2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
Encyclopedia
FIFA U-20 World Cup
The FIFA U-20 World Cup, until 2005 known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, is the world championship of football for male players under the age of 20 and is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
(formerly called FIFA World Youth Championship), hosted by Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
defeated Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth overall. Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
player Sergio Agüero
Sergio Agüero
Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester City in England's Premier League and the Argentine national team....
was given the FIFA U-20 Golden Shoe (top scorer with 6 goals) and the FIFA U-20 Golden Ball (best player of the tournament), while Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
earned the FIFA Fair Play Award.
The tournament featured 24 teams coming from six continental confederations; Canada
Canada U-20 men's national soccer team
Canada U-20 men's national soccer team, also known as Canada Under-20s or Canada U-20s, is the youth club for national soccer in Canada. It plays a large role in the development of Canadian soccer, and is considered to be the feeder team for the Canada men's national soccer team...
qualified automatically as hosts, while the remaining teams qualified based on their rankings at the respective continental U-20 (U-19 in Europe's case) tournaments. UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
(Europe) qualified six teams; AFC
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
(Asia), CAF
Confederation of African Football
The Confederation of African Football is the administrative and controlling body for African association football.CAF represents the national football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those...
(Africa), CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
(North, Central America & Caribbean) and CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
(South America) four teams each; and OFC
Oceania Football Confederation
The Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries...
(Oceania) one team.
The tournament took place in a variety of venues across the country — Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Edmonton, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, and Burnaby (Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
) — with the showcase stadium being Toronto's new National Soccer Stadium
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
where the final match was held.
On June 28, 2007, two days before the inaugural match, it was reported that 950,000 tickets had been sold, making it the largest single-sport event ever taking place in the country, and on July 3, the tournament organisers sold the one millionth ticket. On July 19, the semifinal match between Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
and Argentina marked this edition as the most attended in the tournament's history, with an accumulated attendance of 1,156,187 spectators, surpassing Mexico 1983
1983 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship, the fourth edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in Mexico from June 2 to June 19, 1983. The tournament took place in seven venues — Guadalajara, Irapuato, León, Mexico City, Monterrey, Puebla and Toluca — where a total of 32 matches were...
's 1,155,160 spectators. Final attendance totalled 1,195,299.
Venues
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Victoria Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian... |
Burnaby | Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Athletic Park Royal Athletic Park Royal Athletic Park is a multi-purpose, fully lit stadium in Victoria, British Columbia. It is primarily used for baseball, soccer, softball and football, but also hosts special events, such as the annual Great Canadian Beer Festival.-History:... |
Swangard Stadium Swangard Stadium Swangard Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Central Park in Burnaby, British Columbia. Primarily used for soccer, football, and athletics, the stadium is home to the Simon Fraser Clan football team. The stadium was home to the Vancouver Whitecaps of the NASL... |
Commonwealth Stadium Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton) Commonwealth Stadium is a sports stadium located in the Norwood Area of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, primarily used by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. The stadium is owned and operated by the City of Edmonton.- History :... |
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| Capacity: 14,500 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 60,081 | |
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| Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... |
Ottawa Ottawa Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario... |
Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... |
|
| National Soccer Stadium BMO Field BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd... |
Frank Clair Stadium Frank Clair Stadium Frank Clair Stadium is a Canadian football stadium in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located in Lansdowne Park, on the southern edge of The Glebe neighbourhood, where Bank Street crosses the Rideau Canal.-Tenants:... |
Olympic Stadium Olympic Stadium (Montreal) The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics... |
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| Capacity: 20,195 | Capacity: 26,559 | Capacity: 66,308 | |
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Qualification
Twenty-three teams qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World CupFIFA U-20 World Cup
The FIFA U-20 World Cup, until 2005 known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, is the world championship of football for male players under the age of 20 and is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
. As the host team, Canada received an automatic bid, bringing the total number of teams to twenty-four for the tournament. The draw for the group stages took place on March 3, 2007 in Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex, Toronto.
