Doha, Qatar – The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 has reached the quarter-final stage after a dramatic round of 16 matches. Brazil overcame a resilient France in a penalty shootout, while Portugal dominated Mexico and several other nations secured their spots in the next phase of the tournament. The competition continues to showcase emerging talent on the global stage as teams battle for supremacy.
Matches were held across several venues in Qatar’s Aspire Zone, including the Ibrahim Khalfan Pitch, Mansour Muftah Pitch, Bader Bilal Pitch, Mohammed Ghanim Pitch, Khaled Ballan Pitch, Mahmoud Soufi Pitch, and Adel Mallala Pitch. The quarter-finals are scheduled for Friday, promising more thrilling encounters as the tournament progresses.
Brazil Advances After Penalty Drama in U-17 World Cup
Four-time champions Brazil were pushed to the limit by France, ultimately prevailing 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw. The match, played at the Ibrahim Khalfan Pitch, saw Brazil goalkeeper Joao Pedro emerge as the hero. He had previously starred in a shootout win over Paraguay and continued his impressive form, saving two crucial penalties against the French.
France took the lead in the 33rd minute thanks to a goal from Remi Himbert. Brazil struggled to find an equalizer, with Luis Eduardo hitting the post and Paolo missing a penalty late in the game. However, Pietro Tavares finally found the net in the 89th minute, forcing the match into the tense penalty shootout.
“It’s always a great game against France, with history in youth football as well. This makes us even stronger in the competition,” said Brazil coach Carlos Eduardo Patetuci, according to the official tournament website. Brazil will now face Morocco in the quarter-finals.
Other Quarter-Finalists Determined
Morocco secured their place with a 3-2 victory over Mali at the Mansour Muftah Pitch. Ismail El Aoud scored twice for Morocco, adding to Ziyad Baha’s opener. Despite goals from Raymond Bomba and Seydou Dembele, Mali couldn’t overcome the Atlas Lions.
Portugal delivered a dominant performance, defeating nine-man Mexico 5-0 at Bader Bilal Pitch. Captain Rafael Quintas opened the scoring from the penalty spot, and further goals came from Anisio Cabral, Zeega, Miguel Figueredo, and Yoan Pereira. Two red cards for Mexico – Jose Navarro and Santiago Lopez – contributed to their challenging evening. Portugal will compete against Switzerland in the next round.
Switzerland edged past debutants Ireland with a hard-fought 3-1 win at Mohammed Ghanim Pitch. Goals from Adrien Llukes, Sandro Wyss, and Mladen Mijajlovic sealed the victory, despite a late goal from Vinnie Leonard for Ireland.
Burkina Faso also needed penalties to overcome Uganda, winning 5-3 after a 1-1 draw at Khaled Ballan Pitch. Arafat Nkoola put Uganda ahead, but Alassana Bagayogo equalized. Burkina Faso maintained a perfect record in shootouts, cementing their quarter-final spot and a matchup with Italy.
Italy defeated Uzbekistan 3-2 at Mahmoud Soufi Pitch, with Thomas Campaniello scoring a brace. Amirkhon Muradov and Azizbek Erimbetov found the net for Uzbekistan, but Dauda Iddrisa’s goal proved decisive. Campaniello expressed his joy, stating that the team’s collective effort was key to their success.
Finally, Austria achieved a convincing 4-0 victory over England at Adel Mallala Pitch. A 50th-minute red card for England’s Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez proved detrimental, with Hasan Deshishku, Johannes Moser (twice), and Ifeanyi Ndukwe scoring for Austria. Austria will face Japan in the quarterfinals.
Japan advanced after a 5-4 penalty shootout win against North Korea following a 1-1 draw at Khaled Salman Pitch. Jelani Ren McGhee scored for Japan, while captain Ri Hyok-gwang equalized for North Korea.
The quarter-final pairings are now set: Brazil vs. Morocco, Portugal vs. Switzerland, Burkina Faso vs. Italy, and Austria vs. Japan. The matches will be played on Friday, with the victors progressing to the semi-finals. Spectators and fans will be watching closely to see which nations emerge as contenders for the U-17 World Cup title. Further details regarding match schedules and broadcast information will be released by FIFA in the coming days.
