Best five boys

Hindustan Times takes a look at the five best players in the FIFA U-17 World Cup

Dheeraj Singh

India ended their maiden U-17 World Cup without a win but won hearts. And the breakout star was goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh. He single-handedly kept India’s hopes of getting a result alive on many occasions and was given a standing ovation by the New Delhi crowd after a heroic display against Colombia. A great prospect, he already figures highly on different scouts’ lists.

Jann-Fiete Arp

The German forward scored five goals in the tournament, justifying the hype around him before Germany even touched down in India. His hunger for scoring and ability to link up play with the rest of the forward line make him one to watch out for, given how Germany have struggled to produce strikers in recent years.

Rhian Brewster

The forward single-handedly ensured England did not miss star man Jadon Sancho, who was available only till the group stages. His hattricks against USA and Brazil in the quarter-final and semi-final gave England an easy passage into the final. He also scored a key goal as England won 5-2 in the final in Kolkata.

Abel Ruiz

The versatile Spanish forward proved just why his club Barcelona rate him so highly as he scored six goals to power Spain into their fourth U-17 World Cup final. The Barcelona B player couldn’t score in the final against England but his playmaking ability and penchant for scoring means this youngster has a bright future for club and country.

Lassana N’Diaye

Mali came as African champions but their performance in the World Cup left a lot to be desired even though they finished fourth. The same though can’t be said about this player. The pacy forward did well throughout the tournament, scoring six goals and causing defences plenty of trouble with his speed and ability to beat players.