World Cup U20 Home

World Cup U20 Overview

Lionel Messi Argentina U20 World Cup 2025

Messi sends message to Argentina U20s after World Cup final defeat

Lionel Messi proved his class once again when sending a heartfelt message to Argentina’s promising youngsters after seeing them suffer an agonising defeat to Morocco in the FIFA U20 World Cup final. The Albiceleste are the current holders of the global crown at senior level and had been hoping to capture another in the youth ranks. Messi has offered his support after seeing that dream crushed in dramatic fashion.

Purple & blue cards?! What is FIFA's new VAR challenge initiative

FIFA is rolling out a brand new VAR challenge initiative that gives managers the power to use purple and blue cards during matches to request a decision review from the referee, but it threatens to lead to even more frustrating delays. The cards are currently being tested at the 2025 Under-20 World Cup in Chile and in other smaller-scale tournaments and leagues.

Zidane's son backed to reach 'highest level' amid France heroics

Elyaz Zidane, son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, is emerging as one of the brightest revelations of the U-20 World Cup in Chile. Playing at the heart of France’s defence, the 19-year-old has logged the most minutes in Bernard Diomede’s side, displaying composure and maturity that go beyond his age and the immense weight of his surname.

Cremaschi rises, yet another let down against Morocco by U.S.

The U.S. have been knocking at the door, but what needs to change to finally open it? That question remains after another exit

Morocco end U.S. run in U20 World Cup with quarterfinal win

The United States made a deep run into the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup, but that came to a halt in the quarterfinals - their fifth tournament in a row reaching that round - as Morocco won 3-1 on Sunday. Despite Cole Campbell's first-half equalizer, Morocco advanced to the semifinals with a second-half own goal from Joshua Wynder and a late counterattack strike.

Lalas challenges U.S. U20 team to surpass previous generation

Former USMNT star Alexi Lalas has tempered expectations after the United States’ impressive 3-0 victory over Italy in the Round of 16 at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Lalas acknowledged the achievement but emphasized that American youth teams have reached similar stages before. The U.S. secured their fifth straight trip the quarterfinals.

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	Bayern München	25	21	3	1	92	24	68	66	W W W W W
2	Borussia Dortmund	25	16	7	2	53	26	27	55	W L D W W
3	Hoffenheim	25	15	4	6	53	33	20	49	W L D W L
4	VfB Stuttgart	25	14	5	6	50	34	16	47	D W D W L
5	RB Leipzig	25	14	5	6	48	34	14	47	W W D D W

Pos

Team

+/-

PTS

Form

Bayern München

W
W
W
W
W

Borussia Dortmund

W
L
D
W
W

Hoffenheim

W
L
D
W
L

VfB Stuttgart

D
W
D
W
L

RB Leipzig

W
W
D
D
W

Frequently asked questions

Who has won the most Asian Cup titles?

Asian heavyweights Japan are the most successful side in AFC Asian Cup history, winning the title four times (1992, 2000, 2004, and 2011).

How many teams are in the Asian Cup?

At present, 24 teams participate in the AFC Asian Cup, an increase from the 16 teams that featured from 2004 to 2015. Fun fact: during the inaugural edition in 1956, just four teams took part in the tournament.

Who has made the most Asian Cup appearances ever?

Yasuhito Endo, a cult hero from Japan, leads the all-time appearance maker list with 21 Asian Cup games to his name. The midfielder feature in four consecutive editions between 2004 and 2015.

Who is the all-time top scorer of the Asian Cup?

Ali Daei, who held the record for scoring the most international goals before Cristiano Ronaldo leapfrogged him in 2021, has found the net a record 14 times in Asian Cup history, three times more than any other player.

Who is the oldest player ever in the Asian Cup and how old was he?

Indian footballing icon Sunil Chhetri is the oldest player to ever feature in the AFC Asian Cup, achieving the feat in the 2023 edition (played in 2024) at the age of 39 years and 173 days.

Who is the youngest player ever in the Asian Cup and how old was he?

Talal Haji, aged 16 years and 131 days, became the youngest player to ever play in the tournament when he featured for Saudi Arabia in a group stage game against Thailand at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

Which famous players have played in the Asian Cup?

Ali Daei, Sunil Chhetri, Tim Cahill, Mark Schwarzer, Son Heung-min, Keisuke Honda, Shunsuke Nakamura, Sardar Azmoun, and Park Ji-sung are some of the biggest stars to have participated in the AFC Asian Cup.

Which famous managers have managed in the Asian Cup?

Carlos Quieroz, Carlos Alberto Parreira, Ange Postecoglou, Zico, and Alberto Zaccheroni are among the AFC Asian Cup's most famous managers in history.