FIFA U-17 World Cup: Brazil coach Carlos Amadeu says plenty in tank to win title

As Brazil await the start of their FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign with a high-voltage clash against Spain on Saturday, a relaxed head coach Carlos Amadeu expressed confidence in his players’ ability to go all the way and win the title.

Addressing the media before the training session on the eve of their opening Group D match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Amadeu said “These players have had to beat many others to come here. Our goal is to win the competition, but the most important thing is the experience for the players.”

The football-mad venue in Kerala, which traditionally supports Brazil or Argentina during major international tournaments, is eagerly awaiting the clash.

(Read | FIFA U-17 World Cup: Heavyweights Brazil and Spain face off in Group D opener)

Terming Spain as a side that ‘likes to play football’ Amadeu hoped Saturday’s game would make for a great watch. “Both teams want to keep possession, both like to play offensive football. So it’s going to be great for the fans and the media. We know their style of play, we know their potential, but we know our potential too,” he said.

SETTLED SIDE

“We have been preparing since 2015. The players are used to our system. We have many alternatives to our system,” Amadeu added.

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The coach, however, didn’t reveal whether he has settled on a starting XI for Saturday’s clash.

“We gave some playing minutes to our players in the practice games to evaluate them. We have changed our line-ups whenever needed in the past, in the South American Championship, for example. We are very confident about our players,” he stated.

Captain Vitao said: “I am really relaxed about being captain. I was the captain when we won the South American title, which was a good experience. I’ am aware of the pressure, but I am okay with it.”

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SUPPORT FOR INJURED VINICIUS JR

While Real Madrid-bound forward Vinicius Junior was not released for the FIFA U-17 World Cup by Flamengo, he suffered a leg injury during his Brazilian side’s 1-0 loss to Ponte Preta on Monday.

Vitao said players have been sending him supportive messages.

“We spoke to Vinicius when we got to know he is injured, so we are sending him positive vibes to try and help him in his recovery. He would have helped us here, but we have many talented players,” he said.

Amadeu too played down Vinicius’ absence, and was curt in his reply. “Vinicius was important for us, but we focus on the players we have.”