FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017: Brazil, Mali coaches stress on 'more balanced competition' like European leagues

Kolkata: Better organisation skill and resources make Europe the powerhouse of football, coaches of Brazil and Mali said on Friday ahead of their third place play-off match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup. “The world today is globalised. Football is the same but Europe has the organisation. They have competition for places that’s why they are strong right now. We have quality players but need more organisation,” Brazil coach Carlos Amadeu said. [caption id=“attachment_4180361” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Brazil coach Carlos Amadeu. Getty[/caption] “In Brazil bigger clubs win via 15-0, 10-0 goal margins. We need more balanced competition like in European leagues. We need to get more organised. Europe get organised more and more every year, that’s why they are too strong right now.” Amadeu, however, said it’s an honour to be among the top four teams among the 24 qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. “The most important thing is to play seven matches which is better than playing four, five. When we enter the pitch we have a responsibility to represent our country and we will never let our country down,” he said. Three-time champions Brazil lost to England 3-1 in the first semifinal at the Salt Lake Stadium here on October 25. “It’s natural to become sad after losing a match. But it’s about falling and getting up faster. Immediately after reaching the hotel, I spoke to my technical staff and told them we had to make our heads up and get up. The players look up to us as leaders so it’s about being normal,” Amadeu said. “Football is life, you have to do this faster.” African nations have been consistent at the U-17 World Cup but fail to make their presence felt at the senior level and Mali coach Jonas Komla blamed it on lack of resources in the continent. “Europe have talent, technique and resources that help them go forward. We need resources,” Komla said. The Mali coach further said that promising young players of Africa develop a different mentality once they go on to play for European clubs. “The youth teams of Africa are always very strong and energetic. We always give more importance to the young players so they keep achieving success at very high level,” Komla said. “But when the U-17 and 19 players leave their teams and go to play for European clubs they have a different mentality. We lose contact with them and they don’t have the same connection with us back home,” he added. They may have lost out on a place in the final but the motivation to make the podium by finishing third keeps Mali going. “We have the chance to make the third place and make it to the podium. The loss of semi-final is behind now,” Komla said. “It’s very much personal because we lost. But it will be an honour and satisfaction as a coach if we get a third place finish. It will be a big honour if we make it to the podium.