Soccer Scene Future stars showcased at world youth event

By Joe Behan

The FIFA World Youth Soccer Championship sizes up the shape of things to come with its participating teams and a 19-year-old player, Javier Pedro Saviola, from the host nation Argentina.

The 2001 tournament, which started Sunday and concludes July 8, has the potential to host new-age soccer for the world to see. The 13th FIFA competition doesn’t really have any surprising past winners, from USSR in 1977 to Spain in 1999, but this year there are new kids on the block.

Argentina and Brazil have each won it three times, with a double from Portugal, while Germany and Yugoslavia have broken the domination of these superpowers. The list of youth winners looks like the senior World Cup list, although Italy are not making much of an impression on the youth scene.

In this year’s youth tournament, the most significant additions to the soccer world are Angola, the African champions, and Ethiopia, as both nations qualify for the first time. Credit must be given to Finland, who also make their debut in the championship.

In 1976, FIFA embarked on a youth development program in Africa and instilled their objectives in the soccer nation of Ethiopia. The FIFA goals were to promote soccer worldwide, develop international participation, and make soccer better known and more popular. The insertion of these new nations sees last year’s winners, Spain, out, along with previous winners Russia, Yugoslavia and Portugal. The only top team returning from last year is Japan, who will host the 2002 World Cup.

Soccer in the 21st century, at least for the youths, is producing somewhat of a different culture. It is definitely more global compared to the 20th century. Indeed the change seems to be happening overnight. Alongside, Ethiopia, Angola and Finland, countries such as, Egypt, Japan, Australia, Iraq, Canada, Costa Rica, the U.S., China, Ukraine, Ghana, Iran and Ecuador are teams to watch for the future World Cups. For now, these upstart nations are on show in Argentina. The biggest home attraction at the competition is Argentina’s brightest upcoming star, striker Javier Saviola.

Javier Pedro Saviola

Argentinean support has great expectations for Saviola, who is making a name for himself on the Rio de La Plata. The gifted player is considered to be something special, a kind of talent that seems to emerge from South America every now and then. When he was 16, he made his debut for River Plate. Three years later, he has hit 50 goals as he approaches his 100th game at top professional level. A regular in the national squad, the flashy forward is expected to lift the trophy for the fourth time for Argentina.

More and more European clubs are paying attention to Saviola. After he was voted South American footballer of the year as a 17-year-old, his name was in the notebooks of many a scout in Europe. The big clubs are ready to spend millions on him, but it’s likely he will not be the only superstar at the youth games. Remember, many a great name and world-famous star has come out of the Youth Championships, such as Maradona, Van Basten, Bebeto, Dunga, Sammer, Figo, Raul, Henry, Viduka and Owen.

It’s still the early days for Saviola, of course, and a lot rests on the young man’s shoulders. There is talk of him matching Diego Maradona’s feats in Japan in 1979 when Argentina won the youth championship and launched Maradona’s career. Like Maradona, Saviola is expected to lift the trophy in the year 2001, in front of the home crowd. It is a tall order when the likes of Brazil, Holland, Germany and European Champions France are also participating.

MLS produce youth

The U.S. does not look out of place in Group C with China, Chile and Ukraine. The scouting ground for American talent is the MLS.

Sixteen-year-old Santino Quaranta flashed across TV screens to bag two nice goals for D.C. United in the MLS game against Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium last Saturday. In the 55th minute, Bryan Namoff did well to get to the back line and put in a nice low cross toward the oncoming Quaranta. With all the composure of a veteran, the teenager made no mistake with a theft touch from the 6-yard-line. It was a nice finish and the young man had soccer fans keeping an eye on the screen.

It was 2-nil for D.C. as they began to excel in the lead.

Then Quaranta went on a run with the ball and his sheer strength and speed got him past two defenders to open up for a low shot just enough to beat the keeper. It looked like the defenders let him dribble the ball, and it looked like the keeper let him score; he made it look simple, for a 16-year-old that is. South America is not the only America producing young stars that can score goals.

Irish U21 soccer

A new Under-21 league, which the FAI named after Dr. Tony O’Neill, who passed away last year, is a great idea but not at the expense of reserve team football. It seems the FAI are doing away with the Reserve Division for the introduction of the U21 league.

Nonetheless, at least the FAI are getting closer to identifying Ireland’s younger players and let’s hope organizations promote youth development. Fans need to know how the 16-year-olds are doing; it is an international interest these days.

This U21 league has opened the door a little to help improve soccer in Ireland. Inclusion of teams such as Fanad United, (Donegal), Evergreen (Kilkenny), Mervue United (Galway), NUI Galway and Dublin University exposes the game to areas and talent on a broader national scale. FIFA’s objectives can be implemented by the FAI. The ideas work.

The league is divided into three sections of eight teams. Nineteen teams from the Eircom league are the daunting task ahead for the newcomers. Here are the regions that promise a new movement in Irish soccer towards youth level.:

Section A — Waterford United, Evergreen, Bray Wanderers, St. Francis, UCD, Shamrock Rovers, St. Patrick’s Athletic, Dublin University.

Section B — Longford Town, Athlone Town, Monaghan United, Dundalk, Drogheda United, Shelbourne, Bohemians, Home Farm Fingal.

Section C — Limerick FC, Galway United, Sligo Rovers, Finn Harps, Derry City, Mervue United, NUI Galway, Fanad United.