1999 FIFA World Youth Championship
FIFA U-20 World Cup Nigeria 1999
Tournament details
Host countryNigeria
Dates3–24 April
Teams24 (from 6 confederations)
Venue(s)8 (in 8 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Spain (1st title)
Runners-up Japan
Third place Mali
Fourth place Uruguay
Tournament statistics
Matches played52
Goals scored158 (3.04 per match)
Attendance624,400 (12,008 per match)
Top scorer(s)Spain Pablo Couñago
Mali Mahamadou Dissa
(5 goals)
Best player(s)Mali Seydou Keita
Fair play award Croatia
← 1997
2001 →

The 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Nigeria between 3 and 24 April 1999. This was the 12th edition of the tournament.

Qualification

The following 24 teams qualified for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Confederation Qualifying Tournament Qualifier(s)
AFC (Asia) 1998 AFC Youth Championship  Japan
 Kazakhstan1
 South Korea
 Saudi Arabia
CAF (Africa) Host nation  Nigeria
1999 African Youth Championship  Cameroon
 Ghana
 Mali
 Zambia1
CONCACAF
(North, Central America & Caribbean) 		1998 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament  Costa Rica
 Honduras
 Mexico
 United States
CONMEBOL (South America) 1999 South American Youth Championship  Argentina
 Brazil
 Paraguay
 Uruguay
OFC (Oceania) 1998 OFC U-20 Championship  Australia
UEFA (Europe) 1998 UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship  Croatia1
 England
 Germany
 Portugal
 Republic of Ireland
 Spain
1.^ Teams that made their debut.

Venues

Ibadan Lagos Enugu Port Harcourt
Liberty Stadium National Stadium Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Liberation Stadium
Capacity: 40,000 Capacity: 45,000 Capacity: 22,000 Capacity: 25,000
1999 FIFA World Youth Championship (Nigeria)
Kano Calabar Kaduna Bauchi
Sani Abacha Stadium U.J. Esuene Stadium Ahmadu Bello Stadium Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium
Capacity: 18,000 Capacity: 16,000 Capacity: 16,500 Capacity: 15,000

Squads

Main article: 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship squads

Group stage

The 24 teams were split into six groups of four teams. Six group winners, six second-place finishers and the four best third-place finishers qualify for the knockout round.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Paraguay 3 2 0 1 5 6 −1 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Nigeria (H) 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4
3  Costa Rica 3 1 1 1 4 5 −1 4
4  Germany 3 1 0 2 5 4 +1 3
Source:[citation needed]
(H) Hosts
Nigeria 1–1 Costa Rica
Aghahowa 20' (Report) Meléndez 83' (pen.)
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 37,500
Referee: Siarhei Shmolik (Belarus)
Germany 4–0 Paraguay
Kern 44', 60', 69'
Falk 90'		 (Report)
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Mohamed Guezzaz (Morocco)
Nigeria 2–0 Germany
Shittu 69'
Garba 81'		 (Report)
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Ángel Sánchez (Argentina)
Costa Rica 1–3 Paraguay
Garita 30' (Report) Santa Cruz 26'
Vera 50'
Cuevas 66'
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Jan Wegereef (Netherlands)
Nigeria 1–2 Paraguay
Shittu 38' (Report) Fernandez 9'
Maldonado 22'
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Jan Wegereef (Netherlands)
Costa Rica 2–1 Germany
Brenes 33'
Santana 69'		 (Report) Timm 38'
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Ángel Sánchez (Argentina)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Ghana 3 2 1 0 5 1 +4 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Croatia 3 1 2 0 6 2 +4 5
3  Argentina 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 4
4  Kazakhstan 3 0 0 3 1 9 −8 0
Source:[citation needed]
Ghana 1–1 Croatia
Ofori-Quaye 68' (Report) Deranja 22'
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)
Argentina 1–0 Kazakhstan
Cambiasso 44' (Report)
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark)
Ghana 1–0 Argentina
Ofori-Quaye 76' (Report)
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark)
Croatia 5–1 Kazakhstan
Deranja 7'
Miladin 11'
Sabolčki 34'
Banović 79'
Bjelanović 88'		 (Report) Urazayev 67'
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)
Ghana 3–0 Kazakhstan
Gyan 51', 69'
Adu 53'		 (Report)
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark)
Croatia 0–0 Argentina
(Report)
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Mexico 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Republic of Ireland 3 2 0 1 6 1 +5 6
3  Australia 3 1 0 2 4 8 −4 3
4  Saudi Arabia 3 0 1 2 2 6 −4 1
Source:[citation needed]
Australia 3–1 Saudi Arabia
Culina 29'
Maisano 72'
Al-Garni 77' (o.g.)		 (Report) Dabo 90'
Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Gustavo Méndez (Uruguay)
Mexico 1–0 Republic of Ireland
Márquez 10' (Report)
Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Carlos Eugênio Simon (Brazil)
Australia 1–3 Mexico
Sterjovski 45' (Report) Márquez 2'
J. Rodríguez 58'
Osorno 83'
Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Attendance: 500
Referee: Carlos Eugênio Simon (Brazil)
Saudi Arabia 0–2 Republic of Ireland
(Report) McPhail 42'
Duff 65'
Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Gustavo Méndez (Uruguay)
Australia 0–4 Republic of Ireland
(Report) Sadlier 20'
Duff 73'
Healy 74'
Crossley 90'
Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Attendance: 800
Referee: Gustavo Méndez (Uruguay)
Saudi Arabia 1–1 Mexico
Al-Saqri 37' (Report) L. González 30'
Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Siarhei Shmolik (Belarus)

