FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship

FIFA World Cup 2006 Germany has ended but not for these girls who are as impressive to watch as their male counterparts. The 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Championship is taking place in Russia from August 17 to September 3, 2006 and matches will be held in four Moscow stadiums namely: Dinamo, Lokomotiv, Podmoskovie Sports Palace and Torpedo Stadion and one in St. Petersburg — Petrovskiy Stadion.

The U-20 women’s world youth championship division organized by FIFA is expected to be as successful like their previous two championships held in Canada in 2002 and Thailand in 2004 which had an age limit of 19.

FIFA changed the age limit to give way for the creation of an under-17 championship in 2008.

About the host nation — Russia

Football was tough to play in the late 19th century among the entire country since the Russian government believed that the sports is only for the elite group, however, students who came back from England promoted the sport that eventually spread among the people; seeing the creation of a number of influential Russian clubs in 1904. After that, Russia participated in Olympic Games Football Tournament.

Eight years later, The Football Association of Russia was found and affiliated to FIFA almost simultaneously.

Russia’s present governing body is called Football’s International Federation which started in 1992 after the end of Soviet Union (USSR).

The Football Association of Russia was founded in 1912 and became affiliated to FIFA that same year. In 1992, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union (USSR), Russia rejoined Football’s International Federation.

Football’s popularity grew rapidly which saw Russian football evolving dramatically earning them at least a quarterfinals birth for 12 years from 1958 to 1970. The most notable player in Soviet Union was named “black spider” Lev Yashin who almost helped their country win a FIFA World Cup title during USSR’s golden years.

After Lev Yashin brilliance, the world saw another Russian by the name of Oleg Salenko who set the record for most goals in a single game finding the back of the net five times against Cameroon in USA 94.

In the present day, players like Andrei Kariaka and Alexandr Kerzhakov are growing and performing exceptionally well to bring back their country’s dominance after years of turbulent ride due to political controversies.

Recently, CSKA Moscow won the 2005 UEFA Cup against Sporting Lisbon (in the Portuguese’s club’s own stadium) to assert their skills and great footballing once again.

The country’s U-19 women side only lost once against eventual champions Germany but has reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship Thailand 2004. Likewise, they won UEFA Women’s U-19 Championship Hungary 2005 with a core of very young players.

Much will be expected from Russia in this year’s World championships game.

[tags]FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Championship, Russia 2006[/tags]