The Seoul 2024 EOU Cup U-19 International Football Tournament will kick off on June 28 at the Mokdong Sports Complex Main Stadium. Korea, Argentina, Thailand and Indonesia will compete in a full league for the top spot in the second edition of the tournament.
Thailand (Nov. 28), Argentina (Nov. 30) and Indonesia (Nov. 1) are all tough opponents for Korea in the tournament. Argentina is ranked No. 1 by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and has consistently produced stars in this age group. World-class stars like Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, and 토토사이트 Javier Saviola all rose to stardom through the U-20 national team.
Argentina’s Lucas Valentino Alfonso and Santiago Puzo are two of the most prominent stars of the tournament. Alfonso is a dual-citizen attacker born in Milan, Italy. He made his debut for Kilmes in the Argentine Second Division in March of this year and has since made 17 appearances. Puzo is also a left-footed midfielder who plays between the second and third positions for Kilmes.
Argentina is the favorite in terms of name value, but Thailand and Indonesia are not to be ignored. Both Indonesia, winners of the 2024 AFF U-19 Championship, and Thailand, runners-up, are dark horses for the tournament.
Thailand’s main players are Kieran Ryan and Thanakit Chotmuangpak. Ryan is a 6-foot-4 attacker born in England. He played for Port Vale youth team before moving to Buriram United (Thailand) last month and is considered a future star for Thailand’s age-group national team.
Chotmuangpak is known as the “Little Giant of Buriram” for being the youngest player to make an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) debut at 17 years, 3 months, and 11 days old. “Thai soccer is in his blood,” as Thai soccer legend Piyapong Piuon, the first K-League player to win both the goals and assists titles, put it.
Indonesia’s Arkan Kaka and Jidavin should also be mentioned. Arkan is a former Jeonbuk Hyundai and Sporting (Portugal) prospect who has played for Indonesia’s national teams at every age group. Recently, he has been performing well in the Indonesian first division and is said to have made a smooth transition to the senior ranks.
Jidavin, an attacking midfielder born to a Korean father and an Indonesian mother, is also expected to rise to the next level after studying soccer at the academy of Son Heung-min’s father, Son Woong-jung.