U17 World Cup: A closer look at Africa's 7 triumphs in the tournament

The U17 World Cup is a competition where African teams have often found great success.

Out of 19 editions held, Africa has managed the remarkable feat of winning seven of them, thanks to Nigeria (5) and Ghana (2).

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Africa will be looking to reaffirm its dominance in the upcoming edition, set to take place in Qatar starting November 3.

Here’s a rundown of the seven African victories in the U17 World Cup.

China 1985

Nigeria dominated this inaugural edition of the tournament, defeating Italy in the group stage (1-0), then Hungary (3-1) and Guinea (4-2 on penalties) in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively, before storming to a 4-0 win over East Germany in the final.

Italy 1991

Ghana followed in Nigeria’s footsteps in the fourth edition of the U17 World Cup. In the final, the Black Starlets edged past Spain by the narrowest of margins.

Japan 1993

Nigeria claimed its second title at the tournament in the fifth edition. The Golden Eaglets dominated from start to finish, capping their run with a 2-1 victory over Ghana in the final.

Ecuador 1995

Ghana proved unstoppable in the sixth edition, cruising to the title. In the final, they overcame Brazil with a thrilling 3-2 victory.

South Korea 2007

Nigeria reaffirmed its supremacy in the 12th edition held in Asia. After a stellar run through the group and knockout stages, they defeated Spain in the final, clinching victory 3-0 on penalties.

UAE 2013

The Golden Eaglets were head and shoulders above their rivals in the 15th edition, highlighted by a commanding 3-0 win over Mexico in the final.

Chile 2015

Nigeria raised the bar yet again in the 16th edition, held in South America. In the final, they defeated Mali 2-0 to secure another historic title.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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Nigeria U17

World Cup U17