Stage set for U20 Championship

The stage is once again all set for the unearthing of the future stars of African football. The CAF U20 Championship has undisputedly served as a major breeding ground for talents who have gone on to become household names on the continent and the world at large.

The 19th edition of the biennial championship opens in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, on 8 March and runs till 22 March, and will bring together some of the finest youth footballers in Africa at the moment.

Ivorian captain Yaya Toure, four-time African Player of the Year, and Ghana’s Andre Ayew are some of the big names in recent times who cut their teeth and honed their talents at the championship, also the qualifiers for the global tournament, Fifa under-20 World Cup.

Serving as the major bridge between the junior and the senior team, the under-20 competition is one that attracts so much attention from patrons as it provides the platform for some raw talents to showcase their abilities to the lovers of the game. It is therefore little wonder that most of the graduates have gone on to become globally acclaimed figures of the globular leather.

Below Cafonline.com produces some graduates of the youth championship who made it to the top either with the national side or club since the inception of the eight-team tourney in 1991;

1991 Egypt

Winner: Egypt

Egypt had the likes of goalkeeper Nader El Sayed, Khady Khashaba while goalkeeper Losseni Konate of Ivory Coast also rose to prominence in the ‘Les Elephanteaux’ journey to the final.

1993 Mauritius

Winner: Ghana

One of the best assembled Ghanaian youth teams in the history featuring the likes of Samuel Osei Kuffour, Charles Akonnor, Mohamed Gargo, Augustine Arhinful, Emmanuel Duah and Stephen Baidoo who matured to become the core of the Black Stars in the late 90’s. Legendary Cameroon defender Rigobert Song was a member of the Indomitable Cubs that reached the final together with strikers Patrick Suffo and Pius Ndiefi.

1995 Nigeria

Winner: Cameroon

Cameroon won their first title under the technical guidance of the Jean Manga Onguene with a team that included Geremi Njitap and Pierre Wome. Burundi striker Felicien M’Banza was also at the tournament.

1997 Morocco

Winner: Morocco

Moroccan striker Hicham Zerouali nicknamed ‘zero’ left his mark at the tournament aiding the hosts to the title. Compatriot Adil Ramzi who later played in Italy (Udinese), Netherlands (Willem II, Roda JC, Al Alkmaar, Utrecht) and Qatar (Al Wakrah, Umm Salah) was also in the Moroccan side. The same tournament saw the emergence of future South African marksman Benni McCarthy just as defender Matthew Booth and midfielder Stanton Fredericks. In the Ghana team were defender Kofi Amponsah, Bashiru Gambo, Awudu Issaka and Richard Ackon. Ivory Coast striker Bonaventure Kalou, the elder brother of former Chelsea and Lille midfielder Salomon Kalou also showed up in Morocco then on the books of ASEC Mimosas.

1999 Ghana

Winner: Ghana

Ghana won her second title joining Egypt (1991) and Morocco (1997) as hosts to have won the ultimate. Baffour Gyan, elder brother of current Ghana captain, Asamoah Gyan was in the Black Satellites squad just as defender Aziz Ansah, goalkeeper Sammy Adjei and Laryea Kingston (brother of Ghana goalie Richard Kingson). Former Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo, winger Pius Ikedia, Rabiu Afolabi and late goalkeeper (died in 2005) were prominent in the Flying Eagles team that reached the final. Mali captain Seydou Keita was also there with Adama Coulibaly and Mahamadou Diarra. Emmanuel Zulu, Andrew Sinkala and Ian Bakala were also part of the Zambia crew.

2001 Ethiopia

Winner: Angola

Angola stunned Ghana with a 2-0 win in the final thanks to a brace from Lolo. The Angolan side, handled by Luis Oliviera Goncalves, who will later steer Angola to their only World Cup appearance in 2006 in Germany relied on wonderful talents such Pedro Mantorras (CAF Promising Player of the Year 2001) and Antonio Mendoca. Ghana paraded the likes of Sulley Muntari, Stephen Tetteh and Charles Taylor. Retired Egypt goal poacher Ahmed ‘Mido’ Hossam was one of the best players at the tourney. Also present were Gamal Hamza, Mohamed Shawky and Hossam Ghaly.