| Confederation | Qualifying Tournament | Qualifier(s) |
|---|---|---|
| AFC (Asia) Asian Football Confederation The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are... |
AFC Youth Championship 2006 AFC Youth Championship 2006 The Asian Football Confederations AFC Youth Championship 2006 was the 32rd instance of the AFC Youth Championship. It was held from October 29 to November 12, 2006 in India. It was the first time for India to host this tournament... |
|
| CAF (Africa) Confederation of African Football The Confederation of African Football is the administrative and controlling body for African association football.CAF represents the national football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those... |
2007 African Youth Championship 2007 African Youth Championship -Preliminary round:[Apr 15 and 29, 2006]Madagascar 1-1 2-2 Mauritius[Apr 15 and 29,30, 2006]Malawi 2-0 1-0 BotswanaRwanda 2-1 0-0 Ethiopia[Apr 15 and 30, 2006]Sudan 1-3 0-3 Tunisia[Apr 16 and 29,30, 2006]... |
|
| CONCACAF (North, Central America & Caribbean) CONCACAF The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean... |
2007 CONCACAF U20 Tournament |  USAUnited States U-20 men's national soccer team The United States U-20 men's national soccer team is the national under-20 soccer team of the United States of America and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. The highest level of competition in which the team competes is the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every two years.The... |
| CONMEBOL (South America) CONMEBOL The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations... |
2007 South American Youth Championship 2007 South American Youth Championship The 2007 South American Youth Championship is a football competition contested by all ten U-20 national football teams of CONMEBOL. The tournament was held in Paraguay between January 7 and January 28, 2007, it was the 23rd time the competition has been held and the 4th to take place in Paraguay... |
|
| OFC (Oceania) Oceania Football Confederation The Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries... |
2007 OFC U-20 Championship 2007 U-20 World Cup OFC qualifying tournament The 2007 OFC U-20 Championship was held at the Trusts Stadium in Waitakere, New Zealand from 19 to 31 January 2007 in a league tabele format. It was the first tournament in which regular Oceania powerhouse Australia were not participating, following their switch to the Asian Football Confederation... |
|
| UEFA (Europe) UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship The UEFA U-19 Championship 2006 Final Tournament was held in Poland between 18 July and 29 July 2006. The top three teams in each group qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Players born after 1 January 1987 were allowed to participate in this competition.-Qualifications:There were two... |
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| Host nation |  CanadaCanada U-20 men's national soccer team Canada U-20 men's national soccer team, also known as Canada Under-20s or Canada U-20s, is the youth club for national soccer in Canada. It plays a large role in the development of Canadian soccer, and is considered to be the feeder team for the Canada men's national soccer team... |
|
- 1.Teams that will make their debut.
Group stage
| Key to colours in group tables | |
|---|---|
| Group winners, runners-up, and best four third-placed teams advance to the Round of 16 | |
Group A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 4 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 |
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Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 4 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 |
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Group C
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 9 | ||
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 6 | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 |
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Group D
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | –4 | 4 | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 | |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 2 |
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Group E
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 | ||
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 2 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | –7 | 1 |
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Group F
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 0 |
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Ranking of third-placed teams
| Group | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 4 | |
| B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 4 | |
| C | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
| D | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 | |
| F | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | |
| E | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 2 |
Knockout stage
Round of 16
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Quarter-finals
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Semi-finals
----Third place playoff
Final
Goalscorers
6 goals Sergio AgüeroSergio Agüero
Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester City in England's Premier League and the Argentine national team....
5 goals Adrián López
Adrián López Álvarez
Adrián López Álvarez, simply Adrián , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a forward.-Oviedo / Deportivo:...
4 goals
Maximiliano Moralez
Maximiliano Moralez
Maximiliano Nicolás Moralez is an Argentine football attacking midfielder who plays for Atalanta B.C. in the Serie A.At , Moralez is the shortest player in the Italian league...
Jozy Altidore
Jozy Altidore
Josmer Volmy "Jozy" Altidore is an American soccer player currently playing for Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, and for the United States national team....
3 goals
Ángel di María
Ángel Di María
Ángel Fabián di María Hernández is an Argentine footballer who currently plays as a winger for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Argentine national team...
Erwin Hoffer
Erwin Hoffer
Erwin "Jimmy" Hoffer is an Austrian football striker who currently plays for Eintracht Frankfurt, on loan from Napoli, and the Austria national team.-Club career:...
Alexandre Pato
Alexandre Pato
Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva , commonly known as Alexandre Pato or simply Pato, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Italian Serie A club Milan and the Brazilian national team. His nickname, Pato, refers to his place of birth, Pato Branco...
Martin Fenin
Martin Fenin
Martin Fenin is a Czech football striker currently playing for the German club FC Energie Cottbus and the Czech Republic national football team. Fenin also played for the youth teams of the Czech Republic from the under-16 level.-Club career:...
Luboš Kalouda
Luboš Kalouda
Luboš Kalouda is a Czech footballer who last played for PFC Oleksandria on loan from CSKA Moscow.He was a member of the Czech Republic National U-20 Team which won silver medals in 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Kalouda scored three goals and was one of the best players in the Czech team...
Giovani dos Santos
Giovani Dos Santos
Giovani dos Santos Ramírez is a Mexican footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He can also play as a winger or second striker. Since joining Tottenham, he has had loan spells at Ipswich Town, Galatasaray and Racing de Santander...
