2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
2003 الإمارات العربية المتحدة
Tournament details
Host countryUnited Arab Emirates
Dates27 November – 19 December
Teams24 (from 6 confederations)
Venue(s)7 (in 4 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Brazil (4th title)
Runners-up Spain
Third place Colombia
Fourth place Argentina
Tournament statistics
Matches played52
Goals scored119 (2.29 per match)
Attendance592,100 (11,387 per match)
Top scorer(s)Brazil Dudu
Argentina Fernando Cavenaghi
United States Eddie Johnson
Japan Daisuke Sakata
(4 goals)
Best player(s)United Arab Emirates Ismail Matar
Fair play award Colombia
← 2001
2005 →

The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship was the 14th FIFA World Youth Championship. It took place in United Arab Emirates between 27 November and 19 December 2003. Brazil claimed their fourth title, becoming the first country to simultaneously hold all three World Cups of the same gender (senior, under-20, and under-17).[a] The tournament was originally planned to be played 25 March to 16 April 2003, but was postponed because of the Iraq War.

Venues

Abu Dhabi Al Ain
Zayed Sports City Stadium Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium Al Nahyan Stadium Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium
Capacity: 66,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 12,000
2003 FIFA World Youth Championship (United Arab Emirates)
Dubai Sharjah
Al-Maktoum Stadium Al-Rashid Stadium Sharjah Stadium
Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 18,000 Capacity: 12,000

Qualification

The following 24 teams qualified for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Confederation Qualifying Tournament Qualifier(s)
AFC (Asia) Host nation  United Arab Emirates
2002 AFC Youth Championship  Japan
 Saudi Arabia
 South Korea
 Uzbekistan1
CAF (Africa) 2003 African Youth Championship  Burkina Faso1
 Ivory Coast
 Egypt
 Mali
CONCACAF
(North, Central America & Caribbean) 		2003 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament  Canada
 Mexico
 Panama1
 United States
CONMEBOL (South America) 2003 South American Youth Championship  Argentina
 Brazil
 Colombia
 Paraguay
OFC (Oceania) 2002 OFC U-20 Championship  Australia
UEFA (Europe) 2002 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship  Czech Republic
 England
 Germany
 Republic of Ireland
 Slovakia1
 Spain
1.^ Teams that made their debut.

Squads

For a list of all squads that played in the final tournament, see 2003 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  Burkina Faso 3 2 1 0 2 0 +2 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Slovakia 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3 6
3  United Arab Emirates (H) 3 1 1 1 3 5 −2 4
4  Panama 3 0 0 3 1 4 −3 0
Source:[citation needed]
(H) Hosts
United Arab Emirates 1–4 Slovakia
Al-Wehaibi 72' (Report) Brezinský 5'
Halenár 23'
Čech 48'
Hološko 81'
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 46,000
Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)
Panama 0–1 Burkina Faso
(Report) Bance 81'
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Burkina Faso 1–0 Slovakia
Zongo 6' (Report)
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: Rahman Al-Delawar (Bahrain)
Panama 1–2 United Arab Emirates
Gun 36' (Report) Shehab 18' (pen.)
Saleh 80'
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)
United Arab Emirates 0–0 Burkina Faso
(Report)
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)
Slovakia 1–0 Panama
Pečovský 49' (Report)
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Mohamed Benouza (Algeria)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Argentina 3 3 0 0 7 3 +4 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Spain 3 2 0 1 4 2 +2 6
3  Mali 3 1 0 2 4 7 −3 3
4  Uzbekistan 3 0 0 3 3 6 −3 0
Source:[citation needed]
Argentina 2–1 Spain
Fernández 50', 74' (Report) Gabi 25'
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)
Uzbekistan 2–3 Mali
Inomov 18'
Geynrikh 63'		 (Report) Diarra 4'
Berthe 51'
Coulibaly 90+1'
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Wilson de Souza (Brazil)
Mali 0–2 Spain
(Report) Juanfran 16'
S. García 77' (pen.)
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 6,500
Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)
Uzbekistan 1–2 Argentina
Geynrikh 4' (Report) Fernández 70'
Cavenaghi 90+3' (pen.)
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 8,500
Referee: Abdou Diouf (Senegal)
Argentina 3–1 Mali
Ferreyra 13'
Herrera 26'
Diakité 32' (o.g.)		 (Report) Berthe 48' (pen.)
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)
Spain 1–0 Uzbekistan
Iniesta 15' (Report)
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Australia 3 2 1 0 6 4 +2 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Brazil 3 1 1 1 5 4 +1 4
3  Canada 3 1 0 2 2 4 −2 3
4  Czech Republic 3 0 2 1 2 3 −1 2
Source:[citation needed]
Brazil 2–0 Canada
D. Carvalho 56'
Nilmar 84'		 (Report)
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 13,150
Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)
Czech Republic 1–1 Australia
Limberský 24' (Report) McDonald 49'
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 8,200
Referee: Abdou Diouf (Senegal)
Australia 2–1 Canada
Brosque 12'
McKay 54'		 (Report) Hume 33'
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 8,200
Referee: Kwon Jong-Chul (South Korea)
Czech Republic 1–1 Brazil
Limberský 34' (Report) Adaílton 37'
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 12,500
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)
Brazil 2–3 Australia
Juninho 75'
Dudu 87'		 (Report) Danze 31', 37'
Dilevski 47'
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Canada 1–0 Czech Republic
Hume 80' (Report)
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Japan 3 2 0 1 3 4 −1 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Colombia 3 1 2 0 4 1 +3 5
3  Egypt 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 4
4  England 3 0 1 2 0 2 −2 1
Source:[citation needed]
Colombia 0–0 Egypt
(Report)
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 11,000
Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)
Japan 1–0 England
Sakata 54' (Report)  
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Kevin Stott (United States)
England 0–1 Egypt
(Report) Moteab 74'
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Shamsul Maidin (Singapore)
Japan 1–4 Colombia
Sakata 75' (Report) De la Cuesta 35'
Castrillón 43'
Aguilar 65'
Rivas 90+3'
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 7,200
Referee: Matthew Breeze (Australia)
Colombia 0–0 England
(Report)
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 9,210
Referee: Rahman Al-Delawar (Bahrain)
Egypt 0–1 Japan
(Report) Hirayama 79'
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 11,800
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

