[center]The FIFA U-20 football competition is no doubt a stage for superstars.[/center]
This tournament produced greats like Diego Maradona, Enzo Francescoli, Dunga, Andreas Moller, Davor Suker, Manuel Rui Costa, Luis Figo, Dwight Yorke, Roberto Carlos, Thierry Henry, Xavi, Ronaldinho, Michael Owen, Petr Cech, Michael Essien and Lionel Messi, among innumerable other future luminaries of the senior game.

Our very own John Mikel Obi dazzled the world during the Holland 2005 edition of the tournament and who can forget Samson Siasia ak.a SiaOne. A talented coach and a winner in the making. Who can forget the heart-stopping, nerve-shredding penalty shoot out against the host, Netherlands?
Thank God we won it. 

This is a new edition and certainly Nigerians will hoping to be crowned Champions in Egypt.

Only three of the previous champions - namely Brazil, Germany and Spain - will be represented at this year's tournament. And while it remains to be seen whether a seventh nation can etch their name on the trophy, one thing that can be taken for granted is that 23 days in Egypt will showcase the prodigious genius of a series of future superstars. Enjoy!

Groups & Fixtures:

*subscribing*

The U-20 Squad List. Can you name a future star from that list?
Fifa names Rabiu Ibrahim as the man to watch. He is they say, the crown prince of African Football.

For the records
• Nigeria hosted the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1999.
• They finished runners-up at Netherlands 2005
• Nigeria have competed at seven previous FIFA U-20 World Cups.
• They have won 13 of their 35 matches at the U-20 finals, with 12 defeats and 10 draws.

"I'm confident we can turn things around as soon as possible. We have all the material we need in Nigeria to achieve success. Good attitude, professionalism and dedication all matter a lot,"- Nigeria U-20 coach Samson Siasia

More: Group Stage Fixtures

Flying Eagles fly out in style

Nigeria's Flying Eagles will leave for Egypt on Friday spotting designer suits, but not from the NFF.

Aurora, UK-based outfit sports management outfit is responsible for kitting out the squad.

"We wanted to do it so that our boys will go out there looking responsible and presenting a good image of the country," Adedapo Kujore-Olowu, a player manager and Aurora official said.

Olowu would not disclose the cost of each suit, but pointed out that it cost around GBP100 pounds to engrave the NFF logo on the jackets.

"It is not about the money for us, but about the image of the country. The NFF logos were engraved on the jackets and ties.

"This is a complete outfit, including shirts, ties and the suit itself," he said.

Olowu added that NFF vice-president Amanze Uchegbulam, who is currently with the team in Spain, has said the Glass House was impressed by the outfits and would look into the possibility of doing the same for other national teams.
http://www.kickoff.com/static/news/article.php?id=11103

Impressive.

Nice of you 2 have started this thread. Please lets endeavour 2 update it with d latest info,

@ all domiciled in the UK,

Is there any channel covering this tournament?

www.fifa.com will be streaming the games LIVE on the internet.

. This should do for a number of people.

Abeg they should just move Rabiu Ibrahim to the senior squad. We need someone who can drag the ball upfield since Okocha left.

great . let the games begin

nice thread

no CIV hmmm lets see who i'll be rooting for

muki u need to root for nigeria

naaaaa

No Chrisantus ? and Kingsley Udoh. . .omo i dey fear ooooo. . .

Rabiu Ibrahim is the man to watch defo!

candylips:

muki u need to root for nigeria

mukina2:

naaaaa

mukina2 aint a Naija babe. She is from The Island of Tawi-Tawi (wherever that is) Somewhere in the Indian Ocean I guess.

FBS:

mukina2 aint a Naija babe. She is from The Island of Tawi-Tawi (wherever that is) Somewhere in the Indian Ocean I guess.

chavscum waka

mukina2:

chavscum waka

This is my Thread ! go self-service yourself. derry gal ass-nal lofa.

FBS:

This is my Thread ! go self-service yourself. derry gal ass-nal lofa.

derry mind

mukina2:

derry mind

derry girl. Go sitdon somewhere abeg.  btw, this thread should be on the front page of NL. Do your job Mod.

Meanwhile. . .

Siasia confident ahead of WC departure
Head coach Samson Siasia is brimming with confidence as he gets set to lead his Flying Eagles team out of Spain on Friday for the 17th FIFA Under-20 World Cup taking place in Egypt from 24th September to 16th October.

The Flying Eagles have spent the last 18 days in a training camp in Mallorca, Spain and on Saturday forced Honduras U-20 team to a 1-1 draw in a friendly game in Alicante.

Siasia has picked a blend of foreign–based players with their feet firmly on ground and merged them with confident, active home–based players who have no illusions about the task at hand.

It is a combination that has given the coach plenty to be bullish about.

“We have confidence and we have the players to do us proud. The training camps in Qatar and Spain have helped the team greatly and we are heading to Egypt believing we can conquer,” said Siasia, a former World Cup star.

Runners–up in 1989 and 2005, Nigeria are lumped in Group B of this year’s tournament alongside Spain, Venezuela and Tahiti.
. . .
The team will fly out of Spain from Barcelona aboard Egypt Air Fllight MS 768 and arrive in Cairo by 7:25pm local time on Friday.

Nigeria’s first match is against Venezuela at the Al Salam Stadium, Cairo on September 25, before they play Spain on September 28.

http://www.kickoff.com/static/news/article.php?id=11079

Nice! Can't wait for Naija's Ist match.

First Match

is it 18:45 egypt time

signing up for this when it starts
Siasia has a way of making me smile after every tourney

Go Siasia, Go Eagles, Go Nigeria

candylips:

is it 18:45 egypt time

Yes and I think 17:45 Nigerian Time but to get the exact Nigerian time, You can check here.

http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/matches/index.html

Hope this helps.

2009 might be Nigeria's year to reign as world under 20 champions. Am glad Argentina wont be there. Good luck flying eagles.

there is brazil , spain and ghana na

nice pics to be posted

only if

mukina2:

nice pics to be posted

only if

This should be on the front page. don't you fink?

i know, it will be when it starts

mukina2:

i know, it will be when it starts

Its starting tomorrow and most folks don't even know about it.
Abeg supply us with pictures oh!

aight it will be up in the morning


i will only if loses