England won its first FIFA Under-17 World Cup crown in spectacular style by defeating old Spanish rival 5-2 in the final with a commending turnaround in the second half. While Spain enjoyed initial exchanges, securing 2-0 lead before the first 30 minutes with Sergio Gomes scoring a brace. A capacity crowd of 66,684 watched as England pulled off a comeback, scoring four goals in the second session. Just like Spain dominated the first to lead, their enthusiasm soon weaned away when the English raised their game.
Spain bettered England on pace and precision in the opening half where the English defence searched unsuccessfully for the right tactics. They gave a fantastic counter-attack in the 10th minute, a goal which was the result of the left-back Juan Miranda who created the opening playing one-two with captain Abel Ruiz before Gomes did the finishing. Ruiz showed an eye for the gaps in the English defence and set up Cesar Gelabert on the edge of the box. Gomes, meanwhile. Had moved up the left and as Gelabert turned the ball towards him, fired it in.
England shrugged its sluggishness away with a Hudson-Odio effort that came off the upright in the 43rd minute. It continued to push for a breakthrough which came in the next minute when Steven Sessegnon collected a Spanish clearance near the goalmouth and floated it as Brewster nodded home. England doubled its effort after the break, drawing level in the 58th minute as Spain looked to preserve the lead. Foden showed his talent in setting up Sessegnon with a pass through a heavily fortified Spanish defence. Sessegnon fired a low cross that Gibbs-White had no difficulty in tapping home to make it 2-2.
England put one hand on the crown as Foden got in the scoring act himself in the 69th minute to make it 3-2. While the Spaniards tried hard for a comeback in the 73rd minute, Victor Chust's header off a Ruiz chip was saved on the line by Sessegnon. Foden completed the scoring process receiving another cross from Hudson-Odoi in the 88th minute making England the best youth team in the world.
The result (final): England 5 (Rhian Brewster 44, Morgan Gibbs-White 58, Philip Foden 69, 88, Marc Guehi 84) bt Spain (Sergio Gomes 10, 31).
Individual awards: Golden Ball: 1. Philip Foden (England), 2. Sergio Gomez (Spain), 3. Rhian Brewster (England).
Golden Boot: 1. Rhian Brewster (England) 8 (penalty 1); 2. Lassana Ndiaye (Mali) 6; 3. Abel Ruiz (Spain) 6 (penalty 2).
Golden Glove: Gabriel Brazao (Brazil).
Fair play award: Brazil.