2003 Burkina Faso

Winner: Egypt

The third title of Egypt was made possible by the likes of Ahmed Fathi, Hosni Abd Rabou,

Ahmed Farag and Emad Moteab, who scored the winner during extra time in the final, against Ivory Coast (4-3). Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure, then with ASEC Mimosas was an influential member of ‘Les Elephanteaux’ together with Koffi N’dri Romaric. Goalkeeper Soumaila Diakite was in the Malian team while goalkeeper Daouda Diakite, Aristide Bance and Saidou Panandetiguiri constituted the core of the Burkina Faso team.

2005 Benin

Winner: Nigeria

Nigeria claimed their fourth title with striker Isaac Promise scoring both goals in the 2-0 win over Egypt in the final. In victorious squad were Taye Taiwo, Onyekachi Apam, Victor Obinna Nsofor, Solomon Okoronkwo and Olubayo Adefemi (died in a car accident in April 2011 in Greece while playing for Skoda Xanthi). Now Mali regulars, Adama Tamboura and Modibo Maiga also honed their talents at the tournament that also saw the emergence of Morocco and former Raja Casablanca forward Mouhssine Iajour. Hosts Benin grabbed one of the four spots for the Fifa World Cup largely due to the efforts of Razak Omotoyossi, Romuald Boco and Abou Maiga. Ivorian defender Souleymane Bamba and striker Sekou Cisse were also present.

2007 Congo

Winner: Congo

Congo became the fourth host to win the ultimate after Egypt (1991), 1997 (Morocco) and 1999 (Ghana), but their success story will never be complete without the likes of Delvin Ndinga, Franchel Ibara and Fabrice N’Guessi. Other graduates of this edition are Bakary Kone, Alain Traore (Burkina Faso); Sainey Nyassi, Sanna Nyassi, Ousman Jallow (Gambia); Elderson Echiejile (Nigeria); Ahmed Elmohamady (Egypt), Leonard Kweuke, Benjamin Moukandjo, Nicolas Nkoulou (Cameroon) and Clifford Mulenga, Fwayo Temba, William Njobvu (Zambia).

2009 Rwanda

Winner: Ghana

Ghana beat Cameroon 2-0 in the final to win their third title in the history of the competition. The Black Satellites will go on to win the global crown in Egypt becoming the first African side to achieve that feat. The Ghana squad included Andre Ayew, Samuel Inkoom, Ransford Osei, Dominic Adiyiah and Jonathan Mensah. For Cameroon were Brice Owona, Yaya Banana and Jacques Zoua. Others are Cyriac Gohi Bi Zoro (Ivory Coast); Ahmed Hegazy, Mohamed Talaat (Egypt); Samba Sow (Mali); Lukman Haruna, Chrisantus MacCauley, Rabiu Ibrahim, Ganiyu Oseni (Nigeria) and Thulani Serero (South Africa).

2011 South Africa

Winner: Nigeria

Nigeria confirmed their dominance claiming their sixth title with a 3-2 victory over Cameroon after extra time. Key to the Flying Eagles’ triumph were Ahmed Musa, Ramon Azeez, Uche Nwofor and Stanley Okoro. Cameroon midfielder Edgar Salli was adjudged the best player of the tournament and he was there with Franck Kom, Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo and Yaya Banana, who was making a successive appearance after 2009. Other players who lighted the competition are Ahmed El Shenawy, Rami Rabia, Ahmed Hegazy, Mohamed Salah, Omar Gaber, Mahmoud Hassan ‘Trezeguet’ (Egypt); Saihou Gassama (Gambia), Mahatma Otoo, Richmond Boakye Yiadom (Ghana) and Cheick Fantamady Diarra (Mali).

2013 Algeria

Winner: Egypt

Egypt returned to the podium for the first time in 10-years, beating Ghana 5-4 on penalties. The Young Pharaohs won their heart of the local faithful, a rare feature considering the age-long rivalry between the two countries largely with the performances of Saleh Gomaa (who was named best player of the tournament), Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim ‘Kahraba’, Rami Rabia and Ahmed Hassan ‘Koka’. Others who shone at the championship are Ebenezer Assifuah (Ghana), Didier Ibrahima Ndong, Franck Engonga (Gabon), Adama Niane (Mali) and Olarenwaju Kayode (Nigeria).