Group F can be coined as the group of death. Iraq, Chile, Mexico and England will look to be at their best when they face each other at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata. Chile and England are favourites to progress to the next round, however, Mexico and Iraq can spring a surprise as well.
Iraq
Fifa U-17 World Cup record
Iraq have only one Fifa under-17 World Cup appearance to their name, at UAE 2013. That experience was not particularly memorable as they finished last in Group F. Iraq lost all their group matches against Sweden, Mexico and Nigeria.
Road to India
Iraq defeated Iran in the final of the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship to become Asian champions for the first time. After finishing second in Group C, they saw off the Uzbekistan’s challenge (2-0) in the quarter-finals, booking their berth for India. In the last four, Iraq eliminated Japan, prior to getting the better of Iran on penalties after the showpiece match had ended 0-0.
The coach
Qahtan Jathir made history by guiding Iraq to its first-ever AFC under-16 Championship in October 2016. His playing career began at Iraqi club Al Talaba, and also included spells in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates during which time he represented Iraq at the 2000 AFC Asian Cup. Jathir hung up his boots in 2007, and went on to coach Al-Sinaa, Al-Najaf and Al-Shorta.
Big number:
6: After failing to find the net in the first two matches of the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship, forward Mohammed Dawood made a welcome breakthrough against Oman in Iraq’s final group-stage match, and then notched a brace against Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals and a hat-trick versus Japan in the last four. The striker bagged the top goalscorer and player of the tournament awards.
Mexico
Fifa U-17 World Cup record
Since the turn of the century, Mexico have enjoyed tremendous success at the under-17 level. Between 2010 and 2013, Raul Gutierrez continued the superb work of his predecessors, including their inaugural Fifa U-17 World Cup title at Peru 2005, by leading El Tri to a second world title on home soil in 2011. Two years later in UAE, Gutierrez and his staff almost repeated the feat, only to lose 3-0 to a superb Nigeria in the final. It is testament to their recent success at this level that Mexico’s fourth-place finish at Chile 2015, losing to Nigeria in the semi-finals, was disappointing for El Tri.
Road to India
Despite ultimately claiming the 2017 Concacaf under-17 Championship, Mexico endured a few bumps along the road to India. Pitted against old rivals USA in the initial group stage, they were defeated 4-3 in an epic encounter in Panama City. However, they made short work of almost all other opponents at Panama 2017, picking up comprehensive victories against El Salvador and Jamaica to reach the classification stage. They demolished Costa Rica and squeezed past the hosts to reach the continental final and the global finals. A stoppage-time equaliser against USA in the Panama 2017 final meant a penalty shootout, which El Tri won to seal their seventh U-17 continental title.
The coach
Mario Arteaga took charge of Mexico at Chile 2015, guiding the two-time champions to fourth place.
Big number
22: The number of goals Mexico scored in just six games at the Concacaf under-17 Championship, a tally not bettered by any of their opponents at the continental finals.
Chile
Fifa U-17 World Cup record
India 2017 will be Chile’s fourth appearance at a Fifa U-17 World Cup and their second in a row after hosting the tournament in 2015. Their tournament debut came in Japan 1993, where they took everyone by surprise by finishing third. Knocked out in the group phase in Egypt 1997, the Chileans reached the last 16 on home soil two years ago.
Road to India
Chile qualified for the world finals by finishing runners-up in the South American U-17 Championship, which it hosted. After topping Group A, La Rojita beat Venezuela and Colombia 1-0 in the final six-team round before ending their unbeaten run in a 2-0 defeat against Paraguay. Another 1-0 win, this time over Ecuador, secured their berth for India. However, in the final, Brazil score one goal more than all their other opponents combined had managed in the tournament, running out 5-0 winners.
The coach
Hernan Caputo is a former Argentinian goalkeeper who spent most of his 15-year career in Chile. His first major coaching post came in 2013, two years after he retired, when he took charge of Chile’s under-15 side. Though he left the post in late 2015, he was appointed by the Chilean FA for the under-17 job in March 2016, a decision he justified by overseeing the team’s first successful qualifying campaign in the age group in 20 years.
Big number
1-0: The scoreline in all five of Chile’s wins in the South American qualifiers.
England
Fifa U-17 World Cup record
Despite a strong tradition of qualifying for global finals in the senior and U-20 editions, England only reached their inaugural Fifa U-17 World Cup a decade ago, with India 2017 representing the Young Lions’ fourth outing at this age level. Their debut at Korea 2007 saw them reach the quarter-finals where they were beaten by Germany. At Mexico 2011, the Germans once more knocked out their English counterparts, who had Raheem Sterling among their ranks. Last time around, at Chile 2015, the side failed to reach the knockout stages.
Road to India
England headed into the 2017 Uefa under-17 European Championship finals full of confidence, due to a 100 per cent record in both the qualifying round and elite round. The Young Lions missed out on the title at Croatia 2017 by a matter of seconds against Spain. Having booked their India 2017 berth by seeing off Republic of Ireland in the quarter-final, the reached the final bating Turkey. They were on the verge of winning the title when Nacho Diaz’s equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage time saw the final go to a penalty shootout. The Spaniards converted all four of their spot kicks to emerge victorious, with England only able to net a sole penalty in reply.
The coach
After coaching various youth sides at Liverpool before working his way up to the role of academy manager at the club, Steve Cooper took on the role of England under-16 coach in 2014 before graduating to the under-17 side a year later.
Big number
11: Matches won by England throughout Uefa under-17 European Championship qualifying, elite rounds and the finals before the 2-2 draw in the final against Spain, which preceded their penalty shootout heartbreak.
