playing there, the numbers coming out of Edmonton are a lot less than we anticipated."

Canada -- drawn in a group with Chile, Austria, and Congo -- will play two of their three group matches in Edmonton. Commonwealth Stadium -- the largest of the six venues -- will play host to nine matches, including two second-round games, a quarter-final and a semi-final.

However some soccer fans in the city feel snubbed having seen the final awarded to Toronto and its newly-constructed stadium.

"That decision was made 18 months ago and I would hate to think that people are still living in the past," Linford said.

"We have to move forward and that's one of the issues we have with soccer in Canada -- we're constantly looking back as opposed to looking forward."

[Joe MacCarthy]

Out of shape referees sent home
By DEAN MCNULTY, SUN MEDIA
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2007/07/01/4305183-sun.html

Nine FIFA Under-20 World Cup referees -- three each from Russia, Argentina and Brazil -- were sent home yesterday after failing physical examinations prior to the opening games of the tournament.

FIFA officials said that each member country supplies a trio of referees and if even one in the group fails the test, all are taken off the rosters for the 24-nation competition.

"In one of the steps FIFA has taken to significantly improve refereeing standards, instructions issued to the referees prior to the competition made it clear that entire trios would be forced out of the competition if any of their members failed the fitness test," FIFA announced in a statement.

The nine will be replaced by three Canadian referees -- Steven Depiero, Silviu Petresco and Paul Ward -- who will act as fourth officials for the tournament.

Meanwhile, FIFA said yesterday that English referee Howard Webb -- who was to officiate the Group C Portugal-New Zealand game tomorrow at BMO field -- will be replaced by Depiero for "logistical reasons."

PIN-UP BOY

Canada U-20 midfielder Jaime Peters was the object of teammates' teasing yesterday during practice for today's game against Chile.

Players kept coming up to the 20-year-old Pickering native mocking him over being the cover boy for the team's official under-20 magazine.

"They are just jealous because the photographer chose me for the cover," he said.

STAMP OF APPROVAL

Canada Post yesterday launched a special 52 cent stamp to mark the start of the Under-20 World Cup of Soccer.

The stamp pictures five U-20 Canadian players kicking around a ball.

"It is a great honour that Canada Post has issued a special stamp to commemorate the FIFA U-20 World Cup," FIFA president Joseph Blatter said.

"The initiative to create a special stamp is a clear reflection of the growing importance of soccer in Canada."

[Solid Snake]

Champs from the start(FIFA.com) Sunday 1 July 2007


http://fifa.com/mm/photo/tournament/competition/vela_2_6335_sq_small.jpg

Mighty Mexico's greatest-ever footballing glory came not via Hugo Sanchez or Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Garcia Aspe or Luis 'El Matador' Hernandez, but rather a smashing gang of largely unknown teenage go-getters who set the world of football alight with a run to the FIFA U-17 World Cup title in Peru.

It is, to date, the only world title for a country widely regarded as top dog in CONCACAF.

Fast-forward two years from the scenes of massive jubilation and wild parades in the streets of Mexico City and the guts of that world-beating team (ten players to be exact) are back on the world stage at Canada 2007.

The pair of Carlos Vela and Barcelona starlet Giovanni dos Santos will be the standard bearers, carrying heavy hopes on their narrow, young shoulders. The duo has an understanding near telepathic on the pitch, reviving nostalgic echoes of great past tandems of football legend and lore.

Monterrey-born Dos Santos was named second-best player in the U-17 Peru finals (behind only Brazil's Anderson) and Vela - who hails from sun-splashed Cancun - finished top scorer with no less than five goals.

"We both play in Spain now [Vela was loaned out by Arsenal to Salamanca last season]. We call each other a lot on the phone, but haven't seen each other in a while," said Dos Santos, who is expected to make his debut for Barca and Mexico's senior sides this year. "But when we stepped out onto the pitch for the first time in Toronto it was like we were never apart."

The Mexican team, in fact, looked a vision of organisation and team understanding in their first training session at the National Soccer Stadium in Toronto on Thursday. Head coach Jesus Ramirez - who held the U-17 reins in Peru - hardly ever had to say a word to the lads. He simply strolled around the pitch with a smile, occasionally changing the nature of the drills or jovially shouting some praise or a light-hearted joke.

The stuff of legend
This kind of mechanical, unspoken chemistry is the stuff of legendary teams. And at the heart of this impressive squad is the tandem of Vela and Dos Santos.

Whereas Dos Santos comes off a little impish, always with a joke and a smile for team-mates, Vela has a bit of a steelier countenance, which came out in full force when he spoke to FIFA.com after practice.

"We will need to play with great creativity and skill, but we will also have to fight for the cause," said the Salamanca man who dyed his hair blond for the finals. "This is a strength in this team that is often overlooked. Sure, we have talent, but we have guts and spirit and the courage to fight for the shirt too."

"I think we have what it takes to win this tournament," he went on. "But it won't be easy, and we can't think the trophy will be handed to us. We must show spirit and play like the brothers we are!"

Another 'brother' in the team and 'old boy' from Peru 2005 is the outstanding Cruz Azul midfielder Cesar Villaluz. He shares Vela's slight caution and determination. "We know if we play to our full potential that we can beat any team in the world and any team in this competition," the diminutive midfielder said. "But just because we won the U-17 World Cup two years ago, it is not a foregone conclusion that we will win this one here. We must be cautious."

In truth though, caution is most likely not something the smashing Mexicans and their star tandem will be showing off in their first match against fellow Peru 2005 veterans Gambia in Toronto on Monday. Mexico's 16 goals in six games at Peru 2005 averages out to over 2.5 per contest and the junior world champions will surely be looking for more of the same in the Great White North.