Dawid Janczyk
Dawid Janczyk
Dawid Janczyk is a Polish footballer who plays as a centre forward for PFK Oleksandria, on loan from CSKA Moscow.- Career :Janczyk began his career at Sandecja Nowy Sącz. In 2005 he joined Legia Warsaw in the Ekstraklasa....
Freddy Adu
Freddy Adu
Fredua Koranteng "Freddy" Adu is a Ghanaian-born American soccer player who currently plays for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer. He plays primarily as an attacking midfielder, but he is also used as a winger or forward....
Danny Szetela
Danny Szetela
Daniel "Danny" Szetela is a former American soccer player.-Club:In 2002, Szetela entered USSF's Bradenton Academy, graduating in May 2004. He then signed with Major League Soccer. His desire to play for his hometown club, the MetroStars, went unfulfilled...
2 goals
Mauro Zárate
Mauro Zárate
Mauro Matías Zárate is an Argentine footballer who plays for Serie A club Internazionale on loan from Lazio.Zárate started his career with Vélez Sársfield in his native country, playing three years for the team and winning the Primera División title in the 2005 Clausura tournament...
Rubin Okotie
Rubin Okotie
Rubin Rafael Okotie is an Austrian professional footballer currently playing as a Striker for Belgian first division side K. Sint-Truidense V.V., who hires him for 1 year from 1. FC Nuremberg....
Leandro Lima Jaime Grondona
Jaime Grondona
Jaime Andrés Grondona Bobadilla is a Chilean footballer who currently plays for Ñublense.-International: Chile**FIFA U-20 World Cup:***Third place: 2007-External links:*...
Mauricio Isla
Mauricio Isla
Mauricio Aníbal Isla Isla is a Chilean footballer who plays for Italian Serie A team Udinese and for the Chilean national team. He can play in numerous positions, including right, centre, and left back as well as a winger or centre midfielder...
Nicolás Medina
Nicolás Medina (Chilean footballer)
Nicolás 'Nico' Esteban Medina Ríos is a Chilean footballer who plays for PFC Akademik Sofia in Bulgaria, as a forward.-Club career:...
Arturo Vidal
Arturo Vidal
Arturo Erasmo Vidal Pardo is a Chilean footballer who plays as defensive midfielder for Juventus and Chile. Although usually deployed as a defensive midfielder, Vidal is a versatile box-to-box midfielder capable of playing in a more attacking role as well.- Early life :Vidal was born in San...
Ousman Jallow
Ousman Jallow
Ousman Jallow is a Gambian footballer who is currently playing for Turkish second-tier Çaykur Rizespor. He plays as a striker.-Early career:...
Yasuhito Morishima
Yasuhito Morishima
is a Japanese football player who currently plays for Oita Trinita in the J. League.He is a forward on the U-20 Japanese national team playing at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup....
Abdullah Deeb Pablo Barrera
Pablo Barrera
Pablo Edson Barrera Acosta is a Mexican footballer who plays as a winger or outside forward for La Liga side Real Zaragoza, on loan from West Ham United...
Ezekiel Bala
Ezekiel Bala
Ezekiel Bala is a Nigerian football striker who currently Randaberg.He joined Bryne in 2008 from Lyn. He made his debut for Lyn in a cup against Klemetsrud IL, on May 11, 2005, and scored 2 goals in a total of 23 league games for the club...
Bruno Gama
Bruno Gama
Bruno Alexandre Vilela Gama is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Deportivo de La Coruña in Spain, mainly as a right winger.-Club career:...
Shin Young-Rok
Shin Young-Rok
Shin Young-Rok is a South Korean football forward who plays for Jeju United in the K-League. He usually plays as a centre forward or a striker...
Juan Mata
Juan Manuel Mata
Juan Manuel Mata García is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea. He is mainly a left winger, but can also play on the right wing or as an attacking midfielder....
Edison Cavani
Edison Cavani
Edinson Roberto Cavani Gómez is a Uruguayan footballer with Italian origins. He currently plays as a striker forSerie A club S.S.C. Napoli. Cavani is nicknamed "El Matador" for his commanding presence.-Danubio:...
Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez (Uruguayan footballer)
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz , commonly known as Luis Suárez and nicknamed "El Pistolero" , is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Uruguayan national team...
Rodgers Kola
Rodgers Kola
Rodgers Kola is a Zambian footballer who plays for Ashdod FC and the Zambian national team. He is a versatile forward who is usually deployed on the wing.-Career:...
1 goal
Claudio Yacob
Claudio Yacob
Claudio Yacob is an Argentine football midfielder. He currently plays for Racing Club de Avellaneda of the Primera Division Argentina....
