Italy dominated their group with a perfect record, Group A, which featured the hosts Qatar (1–0), Bolivia (4–0) and South Africa (3–1), before knocking out the Czech Republic in the round of 32 (2–0) and Uzbekistan, the Asian champions, in the round of 16 (3–2). Now, the Under-17 World Cup in Doha presents another challenge for Massimiliano Favo’s Under-18 side. Tomorrow, Friday 21 November (16:30 local time / 14:30 CET), on Field 5 of the Aspire Zone, the Azzurrini will face Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals. On Tuesday, the side from Burkina Faso relegated Uganda, with a 5–3 win on penalties after the match finished 1–1 in regular time.

 

The Italy coach commented: “In the past few days we’ve studied Burkina Faso very closely because they knocked out a nation with a strong legacy of football like Germany in the round of 32 (1–0), and then beat a physically strong team like themselves, Uganda, in the round of 16 (1–1, 4–6 pens). They’re a resilient side: fast, powerful in physical duels, and very dangerous in transition. We’ve analysed their strengths and weaknesses thoroughly, but we’re very aware that we must not change our identity based on the opponent. We prepare every detail, but we stay true to who we are. I’ll say it again, the World Cup is a game of its own. The eliminations of Argentina, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, and England have proven just that, but at the same time, they highlight the quality of the teams that have reached the quarter-finals.”

 

The Azzurrini trained yesterday evening at the Al Thumama Sports Centre and will return to the pitch tonight for their final session ahead of a match that could earn them a place in the history books. Reaching the quarter-finals, achieved previously in 2009 in Nigeria under Pasquale Salerno and in 2019 in Brazil under Carmine Nunziata, now the Under-20 coach, is currently Italy’s best result in this competition.

 

THE OPPONENT. Oscar Barro’s Burkina Faso qualified for the Under-17 World Cup by finishing the group stage of the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations, which took place from 30 March to 19 April in Morocco, with a perfect nine points. They defeated Cameroon (2–1, 31 March) and Egypt (2–1, 3 April), and then beat South Africa 2–0 on 6 April, before beating Zambia 6–1 in the quarter-finals. Their run came to an end in the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by Mali (2–0, 15 April).

 

Burkina Faso got to the quarter-finals of the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar by defeating Uganda 5–3 on penalties in the round of 16, after a 1–1 draw in regular time (Arafat Nkoola of Vipers scoring for Uganda in the 56th minute, and Alassana Bagayogo of AJEB equalising for Burkina Faso in the 77th). Before that, Barro’s team eliminated Germany 1–0 in the round of 32 (decided by a 5th-minute goal from 2009-born striker Muhammad Zongo of Cascades), and had finished second in Group I with six points behind the United States, who topped the group with a perfect record. Their group campaign included a 1–0 loss to the U.S. in their opening match (5 November), followed by two wins: 2–1 against the Czech Republic (8 November) and 2–0 against Tajikistan (11 November).

 

This is Burkina Faso’s sixth appearance at the Under-17 World Cup, after 1999, 2001, 2009, 2011 and 2023, and their second in a row. Their best result to date is third place in Trinidad & Tobago in 2001, when Jacques Yaméogo’s side (Yaméogo passed away on 19 June 2010) defeated Argentina, featuring Mascherano and Tévez, 2–0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, thanks to goals from Paul Gorogo in the 30th minute and Henoch Conombo in the 78th.

 

 

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 of the Youth National Teams: Daniele Zoratto; Assistant Coach: Davide Cei; Goalkeeping Coach: Davide Quironi; Athletic Trainer: Adalberto Zamuner; Match Analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Doctors: Sofia Calaciura Clarich and Alessio Rossato; Physiotherapists: Giorgio Giannini and Enrico Matera; Nutritionist: Claudio Pecorella; School Tutor: Stefano Presciutti; Press Office: Alessandro Paoli; Administration Office: Antonio Martuscelli; Club Italia: Riccardo Poggetti; Team Secretary: Massimo Petracchini.

