Youth stars on display

Adu draws attention as U-20 championship finally kicks off in UAE

Freddy Adu, 14, appeared on David Letterman's show after signing with MLS. AP

The Under-20 world championship, which was postponed in March ahead of the war in Iraq, finally kicks off Thursday in the United Arab Emirates with 24 teams.

The three-week event, which is expected to showcase the sport's young guns, will be watched by thousands of local fans, millions of television viewers around the globe and talent scouts searching for the next Diego Maradona, Thierry Henry, Luis Figo or Ronaldinho.

Freddy Adu, the 14-year-old phenom from the United States, could be getting the most interest. The Ghana-born teenager, who obtained U.S. citizenship in February and lives with his mother in Maryland, won a late call-up to the American squad after an injury forced another player to drop out.

Adu, who has ignored offers from soccer giants Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter Milan, has signed a multiyear deal to play at home in Major League Soccer.

The rising American star is hoping to earn a place in the starting lineup and play his way onto the United States men's team for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, which starts a week after his 17th birthday.

The United States plays its opening match Saturday against Paraguay. Germany and South Korea are also in Group F.

Latin American teams are favored to win the biennial championship, which was first played in Tunisia in 1977. The Emirates is the third Gulf state to host the tournament after Qatar in 1995 and Saudi Arabia in 1989.

Four-time winner and defending titlist Argentina, and three-time champion Brazil are the favorites to win the tournament. The final is scheduled for Dec. 19 at the 50,000-plus seat Sheik Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Argentina, which has won three of the past four championships, boasts an array of stars who are already playing in the South American nation's top league. San Lorenzo defender Gonzalo Rodriguez has represented his country at the senior level and scored in a recent friendly against Mexico.

Spain, whose lineup includes a host of players from last year's Under-19 European championship-winning team, is also a strong candidate to win its second world youth title. The Spaniards won in 1999.

FC Barcelona has provided four players for the squad, including the youth team's captain, Andres Iniesta.

"You don't teach Iniesta about football, he teaches you," Inaki Saez, now Spain's senior team coach, was quoted as saying on FIFA's Web site.

Spain and Argentina are drawn to play each other in their opening Group B match Friday. They are expected to progress from one of the tournament's most competitive groups, which also includes Mali and Uzbekistan.

The hosts, coached by Frenchman Jean-Francois Jodar, have set their sights on reaching the knock-out stage. The Emirates plays Slovakia in the tournament's opener on Thursday in Abu Dhabi. Panama and Burkina Faso are also in Group A.

Fellow Arab side Egypt, which finished a surprising third in 2001, will be without the scoring power of Marseille striker Mido, who has scored 10 goals in 25 senior appearances.

Egyptian coach Hassan Shihata predicted a tough opening game Saturday against Colombia, followed by matches against Group D rivals England and Japan.

"I always say that the opening match is the most difficult and we don't underestimate the opponents," he told The Associated Press. "But the championship is very important to Egypt because we came third last time and Egyptians don't want to see their country achieve any less this time."

Highly fancied Brazil is expected to top Group C, which includes Australia, the Czech Republic and Canada. Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Mexico and Ivory Coast make up Group E.

Emirates authorities have spent more than two years preparing for the event, spending 180 million dirhams (US$49 million) to upgrade seating, lighting and playing and media facilities at the six host stadiums.

Tournament director Mattar al-Tayer said the championships had not been harmed by the March postponement because of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

"If anything we have had more time to prepare and to make sure the tournament will be a success," al-Tayer said, adding that stringent security precautions have been taken at stadiums, hotels and on public transport.

Al-Tayer said hosting world youth soccer's pinnacle event will help the Emirates -- a liberal, financial hub in the Middle East -- strengthen its aim to become a leading host of major international events, following its staging of the IMF and World Bank meetings earlier this year in Dubai.

"The tournament will attract a lot of attention to us as football is the world's No. 1 game," he said. "And the players competing here will be the stars of the future for the next 10 years and will be the game's most expensive players."