The stage is set for the 22nd edition of the Fifa U20 World Cup with all the participating teams submitting their final list for the championship. With an average age of 18.57 years, Mali are taking the youngest bunch of players to the championship.
After winning their first Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, coach Mamoutou Kane has kept faith in majority of the players that played in Niger Republic – with Mamadou Traore and Sekou Koita leading the pack.
Portugal, on the other hand, have the oldest squad, with an average age of 19.95 years, just ahead of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine.
| Average age of each 2019 U20 World Cup squad |
| Team | Youngest player | Oldest player | Average age |
| Argentina | Pedro de Livega (18) | Tomas Chancalay (20) | 19.4 |
| Colombia | Andres Amaya (18) | Reinaldo Fontalvo (20) | 19.57 |
| Ecuador | Jordan Rezabala (19) | John Espiro (20) | 19.7 |
| France | William Saliba (18) | Youssouf Fofana (20)` | 19.66 |
| Honduras | Jonathan Nunez (18) | Cesar Romero (20) | 19.44 |
| Italy | Roberto Alberico (19) | Gianluca Scamacca (20) | 19.17 |
| Japan | Zion Suzuki (17) | Mitsuki Saito (20) | 19.19 |
| South Korea | Lee Kangin (18) | Lee Sangjun (20) | 19.76 |
| Mali | AlKalifa Coulibaly (18) | Mamadou Traore (20) | 18.57 |
| Mexico | Carlos Higuera (19) | Kevin Alvarez (20) | 19.7 |
| New Zealand | Ben Waine (18) | Michael Wood (20) | 19.4 |
| Nigeria | Zulkifilu Muhammed (17) | Aniekeme Okon (20) | 19.2 |
| Norway | Erling Haland (19) | Markus Pettersen (20) | 19.8 |
| Panama | Emerson Dimas (18) | Manuel Gamboa (20) | 19.4 |
| Poland | Nicolas Zalewski (17) | Tymotevsz Puchacz (20) | 19.4 |
| Portugal | Pedro Meto (19) | Arantes Maximiano (20) | 19.95 |
| Qatar | Hashim Ali (19) | Ahmad Yasser (20) | 19.8 |
| Saudi Arabia | Feras Albikan (19) | Khalifah Aldawsari (20) | 19.7 |
| Senegal | Moussa Ndiaye (17) | Souleymane AW (20) | 18.8 |
| South Africa | Oswin Appolis (18) | Khulekani Kubeka (20) | 19.66 |
| Tahiti | Tevaitimi Teumere (16) | Hennel Tehaamoana (20) | 18.7 |
| Ukraine | Danylo Sikan (18) | Oleh Veremienko (20) | 19.7 |
| Uruguay | Emiliano Gomez (18) | Nicolas Schiappacasse (20) | 19.47 |
| USA | Julian Araujo (18) | Mark McKenzie (20) | 19.09 |
Hosts Poland have gone for a mix of players between 17 – 20 years as coach Jacek Magiera has included 13 players who are 20, while Radoslaw Majecki, Nicola Zalewski and Maik Nawrocki bring the average down to 19.4
The award for tallest player at the 2019 Fifa U20 World Cup is shared by Nigeria’s Olawale Oremade and Dan-Axel Zagadou of France; towering above all at 196 cm. Should both be at their best in Poland, chances are that they might just stop all the attacking forays of opposing strikers.
Saudi Arabia’s midfielder Salem Al Saleem is the shortest player in the competition at 160 cm.
Heading into the competition, some teams have adopted a more youthful approach than others while most have gone for a blend of ages. After the final on June 15 at the Stadion Widzewa, Lodz, we will see which approach works best.
Stay tuned in to Goal throughout Fifa U20 2019 as we keep you up-to-date on all the action from Poland
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