Austria, Portugal chase historic first FIFA U-17 World Cup title in Doha

Nov 25, 2025

Austria and Portugal clinched their spots in the FIFA U-17 World Cup final, set to take place on Thursday at the iconic Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. The clash will mark Austria’s first-ever appearance in a World Cup final at any age category, while Portugal returns to the summit after their nerve-wracking win over Brazil in the other semifinal.

Johannes Moser was the outstanding hero as Austria reached new heights with a 2-0 victory over Italy in the opening semifinal.

In a tense and tactical opening half, both Austria and Italy found it difficult to settle into any rhythm. Italian midfielder Dauda Iddrisa had perhaps the best chance early on, unleashing a powerful drive that narrowly avoided the target. Midfield battles dominated proceedings, with neither side prepared to blink.

Twelve minutes after the break, Austria’s breakthrough was made with a flourish. Johannes Moser, a livewire throughout the tournament, danced his way into the box before linking up with Jakob Werner. Werner showed poise and vision, turning his marker and feeding Moser with a perfectly weighted pass. Moser controlled and finished clinically, beating goalkeeper Alessandro Longoni to open his team’s account.

Italy, champions in waiting for much of their campaign, refused to give in. Substitute Valerio Maccaroni came close to an equaliser, as Austria’s defense stood strong. The game’s complexion shifted dramatically when Italian defender Benit Borasio was sent off, and Austria capitalized on their numerical advantage. Moser stepped up moments later, lifting a stunning free kick past the keeper and into the net in injury time to seal Austria’s famous victory.

Ecstatic scenes followed the final whistle.

“I’m so happy. We can’t believe it yet!” Moser told reporters. “It was a very physical game, now we’ve to analyse it and look forward to the final. We’re a very small country, and it means a lot to all of us. But the job isn’t finished, and we want to win the World Cup.”

Coach Hermann Stadler was filled with pride at his team’s achievement:

“It’s great, it’s amazing, it’s outstanding. It’s a dream for the Austrian football association and especially for all young Austrian footballers. It’s the first time the Austrian team is in the final. It’s incredible, it’s fantastic. The boys worked for each other, and now we’re in the final! It’s a dream come true.”

For Italy, disappointment was mixed with pride and optimism. Captain Luca Reggiani said, “We missed some chances in the beginning, and we couldn’t get the win. This is football. We’ve to be proud because I think we’ve had a good tournament. We lost one game, but we can keep our heads up. We’re a good team, and I think we can do a lot together (in the future).”

The drama only intensified in the second semi-final as Portugal faced Brazil in a match loaded with anticipation and skill, but with neither side able to find the breakthrough during regular time.

Portugal’s Anisio Cabral saw a promising chance blocked, while Brazil’s Dell had his effort cleared off the line, punctuating an opening half defined by defensive grit. As the match wore on, the sense of urgency sharpened, but neither defense was willing to yield, leading inevitably to penalties.

Both teams showed composure in the shootout, converting their first four kicks. The tension boiled over when Portugal’s Romario Cunha missed his attempt, giving Brazil’s Ruan Pablo the chance to win, only for his shot to ricochet off the post.

The teams traded successful kicks until Jose Neto stepped up for Portugal, finding the back of the net. Brazil’s Angelo then sent his penalty over the bar, confirming Portugal’s 6-5 shootout win and a historic berth in their first U-17 World Cup final.

Portugal coach Bino lauded the semifinal’s quality, saying, “Congratulations to both teams. A very good football match for 17-year-olds. I think it was a great game. Very difficult and very competitive. We were luckier in the penalty shoot-out, and we’re very happy about that. It could’ve gone either way for Brazil. Now it's time to rest, so we can play a great game in the final.”

Brazil’s striker Dell reflected, “We’ve to thank God and all the Brazilian fans, who were behind us in all games. It’s difficult to come here and talk, a hard feeling. I’m so sad. But we’ve to get out of this competition with our heads high and learning lessons.”