Doha: French football star Mikaël Silvestre has lauded the exceptional football experience and operational excellence at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025.
Silvestre, a decorated former French international defender with more than 400 career appearances for Manchester United, Arsenal, Inter Milan and other elite clubs, was in Qatar to attend the historic first-ever 48-team youth tournament.
“The quality of the football is quite intense. There’s a lot of aggressiveness, the players are going for it. The group stage brings real pressure, and the quality is exceptional because you’re watching the crème de la crème on the pitch”
Yet it was the tournament’s seamless organization that captured Silvestre’s particular admiration: “From the venue to the infrastructure, especially for guests like me, the standard of organisation is fantastic. The players have everything in their favour to concentrate on football and shine on the global stage.”
Drawing on his experience witnessing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Silvestre reflected on how Qatar’s hosting capabilities have proven consistent: “During the World Cup in 2022, we were able to watch multiple games at different venues in a single day. The commute between stadiums, the quality of the pitches, the infrastructure, everything was seamless. When the U-17 World Cup was awarded to Qatar, I was genuinely pleased. For me, it’s a win-win for everyone.”
The tournament, hosted across eight state-of-the-art pitches at the Competition Complex in Aspire Zone, underscores Qatar’s ongoing commitment to youth development and its growing legacy as a premier international sports destination.
As the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams, this is the biggest-ever edition of the youth tournament that saw the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Luis Figo, Xavi Hernandez, Eden Hazard, Andres Iniesta, Neymar, Ronaldinho, Son Heung-min and Francesco Totti appear on the world stage for the first time.
A total of 104 matches will be contested, culminating in the Final on November 27 at Khalifa International Stadium.
This marks the first of five consecutive youth tournaments that Qatar will host through 2029.
