PHOTO
After finishing top of Group A with maximum points, then beating the Czech Republic 2-0 in the Ro32, Massimiliano Favo’s U18 side return to the pitch on Tuesday 18 November (15:30 local time / 13:30 CET) for their Ro16 tie at the U17 World Cup in Qatar. They meet an opponent they have never faced in the category: Uzbekistan, who advanced by beating Croatia 4-3 on penalties (1-1 after normal time).
“It’s a team we know and respect,” Favo explained. “They’re solid, intense, and have a clear idea of how they want to play. They have talented players with real quality, so are capable of creating problems at any moment. At a World Cup, there’s no room for complacency. Big nations like Argentina, Belgium and Germany are already out, and Brazil’s difficulties should be a warning. Names don’t make the difference anymore: preparation levels are extremely high everywhere. We’re expecting a very tough match and will need to approach it in the right way.”
The squad trained in the gym yesterday and will carry out their final session this afternoon at the Al Thumama sports complex.
THE OPPOSITION
Islombek Ismoilov’s Uzbekistan qualified for the World Cup by dominating Group A at the U17 Asian Cup with three wins (4-1 vs Thailand on 3 April, 2-1 vs China on 6 April, and 3-0 vs hosts Saudi Arabia on 9 April) before lifting the trophy for the second time in their history. They beat the UAE 3-1 in the quarter-finals (13 April), Korea DPR 3-0 in the semi-finals (17 April), and Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the final (20 April).
They reached the Round of 16 after finishing second in Group J on 6 points, thanks to wins against Paraguay (2-1, 5 November) and Panama (6-1, 11 November), and a 2-1 defeat to Ireland (8 November). In the last 32 they eliminated Croatia 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
This is Uzbekistan’s fourth appearance at the U17 World Cup (2011, 2013, 2023, 2025). Their best result so far is reaching the quarter-finals in both 2011 (Uruguay 2-0 Uzbekistan) and 2023 (France 1-0 Uzbekistan).
SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: 1 Francesco Cereser (Torino), 12 Alessandro Longoni (Milan), 21 Sebastiano Nava (Juventus).
Defenders: 16 Benit Borasio (Juventus), 5 Leonardo Noah Bovio (Inter), 15 Cristiano De Paoli (Como), 2 Dauda Amihere Iddrisa (West Bromwich Albion), 3 Jean-Tryfose Mambuku (Stade de Reims), 13 David Marini (Cesena), 6 Luca Reggiani (Borussia Dortmund).
Midfielders: 8 Alessio Baralla (Empoli), 7 Andrea Luongo (Torino), 17 Valerio Maccaroni (Roma), 14 Fabio Pandolfi (Milan), 4 Vincenzo Prisco (Napoli), 18 Federico Steffanoni (Atalanta).
Forwards: 19 Antonio Arena (Roma), 9 Thomas Campaniello (Empoli), 11 Destiny Onoguekhan Elimoghale (Juventus), 10 Samuele Inácio (Borussia Dortmund), 20 Simone Lontani (Milan).
Staff:
Head Coach: Massimiliano Favo; Head of Delegation: Filippo Corti; Deputy Coordinator, Youth National Teams: Daniele Zoratto; Assistant Coach: Davide Cei; Goalkeeping Coach: Davide Quironi; Fitness Coach: Adalberto Zamuner; Match Analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Team Doctors: Sofia Calaciura Clarich, Alessio Rossato; Physiotherapists: Giorgio Giannini, Enrico Matera; Nutritionist: Claudio Pecorella; Education Tutor: Stefano Presciutti; Press Officer: Alessandro Paoli; Administration: Antonio Martuscelli; Club Italia: Riccardo Poggetti; Team Secretary: Massimo Petracchini.
FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025
Group Stage (3–11 November)
Group A: Qatar, ITALY, South Africa, Bolivia
Group B: Japan, Morocco, New Caledonia, Portugal
Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates
Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji
Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt
Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Switzerland
Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador
Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia
Group I: United States, Burkina Faso, Cechia, Tajikistan
Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Ireland
Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda
Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia
Matchday 1 (3–5 November)
Monday 3 November
South Africa 3-1 Bolivia
Costa Rica 1-1 United Arab Emirates
Senegal 0-0 Croatia
Japan 2-0 Morocco
Argentina 3-2 Belgium
New Caledonia 1-6 Portugal
Qatar 0-1 ITALY
Tunisia 6-0 Fiji
Tuesday 4 November
Ivory Coast 1-4 Switzerland
Brazil 7-0 Honduras
Mexico 1-2 South Korea
Haiti 1-4 Egypt
Germany 1-1 Colombia
England 0-3 Venezuela
North Korea 5-0 El Salvador
Indonesia 1-3 Zambia
Wednesday 5 November
Tajikistan 1-6 Cechia
Panama 1-4 Ireland
Paraguay 1-2 Uzbekistan
Austria 1-0 Saudi Arabia
Mali 3-0 New Zealand
United States 1-0 Burkina Faso
France 2-0 Chile
Canada 2-1 Uganda
Matchday 2 (6–8 November)
Thursday 6 November
Bolivia 0-4 ITALY
Portugal 6-0 Morocco
Japan 0-0 New Caledonia
Argentina 1-0 Tunisia
Fiji 0-7 Belgium
United Arab Emirates 0-3 Croatia
Qatar 1-1 South Africa
Senegal 1-0 Costa Rica
Friday 7 November
England 8-1 Haiti
El Salvador 0-0 Colombia
Germany 1-1 North Korea
Egypt 1-1 Venezuela
Mexico 1-0 Ivory Coast
Switzerland 0-0 South Korea
Brazil 4-0 Indonesia
Zambia 5-2 Honduras
Saturday 8 November
Cechia 1-2 Burkina Faso
Uganda 1-1 Chile
Mali 0-3 Austria
France 0-0 Canada
United States 2-1 Tajikistan
Paraguay 2-1 Panama
Ireland 2-1 Uzbekistan
Saudi Arabia 3-2 New Zealand
Matchday 3 (9–11 November)
Sunday 9 November
Fiji 0-7 Argentina
Belgium 2-0 Tunisia
Portugal 1-2 Japan
Morocco 16-0 New Caledonia
United Arab Emirates 0-5 Senegal
Croatia 3-1 Costa Rica
Bolivia 0-0 Qatar
ITALY 3-1 South Africa
Monday 10 November
Switzerland 3-1 Mexico
South Korea 3-1 Ivory Coast
El Salvador 0-7 Germany
Colombia 2-0 North Korea
Zambia 1-1 Brazil
Honduras 1-2 Indonesia
Egypt 0-3 England
Venezuela 4-2 Haiti
Tuesday 11 November
Uganda 1-0 France
Chile 2-1 Canada
Ireland 0-0 Paraguay
Uzbekistan 6-1 Panama
Cechia 0-1 United States
Burkina Faso 2-0 Tajikistan
Saudi Arabia 0-2 Mali
New Zealand 1-4 Austria
Standings
Group A: ITALY 9, South Africa 4, Qatar 2, Bolivia 1
Group B: Japan 7, Portugal 6, Morocco 3, New Caledonia 1
Group C: Senegal 7 (+6), Croatia 7 (+5), Costa Rica 1 (–3), UAE 1 (–8)
Group D: Argentina 9, Belgium 6, Tunisia 3, Fiji 0
Group E: Venezuela 7, England 6, Egypt 4, Haiti 0
Group F: Switzerland 7 (+5), South Korea 7 (+3), Mexico 3, Ivory Coast 0
Group G: Germany 5 (+7), Colombia 5 (+2), North Korea 4, El Salvador 1
Group H: Brazil 7 (+11), Zambia 7 (+5), Indonesia 3, Honduras 0
Group I: United States 9, Burkina Faso 6, Cechia 3, Tajikistan 0
Group J: Ireland 7, Uzbekistan 6, Paraguay 4, Panama 0
Group K: France 4 (+1), Canada 4 (0), Uganda 4 (0), Chile 4 (–1)
Group L: Austria 9, Mali 6, Saudi Arabia 3, New Zealand 0
Knockout Stage (14–27 November)
Round of 32 (14–15 November)
Friday 14 November
Zambia 1-3 Mali
Portugal 2-1 Belgium
Switzerland 3-1 Egypt
France 2-0 Colombia
Argentina 2-2 Mexico, Mexico win 7-6 on pens
Ireland 1-1 Canada, Ireland win 10-9 on pens
United States 1-1 Morocco, Morocco win 5-4 on pens
Brazil 0-0 Paraguay, Brazil win 5-4 on pens
Saturday 15 November
Senegal 0-1 Uganda
South Korea 0-2 England
ITALY 2-0 Cechia
Japan 3-0 South Africa
Germany 3-0 Burkina Faso
Venezuela 1-2 North Korea
Austria 2-0 Tunisia
Croatia 1-1 Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan win 5-4 on pens
Round of 16 (Tuesday 18 November)
14:00 — Mexico vs Portugal
15:45 — Switzerland vs Ireland
16:45 — Morocco vs Mali
14:30 — Brazil vs France
16:45 — Austria vs England
16:15 — North Korea vs Japan
13:30 — ITALY vs Uzbekistan
13:30 — Uganda vs Burkina Faso
Quarter-finals (Friday 21 November)
Semi-finals (Monday 24 November)
Finals (Thursday 27 November)