Group E

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  Republic of Ireland 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Ivory Coast 3 1 2 0 4 3 +1 5
3  Saudi Arabia 3 0 2 1 2 3 −1 2
4  Mexico 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1
Source:[citation needed]
Saudi Arabia 1–2 Republic of Ireland
Al-Mehyani 49' (Report) Elliott 18', 77'
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain
Attendance: 9,055
Referee: Matthew Breeze (Australia)
Mexico 1–2 Ivory Coast
De Nigris 85' (Report) Tohoua 19'
Koné 58'
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain
Attendance: 6,350
Referee: Kwon Jong-Chul (South Korea)
Ivory Coast 2–2 Republic of Ireland
Koné 12', 67' (Report) Paisley 36'
Elliott 74'
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain
Attendance: 10,265
Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)
Mexico 1–1 Saudi Arabia
Pinto 30' (Report) Majrashi 15'
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain
Attendance: 10,950
Referee: Kevin Stott (United States)
Saudi Arabia 0–0 Ivory Coast
(Report)
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain
Attendance: 10,370
Referee: Kwon Jong-Chul (South Korea)
Republic of Ireland 2–0 Mexico
Paisley 35'
Kelly 85'		 (Report)
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain
Attendance: 9,230
Referee: Wilson de Souza (Brazil)

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Group stage result
1  United States 3 2 0 1 6 4 +2 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Paraguay 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 6
3  South Korea 3 1 0 2 2 3 −1 3
4  Germany 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3
Source:[citation needed]
Paraguay 1–3 United States
Dos Santos 6' (Report) Johnson 53'
Magee 68'
Convey 81'
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: Shamsul Maidin (Singapore)
South Korea 2–0 Germany
Lee H.J. 51'
Lee J.M. 70'		 (Report)
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Mohamed Benouza (Algeria)
Germany 3–1 United States
Huth 47'
Trochowski 60'
Kneissl 63'		 (Report) Whitbread 77'
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Wilson de Souza (Brazil)
South Korea 0–1 Paraguay
(Report) Velázquez 14'
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Paraguay 2–0 Germany
López 39'
Valdez 57'		 (Report)
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)
United States 2–0 South Korea
Johnson 13' (pen.), 24' (pen.) (Report)
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Matthew Breeze (Australia)

Ranking of third-placed teams

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Result
1 D  Egypt 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 4 Advance to knockout stage
2 A  United Arab Emirates (H) 3 1 1 1 3 5 −2 4
3 F  South Korea 3 1 0 2 2 3 −1 3
4 C  Canada 3 1 0 2 2 4 −2 3
5 B  Mali 3 1 0 2 4 7 −3 3
6 E  Saudi Arabia 3 0 2 1 2 3 −1 2
Source:[citation needed]
(H) Hosts

