… Highest goal scorer and Best Player.
Cesare Casadei of Chelsea and Italy on Sunday emerged the world U20 Golden Boot winner for the highest goal scorer with 7 goals; Brazil’s Marcos Leonardo won the Silver boot with 5 goals with and Columbia’s Oscar Cortes was awarded the Bronze boot with 4 goals.
Cover Photo by Eniola Olatunji is FIFA President Infantino decorating match officials.
The highest known goal scorer at the U20 level is Javior Saviola of Argentina with 11 goals at the 2001 games. However Erling Halaand of Norway was highest scorer in 2019 with 9 goals; Ricardo Orsolini of Italy won the Golden boot at the 2017 games; two players Viktor Kovlenko of Ukraine and Benie Mervo of Hungary were co- winners in 2015 with 5 goals each; Ebenezer Assifuah of Ghana won with 6 goals in 2013; in 2011 Alexandria Lacazette of France, Henrique of Brazil and Alvaro of Spain were joint winners.
Already a total 153 goals have been scored as at the 51 matches of the 3rd place match (meaning 3 goals per match). A total of 638,460 fans meaning 12,769 per match. Some 15,327 fans were at the 3rd place match between Israel and South Korea making 653,787 fans which is an average of 12, 819 fans per match.
Casedei was the Best Player of the tournament while Uruguay goalkeeper and Club Atletico Penarol, Randall Jonas Rodriguez Lucas won the Golden Gloves meant for the safest hands in the tournament. The Fair Play trophy went to USA
Golden Ball also went to Cesare Casadei of Italy; Silver Ball to Alan Matturro of Uruguay and Bronze Ball to Lee Seungwon of Korea.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino also decorated all the officials for the finals and 3rd place matches with medals.
On 17th April 2023 FIFA relaced Indonesia with Argentina as Hosts over Indonesia’s insistaence that Israel will not play football on their grounds.
Defending Champions Ukraine failed to qualify a nd missed the party and hosts Argentina were Knocked out in the round of 16 by Nigeria who were equally sent home in the quarterfinals. Five times winner, Brazil were equally sent home in the quarterfinals by debutant Israel.
Uruguay won the trophy for the first time in 16 attempts; Italy won the Silver and Israel defeated South Korea to cart home the Bronze in their first attempt.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
The Author, Eniola Olatunji (Formerly Yomi Kassim) has been in the media for some 46 years with vast experience in Radio Sports Commentaries and Newspaper reporting. He worked as Presenter/Producer on many radio stations and Reporter/Editor in some Newspapers,
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