Portugal Make History With Maiden U17 World Cup Triumph

Portugal created history as they defeated Austria 1-0 to lift the U-17 World Cup trophy at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. The tournament featured 48 countries, where European countries took the top three places.

Portugal's U17 side, coached by Bino Macaes, sealed their narrow victory after Benfica youngster Anísio Cabral stayed onside to receive a pass from his teammate and score the World Cup-winning goal. This was Cabral's seventh goal in the tournament, one fewer than the Golden Ball winner, Johannes Moser.

Following the goal in the 32nd minute of the game, Austria pressed hard after the break; however, Portugal's defense remained strong to defend their lead. The World Cup triumph marks a new milestone in Portugal's youth football and hints at a new generation of footballing talent.

Additionally, Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, also reflected on the impact the tournament had on modern football. He shared, "For me, it was like being in paradise. To have the whole world together in such a short space and to be able to watch football from everywhere was fantastic."

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Portugal Are The First-ever Winner Of 48-team FIFA WC

Their win against Austria not only marks their first U17 World Cup win but also marks them as the champions of a 48-team World Cup organised by FIFA. This was the first time a FIFA World Cup (across any level) featured this many nations.

In 1989, the U17 WC winners reached the third-place play-off, which was their previous best record in the tournament. Notably, Luis Figo was a part of this squad.

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Winners After Missing The Qualifications Several Times

Their recent win would be even sweeter, as this was the first time the team had qualified for the U17 World Cup after failing to do so nine times since 2003.