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FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007
<SPAN class=art-title2>Dely Valdes leads Panamanian push</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
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<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Along with his brother, Jorge, Julio Cesar Dely Valdes is as big a name as there is in Panamanian football. And just after hanging up his boots, he is now set to steer the country’s U-20s to their third straight world finals.
</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</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">18 Mar 2007</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>Panama was once a punch line in CONCACAF football circles. Baseball and boxing were the little poverty-stricken nation's main pastimes. Roberto Duran's 'no mas' surrender in the classic bout with Sugar Ray Leonard and Mariano Rivera's unflinching, ice-water-in-the-veins strikeout style were some of the more prominent and iconic sporting cues in a country known more for its strategic canal and American influence than any devotion to the world's game.
But one Julio Cesar Dely Valdes, in no small measure, changed all of that. Twin brother to fellow icon Jorge, Julio spearheaded a golden generation of footballing talent in the southernmost country in Central America, becoming the first Panamanian player to achieve success overseas - earning the nickname 'Panagol' when he scored 110 times in four seasons with Nacional of Montevideo. His influence on the international scene culminated two years ago in a run to the final of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup where the unlikely Canalaeros only just lost out to mighty hosts USA in a penalty shootout.
Predictably, a sense of what can only be described asPanamania took hold back home with partying and flag-waving in the streets of the capital following their remarkable, if ultimately unsuccessful, run. The impressive form also saw the senior side catapult nearly 50 places up the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking in just seven months.Another indicationof the country's rapid rise in the world's game would be the fact that their qualification for Canada 2007 means the U-20s have nowreached three FIFA U-20 World Cups in a row.
And in a seemingly divine marriage, the country's best-ever player, fast on his retirement from the pitch, has taken over the reins ofthe U-20 side and, predictably, the big man has big plans for his boys in Canada this June. The first order of business: a win at a world finals.
"Our team is a group of tough and talented young guys," the former Cagliari, PSG and Malagastriker told FIFA.com. "They all have the desire to prepare properly and do the right things to represent their country during this World Cup in Canada. I am positive and sure of the fact that Panama is going to get her first win here in Canada this summer. You wait and see."<TABLE class=textblack11px_normal id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Luis Ovalle did his part on home soil to see Panama through the CONCACAF qualifying rounds and into the finals in Canada.</SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRSOURCE><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRAUTHOR><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Beware Group E
Placed into one of the trickier and less predictable groups, Dely Valdes' motivated side will know the
<SPAN class=art-title2>Dely Valdes leads Panamanian push</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>Along with his brother, Jorge, Julio Cesar Dely Valdes is as big a name as there is in Panamanian football. And just after hanging up his boots, he is now set to steer the country’s U-20s to their third straight world finals.</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</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">18 Mar 2007</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>Panama was once a punch line in CONCACAF football circles. Baseball and boxing were the little poverty-stricken nation's main pastimes. Roberto Duran's 'no mas' surrender in the classic bout with Sugar Ray Leonard and Mariano Rivera's unflinching, ice-water-in-the-veins strikeout style were some of the more prominent and iconic sporting cues in a country known more for its strategic canal and American influence than any devotion to the world's game.
But one Julio Cesar Dely Valdes, in no small measure, changed all of that. Twin brother to fellow icon Jorge, Julio spearheaded a golden generation of footballing talent in the southernmost country in Central America, becoming the first Panamanian player to achieve success overseas - earning the nickname 'Panagol' when he scored 110 times in four seasons with Nacional of Montevideo. His influence on the international scene culminated two years ago in a run to the final of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup where the unlikely Canalaeros only just lost out to mighty hosts USA in a penalty shootout.
Predictably, a sense of what can only be described asPanamania took hold back home with partying and flag-waving in the streets of the capital following their remarkable, if ultimately unsuccessful, run. The impressive form also saw the senior side catapult nearly 50 places up the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking in just seven months.Another indicationof the country's rapid rise in the world's game would be the fact that their qualification for Canada 2007 means the U-20s have nowreached three FIFA U-20 World Cups in a row.
And in a seemingly divine marriage, the country's best-ever player, fast on his retirement from the pitch, has taken over the reins ofthe U-20 side and, predictably, the big man has big plans for his boys in Canada this June. The first order of business: a win at a world finals.
"Our team is a group of tough and talented young guys," the former Cagliari, PSG and Malagastriker told FIFA.com. "They all have the desire to prepare properly and do the right things to represent their country during this World Cup in Canada. I am positive and sure of the fact that Panama is going to get her first win here in Canada this summer. You wait and see."<TABLE class=textblack11px_normal id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Luis Ovalle did his part on home soil to see Panama through the CONCACAF qualifying rounds and into the finals in Canada.</SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRSOURCE><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRAUTHOR><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Beware Group EPlaced into one of the trickier and less predictable groups, Dely Valdes' motivated side will know the
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