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Mali 3 2 0 1 6 6 0 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Portugal 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4
3  Uruguay 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
4  South Korea 3 1 0 2 5 6 −1 3
Source:[citation needed]
Uruguay 1–2 Mali
Chevantón 65' (Report) Camara 51'
Dissa 90'
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Željko Širić (Croatia)
South Korea 1–3 Portugal
Kim K.H. 37' (Report) R. Sousa 27'
Simão 85', 90' (pen.)
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Ahmad Nabil Ayad (Lebanon)
Uruguay 1–0 South Korea
Chevantón 3' (Report)
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Željko Širić (Croatia)
Mali 2–1 Portugal
Am. Coulibaly 15' (pen.)
Ndiaye 45'		 (Report) P. Costa 55'
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Ahmad Nabil Ayad (Lebanon)
Uruguay 0–0 Portugal
(Report)
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Olufunmi Olaniyan (Nigeria)
Mali 2–4 South Korea
Dissa 57'
Bagayoko 60'		 (Report) Seol K.H. 3', 35'
Na H.K. 22' (pen.)
Lee D.G. 69'
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Željko Širić (Croatia)

Group E

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Japan 3 2 0 1 6 3 +3 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  United States 3 2 0 1 5 4 +1 6
3  Cameroon 3 2 0 1 4 4 0 6
4  England 3 0 0 3 0 4 −4 0
Source:[citation needed]
Cameroon 2–1 Japan
Komol 72', 89' (Report) Takahara 51'
Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: William Mattus (Costa Rica)
England 0–1 United States
(Report) Califf 12'
Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano
Attendance: 19,000
Referee: Mourad Daami (Tunisia)
Cameroon 1–0 England
Cooper 63' (o.g.) (Report)
Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: William Mattus (Costa Rica)
Japan 3–1 United States
Downing 10' (o.g.)
Takahara 51'
Ogasawara 85'		 (Report) Futagaki 74'
Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Arturo Dauden Ibáñez (Spain)
Cameroon 1–3 United States
Kioyo 63' (Report) Twellman 38', 79'
Bocanegra 57'
Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Arturo Dauden Ibáñez (Spain)
Japan 2–0 England
Ishikawa 39'
Ono 48'		 (Report)
Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Mourad Daami (Tunisia)

