The U17 World Cup has started this week.
It's the first chance for young football prodigies from all over the world to show their talent in an international competition. For some, it can also provide an opportunity to become professional players.
The best of them will win the MVP award, the U17 World Cup Golden Ball. Let's take a look at the last ten players to win this title. Who made a glorious career, and who had an early end for his dreams?
1999 – Landon Donovan (USA)
One of the all-time best football players in the USA. After the tournament, Donovan signed for Bayer Leverkusen but spent most of his time in loan spells to San Jose Earthquakes. Since 2005 and until his retirement, he mostly played in Los Angeles Galaxy, leading the team to four MLS Cups. He was the MLS all-time top scorer until his record was broken in May 2019.
He made 157 caps for the national team, played in three World Cups, including the 2002 campaign, when the team reached the quarter-finals.
2001 – Florent Sinama Pongolle (France)
Florent Sinama Pongolle didn't have an impressive career since the 2001 U-17 World Cup.
After the tournament, he was signed by Liverpool alongside his cousin, Anthony Le Tallec. Sinama Pongolle did have several memorable moments, such as playing a part in Liverpool’s 2005 victorious Champions League league, but he then left England in 2006.
After that, his career was a mixture of successful periods, including playing more the 100 league matches in the La Liga for Recreativo de Huelva and Atletico Madrid, alongside short spells in Rostov, Chicago Fire and Dundee United. He played his last two seasons in Thailand for Chainat Hornbill and retired in 2008.
2003 – Cesc Fàbregas (Spain)
The first internationally acclaimed player on the list, who also became a World Cup winner in 2010.
Winning the Golden Ball title awarded him a contract in Arsenal. Fàbregas played for The Gunners for eight years. He left Arsenal to Barcelona and later returned to London as a Chelsea player. Nowadays, he plays in Monaco.
With the Spanish national team he also won the European Championship in 2008 and 2012. Fàbregas played 110 international caps for the senior team and scored 15 goals.
2005 – Anderson (Brazil)
Anderson was a great promise, but it is debatable how much of his talent he actually fulfilled.
He left Brazil to play in Porto, and after two years he was bought by Manchester United for €30 million. Anderson spent seven seasons in England, made 105 league appearances, and won four Premier League titles. He also played in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final, when he was subbed in at the 125th minute, and scored during the penalty shootout which helped the team on course to victory. During this period, he also made 8 caps for Brazil and won the 2007 Copa America.
Anderson then returned home, played for Internacional and Coritiba, but in 2018 tried his luck in Europe once again. After one season in Adana Demirspor from Turkey, he retired.
2007 – Toni Kroos (Germany)
Another former World Cup winner, Kroos achieved this feat with Germany in 2014.
His career is highly prosperous. He played for Bayern Munich, with a short loan stint in 2010 to Bayer Leverkusen, until he left for Real Madrid in 2014. His trophy cabin is loaded with titles, including four UEFA Champions League titles.
Kroos made 94 caps for the national team and played in three World Cups. During the successful campaign in 2014, he scored two goals, both in the infamous semifinal against Brazil.
2009 – Sani Emmanuel (Nigeria)
Sani Emmanuel may just be the biggest tragedy in the list. After the U-17 World Cup, the promising Nigerian was signed by Swedish club Bodens BK, but FIFA didn't approve the move because he was not 18 years old. More clubs showed interest later, but he decided to sign for Italian giants Lazio.
During his time in Italy, he failed to impress. He played for the youth team and was loaned to Salernitana. He got his last chance in Biel-Bienne from the Swiss second division but barely played. He was released and looked for a new home. He had short stints in Israeli team Beitar Jerusalem and at the Swedish third division. Eventually, Emmanuel decided to retire in 2015, when he was only 23 years old.
2011 - Julio Gómez (Mexico)
Another player that is still looking for his breakthrough. Julio Gómez remained a Pachuca player after the tournament, but since 2013 he was loaned repeatedly. His first loan was to Chivas, but in the next five seasons he played for second division clubs.
At the age of 25, Gómez played less than 50 league matches in the top two tiers of Mexico. He managed to leave Pachuca, but still played in the second division for clubs like Zacatepec and Loros de Colima. In the last summer, he signed for Coras de Nayarit, a Mexican third division side.
2013 – Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria)
Back to players with fruitful careers, this Nigerian was also marked as a talent by BabaGol in 2014.
When he turned 18, Iheanacho officially signed for Manchester City. He played for the academy team for one season and played another two seasons for the senior team. For the past three seasons, he plays for Leicester City. The Nigerian has already made 97 Premier League appearances and scored 16 league goals.
Iheanacho is a part of the Nigerian senior team. He has 23 caps and 8 goals, and also played in the 2018 World Cup.
2015 – Kelechi Nwakali (Nigeria)
From one Kelechi to another, Nwakali is currently trying to make his first steps in European football.
He joined Arsenal in 2016 but spent three years in loans. Nwakali impressed while playing in the Netherlands for MVV Maastricht and VVV Venlo, and he played last season in Porto B. In September, he left Arsenal and joined Spanish side Huesca.
Two months later, Nwakali is still looking for his debut in Spain.
2017 – Phil Foden (England)
The young and hot prospect of English football is already a record-breaking player in Manchester City.
The 19-year-old is already receiving chances in City’s first team. Last season, he had 13 league appearances that were enough for him to win a Premier League medal, becoming the youngest player to do so.
He has made 13 caps for the U-21 national team, and is getting closer to his senior debut.