India's West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday, October 29, thanked the FIFA and AIFF for giving the state the chance to host the U-17 World Cup Final match.
"Today is a historic day for Bengal as well as India. For the first time, the U-17 World Cup football final has been hosted at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan this evening. My sincere thanks to FIFA and AIFF for giving us the opportunity to host the final match," Banerjee said in a Facebook post.
"I was present at the prize giving ceremony. My heartiest greetings and best wishes to the wining and participating teams. It is indeed an overwhelmingly proud moment for Bengal and India," she added.
The All India Football Federation's National Centre of Excellence will come up in Kolkata, AIFF president Praful Patel had announced recently.
Patel made the announcement after Banerjee offered 15 acre of land at Rajarhat in the city's northeastern fringes.
Here's Roundup of U-17 Events:
England rally to win maiden U-17 World Cup title:
England made a remarkable comeback from two goals down to outclass three-time runners up Spain 5-2 and clinch their maiden FIFA U-17 World Cup at a packed Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday, October 28.
Spain took the early advantage in the final, thanks to a first-half brace by Sergio Gomes (10th, 31st minutes).
But his effort was wiped out as England scored five goals through Rhian Brewster (44th), Morgan Gibbs White (58th), Phil Foden (69th, 88th) and Marc Guehi (84th).
England's all-time record goalscorer Wayne Rooney and current captain Harry Kane hailed England's superlative display in the FIFA U-17 World Cup where the colts raised the bar further by emulating their U-20 team to lift the trophy.
"Yessss!!! Congratulations to all involved. Been class throughout the tournament," Rooney, who retired from international football earlier this year, tweeted.
"Congrats to the U17s - a fantastic achievement!" Tottenham Hotspur's Kane, who is England's main hope for Russia 2018, tweeted.
Legendary former England and Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer lauded the character of the boys stating it was a brilliant performance throughout the tourney.
"Congratulations @england U17's! Great character shown. Brilliant performances all tournament. World Cup winners!," Shearer tweeted.
Former England marksman Michael Owen underlined the fact that his country produces "top-class" young talent with the maiden U-17 World Cup victory following the U-20 triumph earlier this year in South Korea and the U-19 European Championships win as well.
"Our young lions triumph again. Brilliant achievement and once again, just goes to show we produce top class young talent. Well done lads," Owen wrote on Twitter.
U-17 WC: Brazil beat Mali to finish 3rd
Three-time champions Brazil beat Mali 2-0 to finish third in the FIFA U-17 World Cup here at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Saturday, October 28.
Alan made the most of a horrible goal-keeping gaffe by Mali's Youssouf Koita in the 55th minute to give Brazil the lead with substitute Yuri Alberto doubling the margin in the 88th minute.
This is the second time the Selecao boys finished third after the inaugural edition in 1985, China. Mali were runners up in the last edition of the youth meet in Chile, 2015.
Record 1.2 million attend India's U-17 World Cup
The FIFA U-17 World Cup in Kolata on Saturay, October 28, became the most attended in the history of the tournament.
After Brazil fought Mali in the third-place clash ahead of the mega-final between England and Spain, the total number of spectators who turned up at the six host venues across the country went past the earlier record attendance of 1,230,976 set in the first edition of the tournament in China, 1985.
With 56,432 people watching the game at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, the total attendance of the World Cup reached 1,280,459.
A figure of 6,949 needed to be breached before the start of the tie to break the record.
The 2011 edition in Mexico had seen a turnout of 1,002,314 spectators, becoming the third to boast a total attendance in excess of a million.
The attendance for matches had breached the million mark in the last Round of 16 match on October 18.
The Yuba Bharati Krirangan, revamped at an expenditure of over Rs 100 crores, boasts of the highest attendance per match. The venue has so far logged a total of 54,2125 spectators from 10 games. The average attendance has been 54,212 per match.
(Indo-Asian News Service)