Knockout stages

Bracket

 
Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
8 December
 
 
 Burkina Faso0
 
12 December
 
 Canada1
 
 Canada1
 
9 December
 
 Spain (aet)2
 
 Paraguay0
 
15 December
 
 Spain1
 
 Spain1
 
9 December
 
 Colombia0
 
 Republic of Ireland2
 
12 December
 
 Colombia (aet)3
 
 Colombia1
 
9 December
 
 United Arab Emirates0
 
 Australia0
 
19 December
 
 United Arab Emirates1
 
 Spain0
 
8 December
 
 Brazil1
 
 Japan (aet)2
 
12 December
 
 South Korea1
 
 Japan1
 
9 December
 
 Brazil5
 
 Brazil (aet)2
 
15 December
 
 Slovakia1
 
 Brazil1
 
8 December
 
 Argentina0 Third place
 
 United States2
 
12 December19 December
 
 Ivory Coast0
 
 United States1 Colombia2
 
8 December
 
 Argentina (aet)2  Argentina1
 
 Argentina (aet)2
 
 
 Egypt1
 

Round of 16

Japan 2–1 (a.e.t.) South Korea
Sakata 82', gold-colored soccer ball 105' (Report) Choi S.K. 38'
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)
Argentina 2–1 (a.e.t.) Egypt
Cavenaghi 27', gold-colored soccer ball 114' (Report) Metwaly 42'
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 10,800
Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)
Burkina Faso 0–1 Canada
(Report) Simpson 59'
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Kwon Jong-chul (South Korea)
United States 2–0 Ivory Coast
Mapp 7'
Johnson 43' (pen.)		 (Report)
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 3,210
Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)
Brazil 2–1 (a.e.t.) Slovakia
Dudu 83', gold-colored soccer ball 100' (Report) Sebo 61'
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 12,800
Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)
Paraguay 0–1 Spain
(Report) S. García 66'
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain
Attendance: 9,250
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)
Australia 0–1 United Arab Emirates
(Report) Matar 89'
Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah
Attendance: 13,500
Referee: Wilson de Souza (Brazil)
Republic of Ireland 2–3 (a.e.t.) Colombia
Doyle 85'
McCarthy 90+2'		 (Report) Perea 11'
Montaño 70'
Carrillo gold-colored soccer ball 104'
Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain
Attendance: 6,860
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

Quarter-finals

Canada 1–2 (a.e.t.) Spain
Hume 53' (Report) Iniesta 35'
Arizmendi gold-colored soccer ball 97'
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Wilson de Souza (Brazil)
Colombia 1–0 United Arab Emirates
Montaño 14' (Report)
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)
United States 1–2 (a.e.t.) Argentina
Convey 59' (Report) Mascherano 90+4'
Cavenaghi gold-colored soccer ball 104'  (pen.)
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 15,500
Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)
Japan 1–5 Brazil
Hirayama 89' (Report) D. Carvalho 2', 13'
Kléber 15'
Nilmar 34', 90+1'
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)

Semi-finals

Brazil 1–0 Argentina
Dudu 65' (Report)
Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)
Spain 1–0 Colombia
Iniesta 86' (pen.) (Report)
Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 5,700
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

Third place play-off

Colombia 2–1 Argentina
Carrillo 16'
Castrillón 62'		 (Report) Ferreyra 45+1'
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Matthew Breeze (Australia)

Final

Spain 0–1 Brazil
(Report) Fernandinho 87'
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Spain
Brazil

Result

 2003 FIFA World Youth champions 

Brazil
Fourth title
2nd Place 3rd Place 4th Place
 Spain  Colombia  Argentina

Awards

Golden Shoe Golden Ball FIFA Fair Play Award
United States Eddie Johnson United Arab Emirates Ismail Matar  Colombia

Goalscorers

4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

Final ranking

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Final result
1  Brazil 7 5 1 1 14 6 +8 16 Champions
2  Spain 7 5 0 2 8 4 +4 15 Runners-up
3  Colombia 7 4 2 1 10 5 +5 14 Third place
4  Argentina 7 5 0 2 12 8 +4 15 Fourth place
5  United States 5 3 0 2 9 6 +3 9 Eliminated in
Quarter-finals
6  Japan 5 3 0 2 6 10 −4 9
7  United Arab Emirates (H) 5 2 1 2 4 6 −2 7
8  Canada 5 2 0 3 4 6 −2 6
9  Republic of Ireland 4 2 1 1 8 6 +2 7 Eliminated in
Round of 16
10  Australia 4 2 1 1 6 5 +1 7
11  Burkina Faso 4 2 1 1 2 1 +1 7
12  Slovakia 4 2 0 2 6 4 +2 6
13  Paraguay 4 2 0 2 4 4 0 6
14  Ivory Coast 4 1 2 1 4 5 −1 5
15  Egypt 4 1 1 2 2 3 −1 4
16  South Korea 4 1 0 3 3 5 −2 3
17  Germany 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3 Eliminated in
Group stage
18  Mali 3 1 0 2 4 7 −3 3
19  Saudi Arabia 3 0 2 1 2 3 −1 2
19  Czech Republic 3 0 2 1 2 3 −1 2
21  England 3 0 1 2 0 2 −2 1
22  Mexico 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1
23  Uzbekistan 3 0 0 3 3 6 −3 0
24  Panama 3 0 0 3 1 4 −3 0
Source: rsssf.com
(H) Hosts

Notes

  1. ^ Brazil had won the 2002 FIFA World Cup and 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship.[1]

References

  1. ^ Meenaghan, Gary (29 July 2015). "When Iniesta and football's future stars discovered UAE's passion: The 2003 Fifa World Youth Championships". The National. Retrieved 29 August 2023. Brazil, in contrast, were delighted: the victory completed a remarkable treble for the South American nation, whose senior team had won the World Cup a year earlier in Japan and South Korea, and whose Under 17s had beat Cesc Fabregas's Spain in their own world championship final a few months later.

External links

FIFA World Youth Championship and FIFA U-20 World Cup
Categories