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Spain 3 2 1 0 5 1 +4 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Brazil 3 2 0 1 8 3 +5 6
3  Zambia 3 1 1 1 5 8 −3 4
4  Honduras 3 0 0 3 4 10 −6 0
Source:[citation needed]
Zambia 4–3 Honduras
Makayi 19'
Makufi 44', 55'
Mbambara 72'		 (Report) Suazo 9'
De León 41', 74'
U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Simon Micallef (Australia)
Spain 2–0 Brazil
Gabri 15', 33' (Report)
U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Felipe Ramos (Mexico)
Zambia 0–0 Spain
(Report)
U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Felipe Ramos (Mexico)
Honduras 0–3 Brazil
(Report) Edu 36', 80'
Matuzalém 41'
Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Olufunmi Olaniyan (Nigeria)
Zambia 1–5 Brazil
Sinkala 39' (Report) Ronaldinho 27'
Aurélio 45'
Baiano 65'
Mancini 69'
Rodrigo Gral 80'
Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Simon Micallef (Australia)
Honduras 1–3 Spain
Oliva 76' (Report) Pablo 10'
Varela 26'
Rubén 31'
Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Mohamed Guezzaz (Morocco)

Ranking of third-placed teams

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Result
1 E  Cameroon 3 2 0 1 4 4 0 6 Advance to knockout stage
2 D  Uruguay 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
3 B  Argentina 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 4
4 A  Costa Rica 3 1 1 1 4 5 −1 4
5 F  Zambia 3 1 1 1 5 8 −3 4
6 C  Australia 3 1 0 2 4 8 −4 3
Source:[citation needed]

Knockout stage

Bracket

 
Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
April 15 - Enugu
 
 
 Mali (aet)5
 
April 18 - Enugu
 
 Cameroon4
 
 Mali3
 
April 14 - Kano
 
 Nigeria1
 
 Republic of Ireland1 (3)
 
April 21 - Kaduna
 
 Nigeria (pen.)1 (5)
 
 Mali1
 
April 15 - Port Harcourt
 
 Spain3
 
 Spain3
 
April 18 - Kaduna
 
 United States2
 
 Spain (pen.)1 (8)
 
April 14 - Kaduna
 
 Ghana1 (7)
 
 Ghana2
 
April 24 - Lagos
 
 Costa Rica0
 
 Spain4
 
April 14 - Lagos
 
 Japan0
 
 Paraguay2 (9)
 
April 18 - Lagos
 
 Uruguay (pen.)2 (10)
 
 Uruguay2
 
April 14 - Calabar
 
 Brazil1
 
 Brazil4
 
April 21 - Lagos
 
 Croatia0
 
 Uruguay1
 
April 15 - Bauchi
 
 Japan2 Third place
 
 Japan (pen.)1 (5)
 
April 18 - IbadanApril 24 - Lagos
 
 Portugal1 (4)
 
