The FIFA World Cup is not only the biggest international football tournament but also the most-watched sporting event in the world. Held for the first time in 1930, the tournament is held in different host nations every four years with the most recent World Cup taking place in Qatar. FIFA also hosts several international tournaments that highlight the best young players in the world.
Once the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is over, the global football spotlight shifts to Indonesia, which will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2023. Previously known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, the U-20 World Cup is a little different from the World Cup. First played in 1977, it is held every two years instead of four and features just 24 teams instead of 32.
The 2023 U-20 World Cup will take place from May 20 to June 11. Indonesia was supposed to host the event in 2020, but FIFA canceled it due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Argentina is the most successful nation at the U-20 level with six titles, but it hasn’t won since 2007. Below is a look at the four most recent champions.
1. Ukraine (2019)
Ukraine won its first U-20 World Cup in Poland in 2019. Prior to that year, the Eastern European nation had never even recorded a top-four finish at the U-20 World Cup. It reached the Round of 16 in 2015, 2005, and 2001. Ukraine finished first in Group D with seven points in three games and then defeated Panama 4-1 in the Round of 16 to advance to the quarter finals.
Ukraine scored consecutive 1-0 victories over Colombia and Italy to reach the final, where it defeated South Korea 3-1. Ukraine trailed 1-0 in the final, but striker Vladyslav Supriaha scored a pair of goals to give Ukraine the lead by the 53rd minute. Heorhiy Tsitaishvili scored Ukraine’s third goal in the 90th minute. Supriaha has yet to play for Ukraine’s senior national team, but he is playing at the club level for Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv.
Despite its success in 2019, Ukraine did not qualify for the 2023 U-20 World Cup. The last seven defending champions have now failed to qualify for the subsequent U-20 World Cup.
2. England (2017)
England won its first U-20 World Cup in South Korea in 2017 following a 1-0 victory against Venezuela in the final. This was the first time either country had made the final. England’s prior best result was a third-place finish at the 1993 U-20 World Cup in Australia.
England led Group A, which also included South Korea, with seven points in three matches. It defeated Costa Rica, Mexico, and Italy on the road to the final. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the lone goal in the final to give England its first major international trophy since the senior national team won the World Cup in 1966.
Calvert-Lewin has since scored four goals in 11 matches for England’s senior national team. Some of the other top players at the U-20 World Cup in 2017 included Josh Sargent (United States), Lee Seung-woo (South Korea), Nicolás Schiappacasse (Uruguay), and Riccardo Orsolini (Italy).
3. Serbia (2015)
Serbia made history at the 2015 U-20 World Cup in New Zealand when it won the tournament for the first time following a 2-1 victory over Brazil in the final. This marked Serbia’s first time in the final, while Brazil, five-time champions, were playing in their ninth U-20 World Cup final.
Serbia finished first in Group D with six points and needed extra time in each of its four matches in the Knockout Stage. It scored a 2-1 victory over Hungary in the Round of 16 and followed that up with a victory in penalty kicks over the US in the quarter finals. It won 2-1 extra time decisions over Mali and Brazil in the semi-finals and final, respectively. Nemanja Maksimović scored the golden goal for Serbia in the 118th minute of the match against Brazil.
Serbia’s Predrag Rajković received the Golden Glove as the best keeper in the tournament, while Adama Traoré (Mali) won the Golden Ball as the best player.
4. France (2013)
France won its only U-20 World Cup in Turkey in 2013. The team’s best finish prior to 2013 was a fourth-place finish in 2011. Unlike the aforementioned members of this list, France didn’t win its group in 2013. It finished second in Group A with four points but had a strong showing in the Knockout Stage.
France defeated host Turkey 4-1 in the Round of 16 and beat Uzbekistan 4-0 in the quarter finals. It scored a 2-1 win over Ghana in the semi-finals and had a much tougher test in the final. France prevailed over Uruguay 4-1 in penalty kicks following a scoreless draw through regulation time.
Paul Pogba of France received the Golden Ball as the best player in the tournament. Pogba, now 29 years old, has played 91 matches for France’s senior national team.