A platform for legends-in-the-making
As Colombia prepares to host the 18th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the locals may well be wondering what to expect. The tournament’s billing has traditionally promised ‘a look at football’s stars of tomorrow, today’, but has the 34-year-old showpiece really lived up to this kind of hype? FIFA.com set about cheap soccer jersey finding out.Tunisia staged the first-ever FIFA World Youth Championship, as it was known in 1977, and the star of the title-winning USSR side was midfield general Vladimir Bessonov. After laying claim to the tournament’s adidas Golden Ball award, the Dynamo Kiev star went on to enjoy an outstanding international career, winning Olympic gold .A good start, then, but nothing compared to the sense of history-in-the-making that accompanied the 1979 edition in Japan. This was the tournament at which a certain Diego Maradona gave the world a memorable first glimpse of his awesome potential, inspiring an outstanding Argentina side to glory alongside his prolific partner in crime, Ramon Diaz.
Argentina conceded their crown two years later, but the Albiceleste side of 1981 did contain a striker who would go on to score a FIFA World Cup-winning goal just five years later, Jorge Burruchaga. Uruguayan legend Enzo Francescoli also impressed in Australia, but it was Romulus Gabor – the rock on EPL Football shirts which the bronze-winning Romania side was built – who claimed the adidas Golden Ball.It was generally felt that Gabor, despite going on to win 35 caps for his country, failed to live up to his potential, and the same was widely said of Geovani, the star of Mexico 1983. The Brazilian’s vision and skill had seen him edge the likes of Marco van Basten, Toni Polster and Bebeto to both the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe awards, but it was to prove the high point of a career that never truly got off the ground.Geovani’s fellow Brazilian and winner of the 1985 Golden Ball, Silas, undoubtedly fared better, starring for Sporting and Sampdoria in a career that also encompassed two FIFA World Cups in 1986 and 1990.
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