Astam Oraon beamed, the smile nearly stretching to the cornrows on both sides, when asked if she would sleep well in the night. “Yes,” said the India captain ahead of the under-17 World Cup opener against USA here on Tuesday. “We have a game tomorrow and rest is important. We will sleep well.”
Nearly eight months of training in Jamshedpur and here with 45-46 players in long camps–that is almost 270 sessions of running, strength and conditioning and football, said India head coach Thomas Dennerby–playing tournaments and friendlies in Europe has been for this: a never-before event in India’s football history. One that will be played at the Kalinga Stadium here, where Sambalpuri patterns enhance the bright blue and red seats, Goa and Navi Mumbai where it will end on October 30. One that is likely to be the reason for FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet. One that Tanzania, in their first ever World Cup at any level, would want to make memorable. One that could promote the women’s game and, by extension, be a voice for their empowerment.
There have been different winners in the previous six iterations where Japan and the Koreas have dominated. Along with Canada, Germany and New Zealand, Japan have qualified for all finals. They have also been in the summit showdown thrice and were champions in 2014. North Korea, who are not among the 16 in India, have won it twice and been second once. Defending champions Spain have played two finals, losing to Japan in 2014, and finished in the top three four times. The only time neither Japan nor the Koreas were in the title round was in 2018, the last time the competition was held, when Mexico lost 1-2 in Montevideo.
That is why USA’s Spanish coach Natalia Astrain spoke of wanting to “change history”.
“We are proud of our four stars,” she said, referring to the USA women’s World Cup titles. But in this age-group, USA have made the knockout rounds only once, in 2008 when they were runners-up. Brazil, which has birthed Mata and beautiful football, have never made it beyond quarter-finals. Both have bossed at the continental level though; USA scored 58 goals and conceded one on way to the 2022 CONCACAF title.
Brazil coach and former national team player Simone Gomez Jatoba said development work at the under-17 level started only “three-four years ago.” Astrain too spoke of structural changes that should benefit the under-17s, hopefully this time and definitely in the future.
Three of the teams in Group A, which also has India, spoke of the difficulty in acclimatising. “Even to breathe, you sweat so much,” said Jatoba ahead of the Brazil-Morocco game on Tuesday afternoon. USA trained in Dubai before coming here, said Astrain. Morocco, their French coach Anthony Rimasson said, began preparations on September 6 at home before moving to Portugal and then Goa to get used to the weather.
Dennerby is hoping all of this would work to India’s advantage. India are ready and on strength and fitness on a par with the best, he has said. But he accepted his team, in the mix by virtue of being hosts, were underdogs and would play like one. “It will be hard to score against us,” said the 63-year-old Swede. “We have speedy wingers, we have to utilise that,” he has said.
Dennerby has asked the team to enjoy the moment. He knows USA could press high and induce errors; that Brazil have “some big girls who are technically good” and Morocco overcame a 0-2 deficit to beat Ghana on penalties to be the first team from North Africa in this competition. Yet Dennerby has also been steadfast in his assertion that if India perform to potential and the others don’t bring their A game, a quarter-finals berth is possible. “That would be as big as when I took Sweden to the bronze in the 2011 women’s World Cup,” he said.