Spain’s U-17 Women’s team is on the brink of footballing history, aiming to secure an unprecedented third consecutive title at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
Facing off against Korea DPR in the final this Sunday in the Dominican Republic, victory would make Spain the first team to achieve a ‘three-peat' in an 11-a-side FIFA tournament – an unparalleled milestone in the sport's history.
Spain's record-breaking journey began with titles in 2018 and 2022.
Under the guidance of coach Kenio Gonzalo, they now stand one win away from cementing their place in football’s annals.
If Spain wins, it will be a momentous occasion, completing a historic treble. Such an accomplishment has remained elusive in traditional football, with other nations having fallen just short.
Historically, a handful of teams have nearly pulled off a three-peat in other FIFA tournaments.
Brazil’s futsal squad claimed three straight titles between 1989 and 1996, and their beach soccer team achieved a four-year streak from 2006 to 2009.
On grass, however, the longest title streaks include Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962) at the men’s senior World Cup, while Germany (2003, 2007) and the U.S. (2015, 2019) each managed back-to-back Women’s World Cups, only to be halted in subsequent attempts.
Teams in FIFA’s youth tournaments have similarly struggled to win three in a row.
For instance, Brazil's U-17 boys secured consecutive titles in 1997 and 1999, but their hopes for a third were dashed by a quarter-final loss in 2001.
Likewise, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets clinched U-17 titles in 2013 and 2015, with the latter tournament heralding the coming of Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen scored a record-breaking ten goals to propel Nigeria to a historic fifth title in Chile.
However, the Golden Eaglets missed the opportunity to clinch a third consecutive triumph when they failed to qualify for the U17 World Cup in 2017.
As Spain get ready to face Korea DPR, they do so knowing that this is no ordinary final — it’s a chance to set a benchmark that no other team has achieved in nearly a century of FIFA competition.
If successful, Gonzalo’s girls will have turned a formidable challenge into an everlasting achievement, making this Sunday’s match one for the ages.
I give that match to the Koreans. The Spanish side is technically good but the Koreans’ speed and possessional football will prevail over the Spanish. The two sides deserve to be in the final. No team in the competition comes close to the talents and skillful players the two teams have.