Indian football is on the cusp of history as for the first time ever its team will play in a global event when Amarjit Singh Kiyam led side will take on the USA in their opening match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Delhi on Friday.

More than sixty years after India declined the invitation to participate in the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Uruguay (when it was an invitational tournament), because of lack of finances and players not used to playing in shoes, the country would be fielding a team in a World Cup.

India in the process became the fifth Asian country ~ after China, Japan, South Korea and UAE ~ to host the tournament which was started in 1985.

After India was given the opportunity to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in its history and selected as hosts in December 2013,the AIFF spared no efforts to build a team for this mega event.

Money was no consideration as in an effort to field the best possible team for the World Cup the team was given exposure trips of Europe, Africa, South America, Russia and lately Mexico by the All India Football Federation. Recently the young colts had participated in a Four-Nation Tournament where they faced hosts Mexico, Colombia and Chile.

Now barely 24 hours to go for the mega event the Indian squad’s morale is high as ever, the boys who became in men in the process have all glints in their eyes ~ raring to go ~ ready to take on the world and ready to prove a point.
“If we can show the world that we are on the same page as them and give each opponent we face a tough fight, then that is a victory in itself”, said Luis Norton de Matos, Head Coach of the Indian U-17 World Cup Team.

“The level of the Indian U-17s is very high and the squad is raring to go. Even if there is a five percent chance of winning a match we will give it our all and look to do the impossible,” he said.

Coach Matos at the same time wants the players to enjoy on the big stage and “live their dream”.

“The player have sacrificed a lot in this amazing journey and it is a unique moment for Indian football and I am proud to be associated with it. I believe in liberty and responsibility and I want my Players to enjoy on the pitch, yet fight to the very end,” he said.

For players in the current Indian U-17 squad World Cup ~ likes of captain Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Komal Thatal and Aniket Jadhav ~ will thus accomplish a feat, which eluded legends like Bhaichung Bhutia, I M Vijayan and Sunil Chhetri.

The journey for every player associated with the Indian Squad was unique, some made it into the final 21, some did not, but the feeling of giving their best in every match remained constant, evolutions as player however happened along the way.

“I have grown so much as a player, it is crazy to look back and see from where I started”, said skipper Amarjit Singh.

“The exposure trips helped a lot, they enabled us to play some of the best teams in the world and learn from our mistakes.”

For Komal Thatal the journey changed his perspective of football.

“I would rather take losing to a very good team 1-0 and learn from our mistakes rather than win 10-0 against an easy team. My perspective of football along the way has completely changed. Winning is important but it is not everything, sometimes winning gets overshadowed by a brilliant performance from the losing side,” he said.

Goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh literally turned from a boy to a man. Looking at his old photo when he first joined the AIFF Academies aged 12, the custodian laughs and says, “I cannot recognize myself. It is amazing how much I have grown, I look like a small kid in this photo.”

“I am happy where I am now and with the FIFA U-17 World Cup at hand I am raring to go. I always had a dream of playing in a FIFA World Cup and now my dream is coming true,” he said.

India has been drawn in Group A alongside USA, Colombia and Ghana. For the USA who will open their campaign against India, it make be their 16th appearance in the under-17 World Cup – a record it shares with Brazil. The Americans who once finished fourth (1999), also hold a dubious distinction of the most defeats (28) and conceding the most number of goals (96) in the tournament’s history. However this time their performance has been impressive in qualifying round at the CONCACAF U-17 championships in Panama this year. The USA won all matches before losing to Mexico in the final on penalties. The Americans broke Mexico’s 25-match unbeaten streak earlier in the tournament thanks to a group stage win.

Three-time champions Brazil, European winners Spain and Mexico are the title contenders while two- time champions Ghana, Germany, England and United States will also fancy their chances to go all the way in the tournament. African champions Mali and technically sound and creative Colombia could be the dark horses. In the absence of Vinicius Junior, another Flamengo youth team player Lincoln Correa dos Santos will be the man leading the Brazilians from the front. A versatile player, the 16- year-old Lincoln can play on both wings of the pitch but he prefers playing as a centre forward.

Spain have wonderkids like Barcelona’s youth team player and captain Abel Ruiz and Valencia starlet Ferran Torres. Ruiz is an attacking player and was one of the La Masia talents courted by top premier league clubs like Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Delhi and Mumbai will play host to tomorrow’s four opening day games, including one featuring the home side. But the tournament’s significance for the country will go beyond the results that will come on the field.

Before India-USA clash, it will be face-off between Ghana and Colombia which will signal the start of the mega event.
Two-time champions Ghana who last won it 1995, after shocking Brazil will be hoping that in the absence of defending champion Nigeria, they will carry the African legacy and keep that continent’s flag high.

Colombia, are making it to tournament after a gap of eight years. In the 2009 edition they had finished third. They have competed in five editions of the tournament, finishing third on two occasions. They hustled and bustled their way to India with a last-ditch victory over continental rival Paraguay.

Coached by Orlando Restrepo relies heavily on wide areas with its players aiming to make their physical presence count.

They were first to arrive in India for the tournament, and would have acclimatized themselves with the conditions by now. The coach exuded confidence that his boys will put up a good show in the marquee junior event.
Ghana’s head coach Paa Kwesi Fabin said his players are eager to rekindle the glory days of the past.

“In India, we’ll be out to show we’re the best. Our aim is to get to the final and win it,” he said.

The 1990s marked a golden era for Ghana’s U-17 national team. The Black Starlets were the undoubted dominant force, reaching the final at four of the decade’s five FIFA U-17 World Cups, including lifting the trophy in 1991 (Italy) and 1995 (Ecuador). It also finished on the podium in 1999 (New Zealand).

Following a 10-year absence, the Black Starlets booked their ticket to the U-17 global extravaganza through their performances at this year’s CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

We’ve been handed a very tough group. We’re up against the sort of sides who need no introduction, but we’re ready,” said coach Paa Kwesi Fabin.