LeeCodeman:
Please, where do you guys get fuel to stay online 24/7. Here, no power for days now. No fuel to power generator. I dey rationalize phone battery. So it's surprising to see this thread continue to move at the speed of light.

Make una show me the way to charge my devices, biko.

safarigirl:
I dunno why as I was reading this interview, I was just remembering that Iraqi boy, SK7 of U17 WC. Y'all remember the dude?

chaberry:
I notice that this Manu Garba team always makes the final with the team they open any major tournament with, at Caf u.17 championship in 2013 they open and end the tournament against Ivoire' coast(they lost the both matches), the same happened some months later at the U.17 fifa world cup, which they start and end with Mexico including a 6:1 thrashing. Again, Earlier this year at Caf u.20 championship they also start and end against Senegal. Will this tournament be the same? It look likely considering the capabilty and achievement of the two teams.. I JUST CAN'T WAIT

chaberry:
I notice that this Manu Garba team always makes the final with the team they open any major tournament with, at Caf u.17 championship in 2013 they open and end the tournament against Ivoire' coast(they lost the both matches), the same happened some months later at the U.17 fifa world cup, which they start and end with Mexico including a 6:1 thrashing. Again, Earlier this year at Caf u.20 championship they also start and end against Senegal. Will this tournament be the same? It look likely considering the capabilty and achievement of the two teams.. I JUST CAN'T WAIT

tbaba1234:
The Brazilian team in this tournament is different from the qualifiers. There are different players and coach.


Do not underrate them.

Leecodeman

LeeCodeman:

Another reason I think they wont do well. Who changes a coach barely three weeks to a competition except it's just to make up the numbers or for development? You'll see what will happen in the competition.

I tip Nigeria and Hungary to qualify from the group.

chaberry:
I notice that this Manu Garba team always makes the final with the team they open any major tournament with, at Caf u.17 championship in 2013 they open and end the tournament against Ivoire' coast(they lost the both matches), the same happened some months later at the U.17 fifa world cup, which they start and end with Mexico including a 6:1 thrashing. Again, Earlier this year at Caf u.20 championship they also start and end against Senegal. Will this tournament be the same? It look likely considering the capabilty and achievement of the two teams.. I JUST CAN'T WAIT

bigblangston:
We played mexico first and then played SWEDEN in d finals of d U.17 fifa world cup, how come many people think we played Mexico in d finals. I ve seen many people write that we played mexico in d finals on this thread

bigblangston:
We played mexico first and then played SWEDEN in d finals of d U.17 fifa world cup, how come many people think we played Mexico in d finals. I ve seen many people write that we played mexico in d finals on this thread

bigblangston:
We played mexico first and then played SWEDEN in d finals of d U.17 fifa world cup, how come many people think we played Mexico in d finals. I ve seen many people write that we played mexico in d finals on this thread

bigblangston:
We played mexico first and then played SWEDEN in d finals of d U.17 fifa world cup, how come many people think we played Mexico in d finals. I ve seen many people write that we played mexico in d finals on this thread

dwag:
chai ! U can 4get easily o! Have u forgotten when that mexican punk was crying.........weda na ocho abi na watin sef !!!!! Dude Wake up !!!naija played the finals with mexico in the 2013fifa un17 world cup and not tahiti!!! U don hear? ** use hand hold is ears**

denniece1:

We played Mexico not Sweden

tbaba1234:


Because we played Mexico. Sweden was semifinals.

ELIJAHARMONICA:


We played Uruguay in the qauter finals, Sweden in the semi finals and Mexico in the finals

bigblangston:
We played mexico first and then played SWEDEN in d finals of d U.17 fifa world cup, how come many people think we played Mexico in d finals. I ve seen many people write that we played mexico in d finals on this thread

mikron:
safari why do u want him to retire? Is he not doing his job well? If u ask me I will say like I said hayatou and blatter he should continue as long as he is still fit. I love the man.

joseph1013:
[b][size=14pt]Podstawski driving Portugal forward[/size]



Talented, amiable and intelligent, Tomas Podstawski is not far off being perfect. Better yet, on top of all those fine qualities, the Portugal captain also happens to be impressively modest to boot. For a start, he is making no bold claims ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015, despite having performed superbly to help his side finish runners-up at last year's UEFA European U-19 Championship.

