U-20 World Cup: Messi, Haaland, and other stars who shined at the youth FIFA tournament

Lionel Messi remains one of the biggest stars in soccer, even at age 38. Behind him, a new generation of talent led by players like Erling Haaland continues to rise and challenge for that throne. What they share is a breakout performance at the FIFA U-20 World Cup early in their careers.

The 2025 edition of FIFA’s youth tournament began this Saturday in Chile with four matches, including the hosts’ opener against New Zealand. Over the coming days, other major teams will make their debut, including Argentina, Italy, Spain, Brazil, France, Mexico, and the United States.

The U-20 World Cup is a tournament with a long-standing tradition in world soccer. The first edition was held in 1977 and, since then, it has taken place every two years without interruption — except in 2021, when the tournament was canceled due to schedule disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over nearly five decades, countless young talents have participated in the tournament and delivered standout performances, whether individually or with their teams. One of them is Lionel Messi, who won the title at Netherlands 2005 with Argentina and was named both the tournament’s best player and top scorer.

Lionel Messi is one of the few players to have won both the FIFA U-20 World Cup and the senior World Cup.

Leo scored his first goal on Matchday 2 of the group stage against Egypt, but he truly exploded in the knockout rounds. In the Round of 16, he scored in the 2–1 win over Colombia, and again in the 3–1 quarterfinal victory against Spain. In the semifinals, Messi netted his best goal of the tournament against Brazil, and in the final against Nigeria, he led Argentina to the title with a brace from the penalty spot.

FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025 TV Schedule: How to Watch in the USA