The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) U20 World Cup 2023 in Argentina has come to an epic conclusion. While South American powerhouse Uruguay won its first-ever title, the tournament was dominated by underdogs.
‘Surprise teams’ dominated. South Korea and Israel are two of the most prominent examples. South Korea started off strong, beating France in the group stage, and went on to defeat Ecuador and Nigeria in the tournament to reach the quarterfinals. Israel was expected to struggle, but they came into the tournament with a winning record and pulled off an upset in the quarterfinals, knocking off heavy favorites Brazil 3-2 to finish third.
Uruguay and Italy, who faced off in the final, were also “newbies,” having never won a tournament before this one. Uruguay reached the final with a solid defense, while Italy had a chance to win with a balanced attack. In the final, Uruguay defeated Italy 1-0 to win their first ever title. 스포츠토토
Traditional powerhouses hung their heads in shame. ‘Artisanal’ France were knocked out by South Korea and Gambia in the group stage, while hosts Argentina were stunned by Nigeria in the round of 16. Brazil fell victim to an upset at the hands of Israel in the quarterfinals, while Nigeria and the United States, who looked the most solid, lost to South Korea and Uruguay, respectively, in the semifinals.
The tournament ended with an underdog uprising. It was a reminder that team organization and focus are more important than name value. This is evidenced by the success of South Korea, Israel, and Uruguay, who were all underrated before the tournament.