Sebastian Prödl
Sebastian Prödl
Sebastian Prödl is an Austrian footballer who plays for Werder Bremen and the Austrian national team.-Club career:Aged 19, he began his professional career playing for Sturm Graz in the Austrian Bundesliga in 2006. In July 2008 he moved to Germany to play for Werder Bremen.-International career:In...
Amaral
Antonio Cleilson da Silva Feitosa
Antonio Cleilson da Silva Feitosa or simply Amaral , is a Brazilian right back who most recently played for Ponte Preta.He can also play as a right midfielder and as right winger....
Carlos Carmona
Carlos Carmona
Carlos Emilio Carmona Tello is a professional Chilean footballer who started his career as a centre midfielder in Coquimbo Unido and has already captained Chile's U-20 and U-23 sides...
Hans Martínez
Hans Martínez
Hans Alexis Martínez Cabrera is a Chilean footballer, who has been part of Chilean club Universidad Católica since the age of eleven. Martínez was part of the Chile U-20, which finished fourth place at the 2007 South American Youth Championship in Paraguay. He was a regular with the first team...
Alexis Sánchez
Alexis Sánchez (footballer)
Alexis Alejandro Sánchez Sánchez , is a Chilean footballer who plays as a forward for FC Barcelona and for the Chilean national team. He is well known for his excellent dribbling ability, great speed and his unusual strength for a fast winger....
Mathias Vidangossy
Mathias Vidangossy
Mathias Leonardo Vidangossy Rebolledo is a Chilean footballer who plays for Deportes La Serena as an attacking midfielder or forward.-Football career:...
Franchel Ibara
Franchel Ibara
Franchel Ibara is a footballer from Congo who played for Étoile du Congo before moving to FC Sochaux. He scored a goal from a penalty in the 59th minute against Austria in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada on the 2nd of July.Franchel's brother Guillaume plays in the Belgian provincial...
Gracia Ikouma Ermejea Ngakosso Pablo Herrera
Pablo Herrera Barrantes
Pablo Herrera Barrantes is a Costa Rican professional footballer. He currently plays for Aalesunds FK, and is known for his dribbling skill and pace.- Career statistics :-International career:...
Jonathan McDonald
Jonathan McDonald
Jonathan McDonald is a Costa Rican footballer currently with Liga Deportiva Alajuelense.-Club:McDonald made his professional debut as a 16 year old with AD Carmelita, making three appearances in his first season. In 2006 he moved to top Costa Rican side CS Herediano...
Ondřej Kúdela
Ondrej Kúdela
Ondřej Kúdela is a professional Czech football player. Kúdela plays mostly as a right-sided defender, and is currently signed to FK Mladá Boleslav. He came up through the youth system at 1. FC Slovácko before moving to Sparta Prague. He was signed by FK Mladá Boleslav as a replacement for the...
Jakub Mareš
Jakub Mareš
Jakub Mareš is a Czech football midfielder currently playing for FK Teplice in the Czech Republic.He played for the Czech national team at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and won the silver medal.-References:* *...
Tomáš Mičola
Tomáš Mičola
Tomáš Mičola is a Czech football player who currently plays for Brest in Ligue 1.Mičola started to play football at SFC Opava. At the age of 16 he moved to FC Baník Ostrava, where he quickly progressed and at the age of 18 started to appear in league matches. At the age of 21 he already appeared...
Marek Střeštík
Marek Streštík
Marek Střeštík is a Czech footballer who currently plays for Győri ETO FC, on loan from FC Zbrojovka Brno. He is half Czech and half Hungarian background; his father is ethnic Czech, his mother is Hungarian. Beside Czech, Střeštík also speaks Hungarian and Slovak on native level.-External links:* *...
Pierre Gómez Abdoulie Mansally
Abdoulie Mansally
Abdoulie "Kenny" Mansally is a Gambian footballer who currently plays for New England Revolution in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
Jun Aoyama
Jun Aoyama
is a Japanese footballer who plays for Urawa Red Diamonds in the J. League. He is a mid-fielder on the U-20 Japanese national teamplaying at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup...
Tomoaki Makino
Tomoaki Makino
is a Japanese football player currently playing for 1. FC Köln.He was a member of Japan U-20 national football team for 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and scored one goal in the match against Czech Republic....
Atomu Tanaka Tsukasa Umesaki
Tsukasa Umesaki
is a Japanese football player, who as of December 26, 2007 joined Urawa Red Diamonds from Oita Trinita. He is a right-footed attacking midfielder.-Club career:...
Lo'ay Omran
Lo'ay Omran
Lo'ay Omran Al-Zabdeh is a Jordanian footballer who plays for Al-Jazeera . He is a member of the Jordan national football team....
