England have won the U17 World Cup for the first time ever after coming from behind to thump Spain 5-2 in a final that will live long in the memory.
Despite starting on the front foot, England’s nightmares came to fruition with Sergio Gomez scoring early and then doubling the advantage just after the half-hour mark.
Steve Cooper’s men backed themselves though and the prolific Rhian Brewster got his eighth of the tournament before half time, with Morgan Gibbs-White equalising after the break.
Spain couldn’t keep up and it was no surprise when the excellent Phil Foden put England ahead - fourth and fifth goals came from Marc Guehi and Foden again, giving the Young Lions a superb victory on a wonderful night for English football.
The match started with both sides knowing there would be a new name on the trophy, with neither Spain nor England having lifted the FIFA U17 World Cup trophy previously.
The Young Lions started brightly too with a one-two between Gibbs-White and star-striker Brewster creating a chance for the midfielder.
Spain responded and got the opening goal on ten minutes with Juan Miranda’s cross eventually being converted by Gomez for his third goal of the competition.
Minutes later Callum Hudson-Odoi, who seemed to have the ball glued to his feet at times, sent over a cross from the left that was inches too high for Jonathan Panzo.
With 21 minutes on the clock, goalkeeper Curtis Anderson bravely slid out to deny Mohamed Moukhliss on the edge of the box with the Spaniard through on goal.
But Spain’s lead was doubled on 31 minutes with Cesar Gelabert finding Gomez in the box, the Barcelona forward then volleying into the far post with a goal worthy of any final.
England have showed throughout the tournament though that nothing phases them, and after piling on the pressure almost scored through Foden’s header and Hudson-Odoi’s superb curling effort that smacked into the post.
The Young Lions’ opener came on 44 minutes when Fulham’s Steven Sessegnon whipped in a delicious cross from the right to enable Brewster to head home in the six-yard box.
On 58 minutes the equaliser came, with Sessegnon again pushing on down the right and firing in a low cross for Gibbs-White to turn home.
England continued to dominate and peppered Alvaro Fernandez with shots from outside the box, and on 69 minutes the lightning-quick Hudson-Odoi surged into the box before delivering a sublime low cross to the far post for Foden to slam home.
Spain rallied and could’ve equalised if it wasn’t for Sessegnon’s block on the line, but England remained in control and restricted their opponents to half chances.
And the Young Lions knew the trophy was coming home after 84 minutes, when Hudson-Odoi’s free-kick found its way to his Chelsea team-mate Guehi, who fired home from three yards out.
Four minutes later Foden got his second, with the Manchester City youngster latching on to a fine through-ball to fire across Fernandez with his right-foot and start the party.
England: 1 Curtis Anderson (Manchester City); 18 Steven Sessegnon (Fulham), 15 Joel Latibeaudiere (capt; Manchester City), 5 Marc Guehi (Chelsea), 6 Jonathan Panzo (Chelsea); 8 Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Tottenham Hotspur), 4 George McEachran (Chelsea); 7 Phil Foden (Manchester City), 19 Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolverhampton Wanderers), 14 Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea); 9 Rhian Brewster (Liverpool).
Substitutes: 12 Nya Kirby (Crystal Palace) for Gibbs-White 81, 20 Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) for McEachran 87, 10 Angel Gomes (Manchester United) for Oakley-Boothe 90
Substitutes not used: 3 Lewis Gibson (Everton), 13 Josef Bursik (Stoke City), 16 Danny Loader (Reading), 21 Billy Crellin (Fleetwood Town), 17 Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal), 2 Timothy Eyoma (Tottenham Hotspur),
Goals: Brewster 44, Gibbs-White 58, Foden 69, 88, Guehi 84
Cautions: Brewster 90
Head coach: Steve Cooper
