The FIFA U-17 World Cup has long been a place where the future stars of football first make a name for themselves. This year’s tournament has been no different, with the best youngsters of the world putting in memorable performances.
Here Hindustan Times takes a look at five players who put in the best performances through the course of the tournament:
A look at the five players who made the most impact in a highly entertaining FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Rhian Brewster (ENGLAND)
The England forward single-handedly ensured that Steve Cooper’s Young Lions did not miss star man Jadon Sancho, who was available only until the group stages.
READ | FIFA U-17 World Cup: Rhian Brewster goal came at perfect time - England coach
Rhian Brewster’s hat-tricks against USA and Brazil in the quarter and semi-finals respectively, gave England an easy passage into the final. He also scored a key goal in the final as England ran out 5-2 winners vs Spain.
Abel Ruiz (SPAIN)
The versatile Spanish frontman proved just why his club Barcelona rate him so highly as he scored six goals to power Spain into their fourth FIFA U-17 World Cup final.
He might not have found the back of the net in the final, but his abillity on the ball and penchant for scoring goals means this youngster has a bright future ahead of him.
Dheeraj Singh (INDIA)
India ended their maiden FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign without a win, but Luis Norton de Matos’ men won many hearts with their gutsy performances. But arguably the breakout star of the side was goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh.
He single-handedly kept India’s hopes of getting a result alive on many occasions and was given a standing ovation by the New Delhi crowd after a particularly heroic performance against Colombia. The future is bright for this talented shot-stopper.
Lassana N’Diaye (MALI)
Mali came into the tournament as African champions but their performances in the World Cup left a lot to be desired, even though they finished fourth. However, the same can’t be said about Lassana N’Diaye.
The pacy forward showed glimpses of his potential throughout the tournament, scoring six goals and causing defences plenty of trouble with his speed and ability to beat players.
Jann-Fiete Arp (GERMANY)
The German forward scored five goals in the tournament, justifying the hype that surrounded him before the Germany team even touched down in India.
His hunger for scoring goals and his ability to link-up play with the rest of the forward line make him one to watch for in the future, especially given how much Germany have struggled to produce top-quality strikers in recent years.