Christian Bermúdez
Christian Bermúdez
Christian de Jesús Linnane Bermúdez Gutiérrez , commonly known as "El Hobbit", is a Mexican footballer who plays as a midfielder for América he made his debut with the national team on April 16, 2008 vs China PR national football team in Seattle,Washington playing only 3 minutes-Club...
Omar Esparza
Omar Esparza
Omar Alejandro Esparza Morales is a Mexican football player who plays as a Right Back and as a Right Wing Midfielder for Chivas de Guadalajara.-Career:...
Javier Hernández Héctor Moreno Osmar Mares
Osmar Mares
Osmar Mares Martinez is a Mexican footballer. He currently plays for San Luis F.C. on loan from Santos Laguna.Mares has been capped for the Mexican national team at the U-20 level, and played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Canada. He scored one goal in the match against New...
Jack Pelter
Jack Pelter
Jack Anthony Pelter is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as Centre back for Metro F.C. in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier...
Chukwuma Akabueze
Chukwuma Akabueze
Chukwuma Akabueze , nicknamed "Bentley", is a Nigerian professional footballer who currently plays for SK Brann.-Club career:...
Uwa Elderson Echiéjilé
Uwa Elderson Echiéjilé
Uwa Elderson Echiéjilé is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Sporting de Braga in Portugal, as a left defender.-Club career:...
Brown Ideye Kim Kum-Il
Kim Kum-Il
Kim Kum-Il is a North Korean footballer. He plays for the 4.25 Sports Team.In 2006, Kim led the North Korean Under-20 team to win the AFC Youth Championship by scoring 4 goals, he was also voted as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament...
Kwang Ik-Jon Nelson Barahona
Nelson Barahona
Nelson Barahona is a Panamanian football attacking midfielder. He currently plays for the Primera Division Venezolana side Caracas FC in Venezuela....
Grzegorz Krychowiak
Grzegorz Krychowiak
Grzegorz Krychowiak is a Polish footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Bordeaux.- Club :Although initially not a big fan of football, Krychowiak became involved in the sport at his brother's insistence and left home at the age of 12 to join a sports academy.On 26 November 2009 he...
Vitorino Antunes
Vitorino Antunes
Vitorino Gabriel Pacheco Antunes is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a left defender.-Club career:Antunes joined first division club F.C. Paços de Ferreira in 2006–07 on a free transfer from third level side Sport Clube Freamunde, where he began his professional football career...
Feliciano Condesso
Feliciano Condesso
Feliciano Prudêncio de Assunção Condesso is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Ontinyent CF in Spain, as a midfielder.-Club career:...
Ross Campbell
Ross Campbell
Ross Campbell is a Scottish professional association football player who is currently without a club.He started his career with Scottish Premier League side Hibernian and represented Scotland at the under–20 and under–21 levels...
Mark Reynolds Lee Sang-Ho Shim Young-Sung
Shim Young-Sung
Shim Young-Sung is a South Korean footballer who plays for Jeju United. He was the top scorer at the AFC Youth Championship 2006. He played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. His quick dribble and accurate shooting ability brought his fame...
Marcos García Barreno
Marcos García Barreno
Marcos García Barreno, known as Marcos or Marquitos , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Valladolid mainly as a left midfielder.-Football career:...
Alberto Bueno
Alberto Bueno
Alberto Bueno Calvo is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Valladolid. He mainly operates as a second striker, but can also appear as a left winger.-Real Madrid:...
Diego Capel
Diego Capel
Diego Ángel Capel Trinidad is a Spanish footballer who plays for Sporting Clube de Portugal in Portugal, as a left winger.-Sevilla:Groomed in Sevilla FC's youth system , Capel made his first professional appearance aged 16, playing three minutes in a 2–1 home win over Atlético Madrid, on 24...
Javi García
Francisco Javier García
Francisco Javier "Javi" García Fernández is a Spanish footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal...
Gerard Piqué
Gerard Piqué
Gerard Piqué i Bernabeu is a Spanish footballer, currently playing as a central defender for FC Barcelona.A product of Barça's cantera, he initially left the club for Manchester United in 2004, where he remained for four years, before returning to Barça under Josep Guardiola's leadership, helping...
Mario Suárez
Mario Suárez Mata
Mario Suárez Mata is a Spanish footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a defensive midfielder.-Club career:...
Michael Bradley
Michael Bradley (soccer)
Michael Bradley is an American soccer player who currently plays as a central midfielder for Chievo Verona in Serie A and the United States national team, which was formerly coached by his father Bob Bradley.-Early life:...
Clifford Mulenga
Clifford Mulenga
Clifford Mulenga is a Zambian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bloemfontein Celtic F.C. in the South African Premier Soccer League.-Career:...
