India may be a long way off from participating in a FIFA World Cup, but the opportunity to host its first-ever FIFA tournament is, hopefully, a step in the right direction.
Exactly 100 days from today, football's “sleeping giant” will host the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The tournament will be played in six cities, between October 6 and 28. Twenty four countries from around the world will be drawn into six groups on July 7.
Sceptics might whine that since it is an under-17 competition, we won't get to witness quality football or any of the household names who ply their trades on European soil. But a peek at the former player of the tournament recipients tells a different story. Here are five 'Golden Ball' winners who made it big after impressing in the formative years of their careers:
Cesc Fabregas (Spain, 2003)
The midfield magician is the best example of a player who stood out. Discovered and reared alongside Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets at Barcelona's famed youth academy, La Masia, Fabregas stunned audiences at the 2003 U-17 World Cup. He helped his side reach the final, before losing out to Brazil, and was only the second player to win the Golden Ball (player of tournament) and the Golden Boot (top scorer), despite being a midfielder. The wonder kid caught the attention of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and was soon whisked off to the London club. The rest, as we know, is history. Fabregas won his first senior Spain cap in 2006 and has notched up an astonishing 109 games since.
Toni Kroos (Germany, 2007)
Currently one of football's hottest properties, the quietly efficient Toni Kroos first gave the world a glimpse of his prowess in the 2007 edition in South Korea. The current Real Madrid midfielder scored five goals as his nation finished third in the competition. He scored for his side in the quarterfinals, the semifinals and the third-place match, going on to be adjudged the tournament's best. Fresh out of the Bayern Munich academy, Kroos went on to play for the Munich reserve team, before making his debut with the senior team. He played his first German senior match in 2010. He played a key role in the country's 2014 World Cup victory and is considered to be one of the world's best central midfielders today.
Landon Donovan (US, 1999)
The United States might not have a very prominent 'soccer' team, but over the years they have produced several decent players. Among them is former LA Galaxy winger Landon Donovan. He scored three goals at the U-17 side in New Zealand and was considered the most promising and dangerous attacker of his time. The US lost out on penalties to Australia in the semifinal. Donovan went on to make his US senior debut in 2000. He is the all-time leading goal scorer for his country and is considered to be one of the greatest American players, along with the likes of Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard.
Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria, 2013)
Nigeria holds the record for the most number of U-17 World Cups won (5), including the last two editions. It was in the 2013 tournament in the UAE that Kelechi Iheanacho made the world sit up and take notice. Now 20 years of age and a hot prospect for Manchester City, it would be an understatement to say that he outperformed his peers in the UAE—he notched up six goals and seven assists, including a goal in the 3-0 rout of Mexico in the final. The striker has been a standout performer for Nigeria since his under-13 days and basked in his introduction to the spotlight at the competition. As the country seeks to win an unprecedented hat-trick of World Cups this time, the youngsters will look to gems like Iheanacho for inspiration. Oh, and by the way, his middle name is Promise. Coincidence?
Anderson (Brazil, 2005)
This list would be incomplete without a Brazilian. But, this isn't one of the more well-known ones. After a scintillating performance at the 2005 edition in Peru, European clubs were scrambling for his acquisition. He is credited for single-handedly carrying his team to the final, terrorising defences and contributing with two goals and six assists. Anderson lasted only 15 minutes in the final, before getting injured, and his country went on to lose heavily to Mexico. The attacker spent one year at Porto before sealing a big-money move to Manchester United in 2007. But, like many of compatriots, Anderson has failed to live up to expectations. The 29-year-old made his debut for Brazil in 2007 but earned only seven caps after that.
Apart from the above-mentioned Golden Ball winners, there have been other impressive teenagers like Isco (2009), Bojan Krkic (2007), Carlos Vela (2005) and Neymar (2009), who made the world take notice of their potential.
It would be hard to bet on the future of any such standout performers this time, but the odds are good for a future Fabregas to make his mark on Indian soil. We are definitely in for a treat.
