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FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007.
<SPAN class=art-title2>Mexico's golden generation eye Canada</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
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<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Mexico's Carlos Vela, star of Tricolores' triumphant FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign, will now be key to his country's bid for glory at Canada 2007.
</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN> <SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>Omar Martinez
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<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">(FIFA.com)</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">15 Feb 2007</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>Nearly two years on from their glorious victory at the FIFA U-17 World Championship Peru 2005, Mexico's golden generation of talented youngsters have their sights set on an even greater challenge: the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007.
However, before they are able to prove their international mettle on Canadian soil, the young Tricolores must overcome a host of obstacles along the way. The first of these comes in the form of a qualifying group fraught with potential pitfalls. Perhaps the biggest threat is offered by Costa Rica, who pushed El Tri all the way in Peru two years ago. Nor must we forget a Jamaica side packed with power and pace, or the unknown quantity that is St. Kitts and Nevis.
Spreading their wings
An awful lot has changed for those gifted young Mexicans who wrote a glorious chapter in their nation's footballing history back in 2005. Prior to their exploits in Peru, they were virtual unknowns to the public at large, with the resulting lack of pressure on their young shoulders. Two years on and all that has changed. An entire country now hangs on their every move, and their opening qualifier against St. Kitts and Nevis is set to be the focus of frenzied attention.
Fortunately for Mexico, dealing with pressure is now second nature to the stars of Peru 2005. As a result of their FIFA U-17 World Championshipwin, Carlos Vela(Arsenal, England), Efrain Juarez and Jorge Hernandez (Barcelona, Spain), joined Barça starlet Giovani dosSantosin forming part of Mexico's ever-increasing legion of foreign-based internationals. Patricio Araujo and Omar Esparza, two more members of that all-conquering U-17 side, preferred to prove their worth closer to home, helping Chivas to victory in the Apertura 2006 tournament.
Given the quality running through their squad, Mexico set out as overwhelming favourites to take one of the two available berths for Canada 2007. That billing looks more than justified when you consider that the qualifying tournament is to be held in Culiacan, in Mexico's northwest, where the U-17s took their first steps towards world domination back in 2005. It is a coincidence that is not lost on diminutive striker Carlos Vela: "I'm really pleased to be playing there again, to be starting our campaign off in the same place. I hope that we're able to perform equally well this time around."
Fellow star Giovani dos Santos, meanwhile, chose to express his utter confidence in the team's chances of qualifying for Canada 2007. "We've got a very strong side, and we've set our sights on winning," said the fleet-footed Azulgrana. Singing from the same hymn sheet was another of the leading lights from Peru 2005, Cesar Villaluz: "The title that we won there has given me the self-belief to play anywhere and at any level."<TABLE class=textblack11px_normal id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><IMG id=SECIMG21903 height=150 alt="Costa Rica are competing for a place at the FIFA U-20 World Cup with Mexico, Jamaica and St
<SPAN class=art-title2>Mexico's golden generation eye Canada</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=paddingall><TD vAlign=top>
<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Mexico's Carlos Vela, star of Tricolores' triumphant FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign, will now be key to his country's bid for glory at Canada 2007.</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN> <SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>Omar Martinez
</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">(FIFA.com)</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">15 Feb 2007</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>Nearly two years on from their glorious victory at the FIFA U-17 World Championship Peru 2005, Mexico's golden generation of talented youngsters have their sights set on an even greater challenge: the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007.
However, before they are able to prove their international mettle on Canadian soil, the young Tricolores must overcome a host of obstacles along the way. The first of these comes in the form of a qualifying group fraught with potential pitfalls. Perhaps the biggest threat is offered by Costa Rica, who pushed El Tri all the way in Peru two years ago. Nor must we forget a Jamaica side packed with power and pace, or the unknown quantity that is St. Kitts and Nevis.
Spreading their wings
An awful lot has changed for those gifted young Mexicans who wrote a glorious chapter in their nation's footballing history back in 2005. Prior to their exploits in Peru, they were virtual unknowns to the public at large, with the resulting lack of pressure on their young shoulders. Two years on and all that has changed. An entire country now hangs on their every move, and their opening qualifier against St. Kitts and Nevis is set to be the focus of frenzied attention.
Fortunately for Mexico, dealing with pressure is now second nature to the stars of Peru 2005. As a result of their FIFA U-17 World Championshipwin, Carlos Vela(Arsenal, England), Efrain Juarez and Jorge Hernandez (Barcelona, Spain), joined Barça starlet Giovani dosSantosin forming part of Mexico's ever-increasing legion of foreign-based internationals. Patricio Araujo and Omar Esparza, two more members of that all-conquering U-17 side, preferred to prove their worth closer to home, helping Chivas to victory in the Apertura 2006 tournament.
Given the quality running through their squad, Mexico set out as overwhelming favourites to take one of the two available berths for Canada 2007. That billing looks more than justified when you consider that the qualifying tournament is to be held in Culiacan, in Mexico's northwest, where the U-17s took their first steps towards world domination back in 2005. It is a coincidence that is not lost on diminutive striker Carlos Vela: "I'm really pleased to be playing there again, to be starting our campaign off in the same place. I hope that we're able to perform equally well this time around."
Fellow star Giovani dos Santos, meanwhile, chose to express his utter confidence in the team's chances of qualifying for Canada 2007. "We've got a very strong side, and we've set our sights on winning," said the fleet-footed Azulgrana. Singing from the same hymn sheet was another of the leading lights from Peru 2005, Cesar Villaluz: "The title that we won there has given me the self-belief to play anywhere and at any level."<TABLE class=textblack11px_normal id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><IMG id=SECIMG21903 height=150 alt="Costa Rica are competing for a place at the FIFA U-20 World Cup with Mexico, Jamaica and St
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