William Njobvu Fwayo Tembo
Fwayo Tembo
Fwayo Tembo is a Zambian football player who currently plays for FC Basel. He grew up in the shanty compound of Mtendere in the city of Lusaka.-Career:...
1 own goal Mathias Cardaccio
Mathías Cardaccio
Mathías Adolfo Cardaccio Alaguich is a Uruguayan footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Olympiakos Volou in Greek Superleague.-Club career:...
(playing against United States)
Winner
| 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place |
|---|---|---|
 Czech RepublicCzech Republic national football team The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek... |
 ChileChile national football team The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in... |
 AustriaAustria national football team The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association .... |
Awards
| Golden Ball | Silver Ball | Bronze Ball |
|---|---|---|
 Sergio AgüeroSergio Agüero Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester City in England's Premier League and the Argentine national team.... |
Maximiliano Moralez Maximiliano Moralez Maximiliano Nicolás Moralez is an Argentine football attacking midfielder who plays for Atalanta B.C. in the Serie A.At , Moralez is the shortest player in the Italian league... |
 Giovani dos SantosGiovani Dos Santos Giovani dos Santos Ramírez is a Mexican footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He can also play as a winger or second striker. Since joining Tottenham, he has had loan spells at Ipswich Town, Galatasaray and Racing de Santander... |
| Golden Shoe | Silver Shoe | Bronze Shoe |
| Sergio Agüero Sergio Agüero Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester City in England's Premier League and the Argentine national team.... |
 Adrián LópezAdrián López Álvarez Adrián López Álvarez, simply Adrián , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a forward.-Oviedo / Deportivo:... |
Maximiliano Moralez Maximiliano Moralez Maximiliano Nicolás Moralez is an Argentine football attacking midfielder who plays for Atalanta B.C. in the Serie A.At , Moralez is the shortest player in the Italian league... |
| 6 goals | 5 goals | 4 goals |
| FIFA Fair Play Award | ||
Nigerian accusations of racism
The Chile-Nigeria quarter-final match took place on FIFA's "Say No To Racism Day". During extra time, Chile's Mauricio IslaMauricio Isla
Mauricio Aníbal Isla Isla is a Chilean footballer who plays for Italian Serie A team Udinese and for the Chilean national team. He can play in numerous positions, including right, centre, and left back as well as a winger or centre midfielder...
scored at the 96th minute. The Nigerians argued that it was offside, though referee Howard Webb
Howard Webb
Howard Melton Webb, MBE, is an English professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League and has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2005....
allowed the goal to stand. Replays showed that a defender was caught out of place on an offside trap. Keeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa
Ikechukwu Ezenwa
Ikechukwu Ezenwa is a Nigerian football goalkeeper who currently plays for Heartland F.C..-Career:He began his career by Ocean Boys F.C. before moved to Heartland F.C...
was shown the yellow card for his protest.
At a post-game news conference, Nigerian coach Ladan Bosso said "What happened on the pitch, the officiating, I think FIFA has a long way to go to beat racism, because that official showed racism." When asked if he felt Webb was a racist, Bosso said only that "It's good for FIFA to bring in the fight against racism, but they have to follow it to the letter, so the implementation will be done." The coach was fined CHF
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
11,000 and banned for four months, as the disciplinary committee found him guilty of "offensive behaviour" under the terms of article 57 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
The Nigerian FA was also sanctioned for allowing the players to wear T-shirts with religious statements under their game jerseys. This was a clear violation of the regulations of the tournament that state "Players and officials are not allowed to display political, religious, commercial or personal messages in any language or form on their playing or team kits ..."
Chilean clash with Police
On July 19, 2007, there was a very controversial semifinal match between ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Referee Wolfgang Stark
Wolfgang Stark
Wolfgang Stark , is a German football referee. He has refereed matches in the Champions League and qualifications to the European Football Championship and the World Cup...
was criticized by the Chilean players for his officiating, having "lost control of the match early" and for issuing seven yellow cards (out of nine) and two red cards against the Chilean team during the match. In total he issued 53 fouls, 30 of which he charged to Chile. and 23 to Argentina.
Chilean striker Nicolás Medina
Nicolás Medina (Chilean footballer)
Nicolás 'Nico' Esteban Medina Ríos is a Chilean footballer who plays for PFC Akademik Sofia in Bulgaria, as a forward.-Club career:...
hinted that he felt that the referee was favoring the Argentine team, stating that "Eleven against eleven, the game would have been much more fair.". Added to this is the perception that the Argentine players were able to employ "diving" tactics and "theatrics" to influence the referee's calls.
Following the match, Stark and his colleagues were surrounded by livid Chilean players who were restrained by members of the Toronto Police. Stark then had to be escorted off of the pitch and into the dressing room tunnel by police officers for fear that he would be attacked by the crowd and/or Chilean players at the National Soccer Stadium
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
.