 

FIFA U-17 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, Tajikistan, Czech Republic
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–Bolivia 3–1
Costa Rica–United Arab Emirates 1–1
Senegal–Croatia 0–0
Japan–Morocco 2–0
Argentina–Belgium 3–2
New Caledonia–Portugal 1–6
Qatar–ITALY 0–1
Tunisia–Fiji 6–0

Tuesday 4 November

Ivory Coast–Switzerland 1–4
Brazil–Honduras 7–0
Mexico–South Korea 1–2
Haiti–Egypt 1–4
Germany–Colombia 1–1
England–Venezuela 0–3
North Korea–El Salvador 5–0
Indonesia–Zambia 1–3

Wednesday 5 November

Tajikistan–Czech Republic 1–6
Panama–Ireland 1–4
Paraguay–Uzbekistan 1–2
Austria–Saudi Arabia 1–0
Mali–New Zealand 3–0
United States–Burkina Faso 1–0
France–Chile 2–0
Canada–Uganda 2–1

 

Matchday 2 (6–8 November)

Thursday 6 November

Bolivia–ITALY 0–4
Portugal–Morocco 6–0
Japan–New Caledonia 0–0
Argentina–Tunisia 1–0
Fiji–Belgium 0–7
United Arab Emirates–Croatia 0–3
Qatar–South Africa 1–1
Senegal–Costa Rica 1–0

Friday 7 November

England–Haiti 8–1
El Salvador–Colombia 0–0
Germany–North Korea 1–1
Egypt–Venezuela 1–1
Mexico–Ivory Coast 1–0
Switzerland–South Korea 0–0
Brazil–Indonesia 4–0
Zambia–Honduras 5–2

Saturday 8 November

Czech Republic–Burkina Faso 1–2
Uganda–Chile 1–1
Mali–Austria 0–3
France–Canada 0–0
United States–Tajikistan 2–1
Paraguay–Panama 2–1
Ireland–Uzbekistan 2–1
Saudi Arabia–New Zealand 3–2

 

Matchday 3 (9–11 November)

Sunday 9 November

Fiji–Argentina 0–7
Belgium–Tunisia 2–0
Portugal–Japan 1–2
Morocco–New Caledonia 16–0
United Arab Emirates–Senegal 0–5
Croatia–Costa Rica 3–1
Bolivia–Qatar 0–0
ITALY–South Africa 3–1

Monday 10 November

Switzerland–Mexico 3–1
South Korea–Ivory Coast 3–1
El Salvador–Germany 0–7
Colombia–North Korea 2–0
Zambia–Brazil 1–1
Honduras–Indonesia 1–2
Egypt–England 0–3
Venezuela–Haiti 4–2

Tuesday 11 November

Uganda–France 1–0
Chile–Canada 2–1
Ireland–Paraguay 0–0
Uzbekistan–Panama 6–1
Czech Republic–United States 0–1
Burkina Faso–Tajikistan 2–0
Saudi Arabia–Mali 0–2
New Zealand–Austria 1–4

 

Group A standings: ITALY 9, South Africa 4, Qatar 2, Bolivia 1.
Group B standings: Japan 7, Portugal 6, Morocco 3, New Caledonia 1.
Group C standings: Senegal 7 (+6), Croatia 7 (+5), Costa Rica 1 (–3), United Arab Emirates 1 (–8).
Group D standings: Argentina 9, Belgium 6, Tunisia 3, Fiji 0.
Group E standings: Venezuela 7, England 6, Egypt 4, Haiti 0.
Group F standings: Switzerland 7 (+5), South Korea 7 (+3), Mexico 3, Ivory Coast 0.
Group G standings: Germany 5 (+7), Colombia 5 (+2), North Korea 4, El Salvador 1.
Group H standings: Brazil 7 (+11), Zambia 7 (+5), Indonesia 3, Honduras 0.
Group I standings: United States 9, Burkina Faso 6, Czech Republic 3, Tajikistan 0.
Group J standings: Ireland 7, Uzbekistan 6, Paraguay 4, Panama 0.
Group K standings: France 4 (+1), Canada 4 (0), Uganda 4 (0), Chile 4 (–1).
Group L standings: Austria 9, Mali 6, Saudi Arabia 3, New Zealand 0.