Story by Hema Ramkissoon
The twenty teams competing in the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup learned their fate at the Official Draw Ceremony at the Sala Nezahualcoyotl in Mexico City on Tuesday evening.
While addressing the audience, FIFA Vice President Jack Warner wished all participants well saying the next generation of football stars will be born out of the competition.
“There are no big teams, no giants, no big egos, no superstars in an under 17 competition. No, in an under 17 competition stars are born, superstars are discovered, coaches and audiences alike are given a snapshot into the future. They see the next generation of football players.”
Warner, who is also the President of CONCACAF reiterated the importance of youth development in all regions.
“I will obviously have a bias but with what I have seen from this draw there are no easy groups. One thing is becoming more apparent – the gap between the once perceived power houses of football and the weaker teams is shrinking. New teams are emerging stronger than before and they are formidable opponents. I would like at this time to commend Rwanda on its debut in the competition.”
Warner noted that for too long people saw football as only the men’s senior teams. He pointed out that such a school of thought is antiquated.
The twenty teams competing in the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup learned their fate at the Official Draw Ceremony at the Sala Nezahualcoyotl in Mexico City on Tuesday evening.
While addressing the audience, FIFA Vice President Jack Warner wished all participants well saying the next generation of football stars will be born out of the competition.
“There are no big teams, no giants, no big egos, no superstars in an under 17 competition. No, in an under 17 competition stars are born, superstars are discovered, coaches and audiences alike are given a snapshot into the future. They see the next generation of football players.”
Warner, who is also the President of CONCACAF reiterated the importance of youth development in all regions.
“I will obviously have a bias but with what I have seen from this draw there are no easy groups. One thing is becoming more apparent – the gap between the once perceived power houses of football and the weaker teams is shrinking. New teams are emerging stronger than before and they are formidable opponents. I would like at this time to commend Rwanda on its debut in the competition.”
Warner noted that for too long people saw football as only the men’s senior teams. He pointed out that such a school of thought is antiquated.
It is on occasions as these that we recognize that we have broken free from the policies of the past and must look to the future and survival of the sport, its growth and development in the respective countries.
Beyond the statistics of this sport, he maintained that the founding principles of this beautiful game are still the same. “It is the game of hope, the game of dreams; the game which equalizes all on the playing field”.
He once again urged that CONCACAF as a region must continue to create opportunities to not only recognize raw talent, but to also implement programmes to properly harness that talent.
Warner, who chairs the FIFA youth committee, arrived in Mexico on Tuesday morning to participate in the Draw Ceremony.
FIFA U-17 World Cup draw
He once again urged that CONCACAF as a region must continue to create opportunities to not only recognize raw talent, but to also implement programmes to properly harness that talent.
Warner, who chairs the FIFA youth committee, arrived in Mexico on Tuesday morning to participate in the Draw Ceremony.
FIFA U-17 World Cup draw
- Group A (Morelia/Monterrey): Mexico, North Korea, Congo, the Netherlands
- Group B (Monterrey/Morelia): Japan, Jamaica, France, Argentina
- Group C (Pachuca/Torreon): Uruguay, Canada, Rwanda, England
- Group D (Torreon/Pachuca): U.S., Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, New Zealand
- Group E (Queretaro/Guadalajara): Burkina Faso, Panama, Germany, Ecuador
- Group F (Guadalajara/Querearo): Australia, Ivory Coast, Brazil, Denmark
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