Juan Rossel is brimming with ambition ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025™. The 20‑year‑old admits that there is a feeling of “positive anxiety” ahead of the event as he looks forward to his dreams unfolding on the international stage. The Chile forward, who has recently broken into the Universidad Catolica first team, is ready to skipper his country at the upcoming tournament.
The pacy striker was one of the standout performers at the South American U-20 Championship held in Venezuela in January and February earlier this year. With an impressive return of five goals, only Colombia’s Neiser Villarreal (eight) and Argentina’s Claudio Echeverri (six) netted more.
Chile reached the second phase of the tournament by finishing in the top three in Group A, but came up short against their illustrious South American rivals who were vying to book their ticket to the U-20 World Cup, while La Rojita were already assured of their place as hosts.
Rossel took some time out to speak to FIFA about Nicolas Cordova’s side’s aspirations as their home tournament, the excitement around the competition, and what it means to stage such a global event.
Juan Rossel: It was a wonderful experience for me and for the team. Although it didn’t end that well, we still managed to get through to the second phase. It was helpful for us to compete and see the level of intensity in South America. There are different teams with varying styles of play. It was certainly an invaluable experience.
It was certainly a surprise, of course. As a group, our long-term aim and dream is to play in Europe, so testing ourselves against players with such quality who are already at European clubs was an eye-opener and a real challenge. It also showed us that we need to make some adjustments. Looking ahead to the World Cup, I imagine there’ll be plenty more players who also play (at senior level) in Europe.
I missed quite a lot of chances as well, but, of course, I was pleased with my goal tally. It helped me when I came back to Chile by boosting my confidence.
I wasn’t the captain for the first few training camps. I think the coach, Nicolas, gradually understood my leadership style. I don’t run around shouting and barking orders, I prefer to lead by example. I like to give clear and precise instructions rather than long speeches. I feel this is what our players respond best to. I’m extremely grateful and proud to be captain of the U-20 national team. Leading the team to the World Cup is something incredible and I’m relishing it. Of course, it also involves taking on a huge responsibility.
Personally, and as a team, I think we’re all looking forward to it with a feeling of positive anxiety. We can’t wait to show everyone what we’re made of. It could be a double-edged sword, of course. As hosts, we have to prove ourselves on home turf, but we’re calm about that and full of confidence about what we can achieve. We’ve prepared really well and with the Chilean people getting right behind us, I feel it’ll have a positive impact.
Yes, we’ve looked at our opponents, but we’re set on adopting the same style of play regardless of who we’re up against. We mustn’t underestimate anyone – you have to be one of the best teams on the planet to qualify for the tournament. We want to approach every match in the same way. Our plan is to stay true to our principles in all three matches, particularly as we’re at home, so we’re heading into it with confidence while staying calm.
We play on the front foot, like to keep the ball and showcase our football. We enjoy playing through the lines and the build-up play that comes before it. We’re keen to show everyone our brand of entertaining football and, of course, results have to go hand in hand with that.
Certainly. We know that performing well and standing out at the U-20 World Cup can open many doors for you. Then, you have to stay there. It’s easy to get there, but the difficult part is staying there. Maybe some of us will have particularly good tournaments and put on impressive displays, but we have to do that consistently and not just stop at the World Cup.
It’s set to be an incredible event and it presents a unique opportunity. We have to be strong in front of our fans and enjoy it because it’s a global youth event, so it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I think we just need to do what we’ve always done as a group. We’re a tight-knit squad and we all fight for one another, while knowing that this is sport. Of course, it’s a serious tournament that comes with huge responsibility, but ultimately, it’s still a game and we have to make the most of it and enjoy it.
First of all, I picture myself winning the World Cup. As a team, lifting the trophy is our dream. While it’ll be difficult, that’s the target. I believe anything is possible. If we focus and keep doing what we’ve been doing recently, we can spring a surprise. On a personal level, I want to score as many goals as possible. I see no reason why I can’t aim to finish as the tournament’s top goalscorer. I’m aiming high, to be honest.
