2003 FIFA World Youth Championship

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). The tournament was originally planned to be played 25 March to 16 April 2003, but was postponed because of the Iraq War.

2003 FIFA World Youth Championship

2003 الإمارات العربية المتحدة
Tournament details
Host country	United Arab Emirates
Dates	27 November – 19 December
Teams	24 (from 6 confederations)
Venue	7 (in 4 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	Brazil (4th title)
Runners-up	Spain
Third place	Colombia
Fourth place	Argentina
Tournament statistics
Matches played	52
Goals scored	119 (2.29 per match)
Attendance	592,100 (11,387 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Dudu Fernando Cavenaghi Eddie Johnson Daisuke Sakata (4 goals)
Best player	Ismail Matar
Fair play award	Colombia
← 2001 2005 →

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
Abu Dhabi Sharjah Dubai Al Ain 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  Uzbekistan^1
CAF (Africa)	2003 African Youth Championship	Burkina Faso^1  Ivory Coast  Egypt  Mali
CONCACAF (North, Central America & Caribbean)	2003 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament	Canada  Mexico  Panama^1  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  Slovakia^1  Spain

1.^ Teams that made their debut.

Match officials

Confederation	Referee
AFC	Matthew Breeze (Australia)
	Rahman Al-Delawar (Bahrain)
	Shamsul Maidin (Singapore)
	Kwon Jong-chul (South Korea)
CAF	Mohamed Benouza (Algeria)
	Abdou Diouf (Senegal)
CONCACAF	Benito Archundia (Mexico)
	Kevin Stott (United States)
CONMEBOL	Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)
	Wilson de Souza (Brazil)
	Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)
UEFA	Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)
	Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
	Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)
	Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

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: FIFA
(H) Hosts

27 November 2003

20:30

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)

---

28 November 2003

20:30

Panama	0–1	Burkina Faso
	(Report)	Bance 81'

Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 4,500

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)

---

1 December 2003

17:45

Burkina Faso	1–0	Slovakia
Zongo 6'	(Report)

Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 3,500

Referee: Rahman Al-Delawar (Bahrain)

---

1 December 2003

20:30

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)

---

4 December 2003

17:45

United Arab Emirates	0–0	Burkina Faso
	(Report)

Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 13,000

Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)

---

4 December 2003

20:30

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: FIFA

28 November 2003

17:45

Argentina	2–1	Spain
Fernández 50', 74'	(Report)	Gabi 25'

Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah

Attendance: 15,000

Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

---

28 November 2003

20:30

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)

---

1 December 2003

17:45

Mali	0–2	Spain
	(Report)	Juanfran 16' S. García 77' (pen.)

Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah

Attendance: 6,500

Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)

---

1 December 2003

20:30

Uzbekistan	1–2	Argentina
Geynrikh 4'	(Report)	Fernández 70' Cavenaghi 90+3' (pen.)

Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah

Attendance: 8,500

Referee: Abdou Diouf (Senegal)

---

4 December 2003

17:45

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)

---

4 December 2003

20:30

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: FIFA

28 November 2003

17:45

Brazil	2–0	Canada
D. Carvalho 56' Nilmar 84'	(Report)

Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 13,150

Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)

---

28 November 2003

20:30

Czech Republic	1–1	Australia
Limberský 24'	(Report)	McDonald 49'

Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 8,200

Referee: Abdou Diouf (Senegal)

---

1 December 2003

17:45

Australia	2–1	Canada
Brosque 12' McKay 54'	(Report)	Hume 33'

Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 8,200

Referee: Kwon Jong-Chul (South Korea)

---

1 December 2003

20:30

Czech Republic	1–1	Brazil
Limberský 34'	(Report)	Adaílton 37'

Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 12,500

Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

---

4 December 2003

17:45

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)

---

4 December 2003

20:30

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: FIFA

29 November 2003

17:45

Colombia	0–0	Egypt
	(Report)

Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 11,000

Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

---

29 November 2003

20:30

Japan	1–0	England
Sakata 54'	(Report)

Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 12,000

Referee: Kevin Stott (United States)

---

2 December 2003

17:45

England	0–1	Egypt
	(Report)	Moteab 74'

Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 12,000

Referee: Shamsul Maidin (Singapore)

---

2 December 2003

20:30

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)

---

5 December 2003

17:45

Colombia	0–0	England
	(Report)

Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 9,210

Referee: Rahman Al-Delawar (Bahrain)

---

5 December 2003

20:30

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: FIFA

29 November 2003

17:45

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)

---

29 November 2003

20:30

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)

---

2 December 2003

17:45

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)

---

2 December 2003

20:30

Mexico	1–1	Saudi Arabia
Pinto 30'	(Report)	Majrashi 15'

Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain

Attendance: 10,950

Referee: Kevin Stott (United States)

---

5 December 2003

17:45

Saudi Arabia	0–0	Ivory Coast
	(Report)

Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain

Attendance: 10,370

Referee: Kwon Jong-Chul (South Korea)

---

5 December 2003

20:30

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: FIFA

29 November 2003

17:45

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)

---

29 November 2003

20:30

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)

---

2 December 2003

17:45

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)

---

2 December 2003

20:30

South Korea	0–1	Paraguay
	(Report)	Velázquez 14'

Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)

---

5 December 2003

17:45

Paraguay	2–0	Germany
López 39' Valdez 57'	(Report)

Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 6,000

Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)

---

5 December 2003

20:30

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 16

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

8 December

Burkina Faso

0

12 December

Canada

1

Canada

1

9 December

Spain (a.e.t.)

2

Paraguay

0

15 December

Spain

1

Spain

1

9 December

Colombia

0

Republic of Ireland

2

12 December

Colombia (a.e.t.)

3

Colombia

1

9 December

United Arab Emirates

0

Australia

0

19 December

United Arab Emirates

1

Spain

0

8 December

Brazil

1

Japan (a.e.t.)

2

12 December

South Korea

1

Japan

1

9 December

Brazil

5

Brazil (aet)

2

15 December

Slovakia

1

Brazil

1

8 December

Argentina

0

Third place

United States

2

12 December

19 December

Ivory Coast

0

United States

1

Colombia

2

8 December

Argentina (a.e.t.)

2

Argentina

1

Argentina (a.e.t.)

2

Egypt

1

Round of 16

8 December 2003

18:00

Japan	2–1 (a.e.t.)	South Korea
Sakata 82', 105'	(Report)	Choi S.K. 38'

Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 5,500

Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)

---

8 December 2003

18:00

Argentina	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Egypt
Cavenaghi 27', 114'	(Report)	Metwaly 42'

Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 10,800

Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

---

8 December 2003

21:00

Burkina Faso	0–1	Canada
	(Report)	Simpson 59'

Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Kwon Jong-chul (South Korea)

---

8 December 2003

21:00

United States	2–0	Ivory Coast
Mapp 7' Johnson 43' (pen.)	(Report)

Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 3,210

Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)

---

9 December 2003

18:00

Brazil	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Slovakia
Dudu 83', 100'	(Report)	Sebo 61'

Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah

Attendance: 12,800

Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)

---

9 December 2003

18:00

Paraguay	0–1	Spain
	(Report)	S. García 66'

Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain

Attendance: 9,250

Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

---

9 December 2003

21:00

Australia	0–1	United Arab Emirates
	(Report)	Matar 89'

Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah

Attendance: 13,500

Referee: Wilson de Souza (Brazil)

---

9 December 2003

21:00

Republic of Ireland	2–3 (a.e.t.)	Colombia
Doyle 85' McCarthy 90+2'	(Report)	Perea 11' Montaño 70' Carrillo 104'

Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium, Al Ain

Attendance: 6,860

Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

---

Quarter-finals

12 December 2003

18:00

Canada	1–2 (a.e.t.)	Spain
Hume 53'	(Report)	Iniesta 35' Arizmendi 97'

Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 15,000

Referee: Wilson de Souza (Brazil)

---

12 December 2003

18:00

Colombia	1–0	United Arab Emirates
Montaño 14'	(Report)

Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 13,000

Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)

---

12 December 2003

21:00

United States	1–2 (a.e.t.)	Argentina
Convey 59'	(Report)	Mascherano 90+4' Cavenaghi 104' (pen.)

Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 15,500

Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González (Spain)

---

12 December 2003

21:00

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

15 December 2003

18:00

Brazil	1–0	Argentina
Dudu 65'	(Report)

Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Attendance: 16,000

Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

---

15 December 2003

21:00

Spain	1–0	Colombia
Iniesta 86' (pen.)	(Report)

Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai

Attendance: 5,700

Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

Third place play-off

19 December 2003

18:00

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

19 December 2003

20:45

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
Eddie Johnson	Ismail Matar	Colombia

Goalscorers

4 goals

• Dudu
• Fernando Cavenaghi
• Daisuke Sakata
• Eddie Johnson

3 goals

• Arouna Koné
• Andrés Iniesta
• Daniel Carvalho
• Stephen Elliott
• Leandro Fernández
• Iain Hume
• Nilmar

2 goals

• Osmar Ferreyra
• Anthony Danze
• Erwin Carrillo
• Jaime Castrillón
• Victor Montano
• David Limberský
• Stephen Paisley
• Sota Hirayama
• Mamadi Berthe
• Sergio García
• Bobby Convey
• Alexander Geynrikh

1 goal

• 57 players with one 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