Afterwards, several players and delegates of the Chilean team were involved in a brawl with police
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
outside Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's National Soccer Stadium
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
, which ended with several Chileans injured, then handcuffed and detained inside the stadium. How the events unfolded is not unanimous, with two currently existing versions.
Players' version
According to the Chilean players and some witnesses, at 10:22 p.m. (local time) Chilean player Isaías PeraltaIsaías Peralta
Isaias Ignacio Peralta Clavería is a chilean football midfielder and his currently team is Unión Española of the Primera División de Chile....
— before getting on the team bus — walked towards a crowd of Chilean fans stationed behind a security fence some 50 metres away from the bus, but was stopped by about ten policemen some 30 metres away from the fence. A heated discussion took place, where Peralta (who speaks no English) was verbally and physically abused by the policemen. Peralta was taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
ed by one police officer and he lost consciousness for 20 minutes. Chilean player Arturo Vidal
Arturo Vidal
Arturo Erasmo Vidal Pardo is a Chilean footballer who plays as defensive midfielder for Juventus and Chile. Although usually deployed as a defensive midfielder, Vidal is a versatile box-to-box midfielder capable of playing in a more attacking role as well.- Early life :Vidal was born in San...
arrived at the scene to help his team mate and got involved in a struggle with the police. Other eyewitnesses stated it was Chilean goalkeeper Cristopher Toselli
Cristopher Toselli
Cristopher Benjamín Toselli Ríos is an Chilean football goalkeeper who plays for Chilean Primera División club Universidad Católica....
who walked towards the fans when he was grabbed by a security guard, prompting the melee. This was noticed by the other players inside the bus, who also got involved in the struggle with the police. All players — except Peralta, who lay unconscious on the ground — got back on the bus and closed the doors to keep the police out. A policewoman noticed this and threw a tear gas canister (or something to that effect) inside the bus. The players panicked and started breaking windows to let air in. Three minutes later the president of the Chilean National Association of Professional Football (ANFP), Harold Mayne-Nicholls
Harold Mayne-Nicholls
Harold Alfred Mayne-Nicholls Secul is a Chilean journalist and former president of the National Professional Football Association and of the Chilean Football Federation . He was replaced as president of the ANFP by Jorge Segovia in November 2010. He is also a FIFA official.-References:...
, asked the players to descend from the bus to take a different one. As the players were getting off the bus they were violently detained by police; some players were even handcuffed. Alexis Sánchez
Alexis Sánchez
Alexis Alejandro Sánchez Sánchez , is a Chilean footballer who plays as a forward for FC Barcelona and for the Chilean national team. He is well known for his excellent dribbling ability, great speed and his unusual strength for a fast winger....
— who was coming out of the antidoping
Antidoping
Antidoping is a Mexican reggae band formed in the summer of 1992 in Mexico City. They fuse roots reggae, ska and Caribbean rhythms with an urban flavour....
test — heard some people screaming and arrived at the scene, but was also beaten by police. The police then took the players back to the stadium. Christian Suárez – arriving from the mixed zone – was also detained. Peralta claimed that after he regained consciousness: "I saw 10 police officers were hitting me and throwing acid in my face;" and also claimed the police removed an object the size of a match from his back so the press wouldn't be able to see it. Other Chilean players said to the Chilean press that the Canadian police treated them like criminals, used pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
and Tasers on them, threatened them with legal action, and that while they were on the team's dressing room showing each other's wounds, they were laughed at. During the Sunday final Mayne-Nicholls – who is also a FIFA official – allegedly identified the policeman who gave the order to use gas on the players and asked him why he had acted that way; Mayne-Nicholls claimed the policeman responded: "We use gas and electricity when we deal with criminals like yours."
Police version
The police version of the events, as given by Toronto Police Chief Bill BlairBill Blair (police chief)
William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
, claimed that the melee began when Chilean players got into a scuffle with a rival fan. He added that "members of the Chilean team then decided to direct some of their aggressive behaviour towards my officers... The job of my officers was to respond in a firm, but fair, manner to end that violence. They are trained to do so, and that is what they did." According to eyewitness accounts, the players on the bus began throwing things at police through the windows and tried to grab officers from inside the damaged bus. FIFA spokesman John Schumacher said: "The Chilean players were detained by the police to de-escalate the situation that was taking place in front of the stadium."
