LAGOS. Apr 3 (Reuters/Internet) Champions
Argentina will be going for a hat-trick of titles in
the World Youth Cup starting on Saturday when large numbers of agents, hoping to snap up young talent at bargain prices, will be amqng the most interested spectators?— The South Americans, who beat their biggest rivals Brazil in the 1995 final in Qatar and their second-biggest rivals Uruguay in 1997 in Malaysia, begin the defence of their crown against Kazakstan in Kaduna on Sunday.
The Argentines arrive in Africa in fine fettle, having won eight of their nine matches in winning the South American qualifying tournament in January when 19-year-old striker Luciano Galletti from Estlidi-antes scored nine of their goals.
Coach Jose Peckerman. who led Argentina to their previous two victories, is once again in charge.
Hosts Nigeria, whose handling of the competition is likely to attract much attention. open the tournament when they face Costa Rica in Lagos on Saturday.
They aim to become the first African nation to win the title.
Although England's team in Lagos contains a few players with top-flight domestic experience. the English Football Association did not force their premier league clubs to send anyone to Nigeria who was a regular first team player.
Up-and-coming players such as Harry Smith from Leeds United will, therefore, not be on show in Nigeria.
Some of the other European nations have followed England's example in sending second-string outfits because of domestic league commitments and this leaves South America with an excellent chance of securing another youth title.
Brazil, who scored 10 goals a game twice in Malaysia before a quarter-final defeat by Argentina. are always a threat. But this year their preparations have been somewhat tumul-
tuous.
Coach Toninho Barroso resigned shortly after he had picked the squad for the tournament and the team will be one of the most health-conscious at the finals.
Despite the tropical heat, malaria-fearing Brazil will train in tracksuit trousers to avoid mosquito bites and may -eve*. play their matches in long- sleeved sni rts.
But the Brazilians will want to follow the example of midfielder Dunga. who won the title in 1983 and then went on to lead his country at two World Cups.
They have plenty of taleht at their disposal, with an attack spearheaded by 19-year-old
Fernando Baiano. who scored five goals in a single Liberta-dores Cup match this month.
Europe, with only six teams present, could find that their best hopes lie with Portugal, champions in 1989 and 1991.
Hugo Leal. 18. the youngest player in their squad, has already attracted the interest of several Italian clubs with his_ excellent tactical vision.
Portugal's free-kick specialists Simao Sabrosa is valued at $15 million and he has attracted interest from Barcelona.
Germany have invested less than many other countries in youth football over the past few years and their side is not that strong.
Germany's appearance in the Cyprus final of the under-18 .European championship last. July therefore came as a surprise.
Gifted teenagers such as Sebastian Deisler (Borussia Moenchengladbach). Fabian Ernst (Hamburg SV) and Sebastian Schindzierloz (VfL Bochum) play regularly in their club’s first teams and have not travelled to Nigeria.
Star of the squad is playmaker Patrick Falk of Bayer Leverkusen who was concerned about the weather in Nigeria.
'To play under such temperatures is crazy," he said.
Germany, who lost 2-1 to Mexico in their last warm-up match on Monday, play their first game against Paraguay on Sunday.
With 24 countries taking part, the teams will be divided into six groups of four. The top two in each group, plus the four third-placed teams with the best records, then progress to the knockout stage.
The allocation system for the tournament has allowed lesser soccer nations such as Mali. Zambia, Kazakstan and Honduras to take part while France, the Netherlands and Italy are among those missing
But. with major European clubs happy to buy talent from the most obscure nations, there will still be plenty to keep the agents happy.