PUERTO WILLIAMS, CHILE - SEPTEMBER 5: A view of the FIFA U-20 World Cup trophy aboard the Chilean Navy ship Alacalufe during an activation ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025 on September 4, 2025 in Puerto Williams, Chile. The U-20 World Cup has long been a launchpad for the continent’s biggest stars, from John Obi Mikel and Seydou Keita to Percy Tau and Achraf Hakimi. In the quarter-finals against DR Congo, Thabang Mahlangu’s extra-time strike sealed a hard-fought 1-0 win that punched their World Cup ticket. Egypt: A Dramatic Route Back to the World StageThe Egypt U-20 National Team participates in the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Cairo, Egypt, on April 27, 2025. (Photo by Shaun Botterill - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) FIFA via Getty ImagesThe U-20 World Cup has always been about more than youth competition.