 Japan2 Mali1
 
April 15 - Ibadan
 
 Mexico0  Uruguay0
 
 Mexico4
 
 
 Argentina1
 

Round of 16

Republic of Ireland 1–1 (a.e.t.) Nigeria
Sadlier 35' (Report) Ikedia 70'
Penalties
Crossley soccer ball with check mark
Donnolly soccer ball with check mark
Heary soccer ball with red X
Quinn soccer ball with check mark		 3–5 soccer ball with check mark Ikedia
soccer ball with check mark Okunowo
soccer ball with check mark Aranka
soccer ball with check mark Dombraye
soccer ball with check mark Shittu
Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)
Ghana 2–0 Costa Rica
Afriyie 18'
Ofori-Quaye 82'		 (Report)
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Arturo Dauden Ibáñez (Spain)
Paraguay 2–2 (a.e.t.) Uruguay
Santa Cruz 62' (pen.), 86' (Report) Chevantón 32'
Forlán 49'
Penalties
Santa Cruz soccer ball with check mark
Maldonado soccer ball with check mark
Escobar soccer ball with red X
Blanco soccer ball with check mark
Da Silva soccer ball with check mark
Florentín soccer ball with check mark
Domínguez soccer ball with check mark
Vera soccer ball with check mark
Cuevas soccer ball with check mark
Giménez soccer ball with check mark
Santa Cruz soccer ball with red X		 9–10 soccer ball with check mark Canobbio
soccer ball with red X Cardozo
soccer ball with check mark Pellegrín
soccer ball with check mark Carini
soccer ball with check mark Anchén
soccer ball with check mark Sorondo
soccer ball with check mark Correa
soccer ball with check mark Machado
soccer ball with check mark Carreño
soccer ball with check mark Carini
soccer ball with check mark Canobbio
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Felipe Ramos (Mexico)
Brazil 4–0 Croatia
Ronaldinho 21' (pen.), 45'
Fernando Baiano 48' (pen.)
Edu 68'		 (Report)
U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Ahmad Nabil Ayad (Lebanon)
Japan 1–1 (a.e.t.) Portugal
Endo 48' (Report) Marco Claúdio 80'
Penalties
Ono soccer ball with check mark
Nakata soccer ball with check mark
Motoyama soccer ball with check mark
Takahara soccer ball with check mark
Sakai soccer ball with check mark		 5–4 soccer ball with check mark Simão
soccer ball with check mark Marco Cláudio
soccer ball with check mark Sousa
soccer ball with red X Costa
soccer ball with check mark Leal
Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Mohamed Guezzaz (Morocco)
Spain 3–2 United States
Pablo 15', 32'
Xavi 19'		 (Report) Twellman 49', 90'
Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt
Attendance: 15,600
Referee: Carlos Eugênio Simon (Brazil)
Mexico 4–1 Argentina
Osorno 52'
E. Rodríguez 55'
J. Rodríguez 67'
L. González 88'		 (Report) Galletti 41'
Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Siarhei Shmolik (Belarus)
Mali 5–4 (a.e.t.) Cameroon
Ndiaye 9'
Bagayoko 67'
Camara 83'
Dissa 90', 104'		 (Report) Komol 10', 74'
Mbami 23'
Kioyo 26'
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Ángel Sánchez (Argentina)

Quarter-finals

Uruguay 2–1 Brazil
Anchen 44'
Canobbio 86' (pen.)		 (Report) Fernando Baiano 27'
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Mourad Daami (Tunisia)
Mali 3–1 Nigeria
Bagayoko 1', 72'
Diarra 44'		 (Report) Garba 17'
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Sergei Shmolik (Belarus)
Japan 2–0 Mexico
Motoyama 4'
Ono 24'		 (Report)
Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Attendance: 17,000
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark)
Spain 1–1 (a.e.t.) Ghana
Barkero 54' (pen.) (Report) Ofori-Quaye 90'
Penalties
Xavi soccer ball with check mark
Lombardero soccer ball with check mark
Yeste soccer ball with check mark
García soccer ball with red X
Jusué soccer ball with check mark
Bermudo soccer ball with check mark
Marchena soccer ball with check mark
Orbaiz soccer ball with check mark
Varela soccer ball with check mark		 8–7 soccer ball with check mark Ansah
soccer ball with check mark Razak
soccer ball with check mark Appiah
soccer ball with check mark Amuzu
soccer ball with red X Mohammed
soccer ball with check mark Gyan
soccer ball with check mark Abdul
soccer ball with check mark Ofori-Quaye
soccer ball with red X Blay
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 19,000
Referee: William Mattus (Costa Rica)

Semi-finals

Mali 1–3 Spain
Dissa 52' (Report) Varela 2', 26'
Xavi 90'
Ahmadou Bello Stadium, Kaduna
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)
Uruguay 1–2 Japan
Chevantón 24' (Report) Takahara 23'
Nagai 35'
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Simon Micallef (Australia)

Third place play-off

Mali 1–0 Uruguay
Keita 30' (Report)
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Željko Širić (Croatia)

Final

Spain 4–0 Japan
Barkero 5'
Pablo 14', 30'
Gabri 51'		 (Report)
National Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 38,000
Referee: Ángel Sánchez (Argentina)
Spain
Japan

Result

 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship winners 

Spain
First title

Goalscorers

Categories