Brazao, Brewster and Foden lead individual honours - FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP
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| AFP |
- adidas Golden Ball goes to Philip Foden (England)
- Rhian Brewster (England) wins adidas Golden Boot
- Best goalkeeper: Gabriel Brazao (Brazil)
Football may be a team sport, but a few select players delivered such outstanding individual performances over the course of the 22 days as to merit and receive special recognition.
Philip Foden was honoured with the adidas Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, emulating the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Toni Kroos before him. His England team-mate Rhian Brewster ended India 2017 as top goalscorer, while the Brazil goalkeeper Gabriel Brazao and the collective fair play of the Seleção also made it onto a list of award winners compiled by FIFA's Technical Study Group (TSG).
Read on to find out whose luggage will be that little bit heavier on the journey home.
adidas Golden Ball: Philip Foden (England) - 7 games (3 goals, 1 assist)
The English midfielder appeared in all seven of his side's games and was especially impressive in terms of his consistently high level of performances throughout. His unpredictability flummoxed his opponents and he was strong in one-on-one situations, but he always knew when to pass if a team-mate was in a better position. The 17-year-old was involved in almost everything good about his team, and he made a decisive contribution to England's triumph by scoring twice in the final.
adidas Silver Ball: Sergio Gomez (Spain) - 7 games (4 goals, 2 assists)
The left-footed maestro was on course to be the match-winner after netting a first-half brace in the final, only for La Rojita to eventually surrender their 2-0 lead. Spain's No10 oozed creativity throughout the competition, however, making a habit of playing the perfect pass through the lines of opposing defences. Able to read and judge situations innately, his understanding of the game was remarkable for a player his age and he also displayed a knack for shooting from range.
adidas Bronze Ball: Rhian Brewster (England) - 6 games (8 goals, 1 assist)
Agile. Dynamic. Ruthless - perhaps the three best words to describe the Englishman, who saved his best displays for the knockout rounds. Brewster scored just once in his first four appearances but almost singlehandedly fired England all the way to the final with hat-tricks against USA and Brazil in respective 4-1 and 3-1 victories. The 17-year-old was a menace all over the pitch but especially came alive in the penalty area. He waited patiently for his chances and, using his speed to his advantage, was able to get the better of defenders again and again. The Liverpool youngster knew exactly where to be in the box and displayed remarkable composure in front of goal.
adidas Golden Boot: Rhian Brewster (England) - 6 games (8 goals)
adidas Silver Boot: Lassana N’Diaye (Mali) - 7 games (6 goals)
Mali ended the tournament as the side with the most shots on goal - 184 - a statistic that owes much to N'Diaye's presence in the Eaglets' attack. "Since I was a kid, I always scored a lot of goals on the street and at our academy," the 17-year-old recently told FIFA.com. "It's always fun to score goals. It's why I play football - to do exactly that." Extremely difficult to stop one on one and never afraid to shoot, N'Diaye was the CAF Africa Cup of Nations winners' most potent attacking weapon.
adidas Bronze Boot: Abel Ruiz (Spain) - 7 games (6 goals)
Spain's captain and all-action centre forward was also a team player above all. His ability to hold the ball up with his back to goal made him a vital outlet for his team-mates, but just as eye-catching was his positional awareness in the final third. His passes set up chances for other players and he scored goals himself, but he also led the entire group on and off the pitch. He took responsibility, and converted, from the penalty spot twice at India 2017, opening the scoring with one of those spot-kicks to put Spain into the lead against Mali in the semi-final.
adidas Golden Glove: Gabriel Brazao (Brazil)
For the fifth time, the best goalkeeper of the U-17 World Cup was recognised with the Golden Glove award. After Benjamin Siegrist (Switzerland, 2009), Jonathan Cubero (Uruguay, 2011), Dele Alampasu (Nigeria, 2013) and Samuel Diarra (Mali, 2015), India 2017's hero between the sticks was Gabriel Brazao. The Brazil custodian made 29 saves and kept out an average of 85.3 per cent of shots on his goal in the tournament, higher than any other goalkeeper. On a number of occasions he pulled off stupendous saves to thwart opposing strikers, showcasing his superb reflexes and impressive command of his penalty area. He also conceded just five goals in seven matches.
FIFA Fair Play Award: Brazil
After the final ball was kicked, Brazil were able to enjoy the consolation of ending their campaign with a win. They overcame Mali 2-0 to win the Play-Off for Third Place, but thanks to their sportsmanship, they also won the hearts of the watching supporters too. The Seleção received just four yellow cards and committed only 62 fouls in their seven matches, making Carlos Amadeu's side deserving winners of the FIFA Fair Play Award. Alongside the trophy, medals and a certificate, Brazil's football federation also receives a cheque of $10,000 USD, which will be used exclusively for equipment for youth football.