Eyewitness accounts stated that the altercation began as the Chilean players were heading to their bus, across the driveway from the doors of the stadium. There was apparently yelling near the bus, and then a scuffle erupted. Nathan Denette, a reported for Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. is the entity which "will take over the operations of the Canadian Press" according to a November 26, 2010 article in the Toronto Star...
stated: "Next thing you know, the bus just unloads and there's eight, 10 players come off the bus and there's just fists flying everywhere, between the cops, the security guards, a couple of ladies were involved that were security." As the conflict became more heated, a police officer did use a Taser – though it was unclear if it was used on a player or an official with the Chilean team – after which the brawl became even more intense. It was also asserted that any bruises sustained by anyone involved were "tiny."
Press shut-out
The Chilean press alleged that all press were removed from the area by security personnel since the incident's start, threatened with the removal of their tapes if they recorded anything and locked inside a room for several minutes.Aftermath
Ten Chilean team members were detained over three hours and then released without charges. FIFA president Sepp BlatterSepp Blatter
Joseph S. Blatter , commonly known as Sepp Blatter, is a Swiss football administrator, who serves as the 8th and current President of FIFA . He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007, and 2011...
said the next day at a press conference in Toronto that the incident was "regrettable" and that he "apologized in the name of FIFA." The ANFP
Federación de Fútbol de Chile
The Chilean Football Federation is the governing body of association football in Chile. It was founded June 19, 1895, making it the second oldest South American federation, and is a founding member of CONMEBOL in 1916...
(Chilean Professional Football Association) hired a Toronto law firm to pursue legal action against the Toronto police.
In Chile the incident was on the front page of every major newspaper. The Canadian embassy in Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
received a bomb threat and angry Chileans protested outside the embassy with signs reading "Racist Canada." Chile's President, Michelle Bachelet
Michelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a Social Democrat politician who was President of Chile from 11 March 2006 to 11 March 2010. She was the first woman president of her country...
, said that the incident was "especially serious because, in our opinion, the Chilean delegation suffered unjustified aggression," and lodged a formal protest with the Canadian government. In response, Canadian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
, Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
, remarked that "international soccer matches are hotly contested and often become very emotional. As you know, there are processes in Canada by which the authorities review these kinds of incidents and I don't intend to comment further."
It was reported in the Canadian media on July 30, 2007, that Isaias Peralta had confessed to Santiago's El Mercurio
El Mercurio
El Mercurio is a conservative Chilean newspaper with editions in Valparaíso and Santiago. Its Santiago edition is considered the country's paper-of-record and its Valparaíso edition is the oldest daily in the Spanish language currently in circulation. El Mercurio is owned by El Mercurio S.A.P...
that one of the Chilean team members had punched a female police office in the face before Peralta had been tasered, but maintained that the Toronto police had assaulted the Chilean team members before they retaliated; the following day Peralta denied making the comments. Police spokesperson Mark Pugash affirmed a female officer had been hit in the face, and stated the Chilean's violent behaviour prompted police to use Tasers and pepper spray, upholding the story that the Chileans had started the mêlée by confronting an Argentine fan. After an internal review headed by Superintendent Jim Ramer – in which witnesses, including event security officials, members of the Ontario Soccer Association, the BMO Field event coordinator, and the driver of the Chilean bus, offered statements – a report issued by the Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
on July 31, 2007, found that officers had acted professionally and with "with an immense amount of restraint" during the conflict outside the BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
, in which Chilean players "punched, kicked, spat on and kicked" police and security staff. The report stated that the violence started when two people not involved in the game confronted each other. Security guards first attempted to intervene, and then police, which is when a Chilean player punched a female police officer in the face. From that point, the report said the violence escalated; Chilean players dismantled the armrests and footrests from the bus seats, and smashed the windows in order to spit at and throw these objects, plus D-cell batteries, clothes hangers, and cans of deodorant
Deodorant
Deodorants are substances applied to the body to affect body odor caused by bacterial growth and the smell associated with bacterial breakdown of perspiration in armpits, feet and other areas of the body. A subgroup of deodorants, antiperspirants, affect odor as well as prevent sweating by...
at the police. Four officers were reportedly injured by projectiles. FIFA agreed to pay for the $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
35,000 in damages to the team's rented bus.
Harold Mayne-Nicholls, chair of the Football Federation of Chile and a witness to the event said: "I didn't see any Chilean player hitting any officer except between all the struggling." Patricio Bascunan, president of the Salvador Allende Cultural Society of Toronto, said an independent review was needed.
Disciplinary Measures
Chile's Jaime GrondonaJaime Grondona
Jaime Andrés Grondona Bobadilla is a Chilean footballer who currently plays for Ñublense.-International: Chile**FIFA U-20 World Cup:***Third place: 2007-External links:*...
was suspended for nine months at all levels (domestic and international) and fined CHF 7,000 (including procedural costs) for assaulting match officials. The Chilean football association was fined CHF 15,000 for "team misconduct".