"We know we had a very good EURO," the defensive midfielder told FIFA.com. "Of course we would have liked to win, but we came up against a stronger team than us when we faced Germany in the final. But I feel as if we've improved over the last few months and I'm convinced we'll give our best in each match. The most important thing is to make our supporters happy by putting on a show, and above all to do our country proud."

Given that he has a Polish father, Podstawski could theoretically be trying to make a whole different country proud. "I've been asked several times to play for Poland," he explained. "But my mother is Portuguese, I was born in Portugal, I feel a Portuguese citizen in my own right and my first language is Portuguese."

The youngster speaks Polish as well, of course, but he is also fluent in French and English, which no doubt comes in handy in his life away from the game. After all, not only is Podstawski one of Portugal's most promising young players, he is also an assiduous student of International Relations. "I wanted to have a plan B in life, with football obviously my plan A," he said. "And I don't regret it: it's very enriching. University opens me up to new things – it shows me other aspects to life, other perspectives. Between club matches and national team get-togethers, football is nonetheless taking up more and more of my time. It's getting harder to combine the two, but I'm sticking at it. I do my best."

That is easy to believe, given how conscientious Podstawski is as a footballer. Patient and hard-working, he brings the same attitude to both disciplines, with his work ethic shining through in his tireless efforts as a ball-winner, distributor of passes and accelerator of play. As for his patience, he is calmly awaiting his first-team chance at Porto, despite having been a fixture for Portugal's youth sides at every level. "Getting into the first team sooner or later is obviously my goal," he said. "While I wait, I've been forcing myself to train as rigorously as possible to be ready when the coach decides to call on me."

'A huge honour'
The youngster's blend of ambition and humility comes largely from his parents. Podstawski's father is a PE teacher and his mother a former professional gymnast, and they taught him the values necessary to blossom in his chosen sport. "I owe them everything: the way I play, my motivation and my passion," he said. "When I was young, they made me do so many things. After school finished, they used to take me to the park with my brother, who has also become a footballer. We rode bikes, swam, and played tennis and volleyball. If we finally opted for football, it's because this country breathes football more than any other sport."

Given that popular enthusiasm, winning the World Cup in New Zealand would surely be the perfect way to bring joy to the supporters back home. The European hopefuls have a tough task on their hands, however, with Qatar, Senegal and Colombia their opponents in Group C. As captain, Podstawski is well aware of the stakes involved. "Wearing the armband for my country is a huge honour for me," he said. "I know the responsibilities that come with it. I want to help my team-mates as much as they help me, and for us to show the world and the rest of our country how good Portugal are as a team, whoever we're playing."

A kind of big brother to his colleagues, as well as a chip off the old block at home, Podstawski could perhaps even be described as the ideal son-in-law. He insists, all the same, that he has his own fair share of faults. "Who doesn't? But I'll leave it to other people, my friends and supporters, to come up with their own opinion about me." What is certain, though, is that with Podstawski in midfield, Portugal can begin their World Cup bid with the right balance of belief and composure.[/b]

LeeCodeman:


My opinion: Nice coincidences. It was Ghana, not Ivory Coast at the African U17 though.

But I think this Brazilian team is too weak to be in the finals. Following their qualification and preparations reveal that they are not a typical Brazilian team. No flair, no creativity in the final third, they don't even score alot of goals. They seem to be structured around not conceding goals. It's a description that best describes a Greek or the 1990s Italian National team, not the legendary Brazilian team. Even with the new coach, not much has changed.

It's good to start a competition well, but I won't place much importance to our victory against Brazil on June 1.

Call it overconfidence, but it is what it is.

linked:
Nigeria vs Brazil... Five things to expect....

1. Goals... It is a game that cant end with both teams firing blank.... Expect goals perhaps either way

2..Being the first match of the competition any early goal conceded by brasil will lead to capitulation.

3. The eagles would accrue more possession... As they will do against most opponents

4. 3 points... Never a stalemate

5. Live updates on Nairaland