The upcoming FIFA U15 World Championship and Festival, scheduled to take place in Baku from October 24 to 30, will bring together not only promising young footballers from around the world but also members of some well-known football families.
As reported by İdman.Biz, an examination of squad lists published by national football federations has revealed three talented youngsters whose close relatives have played for leading European clubs and national teams.
Two have already been included in their countries' final squads, while the third is competing for a place in the team traveling to Azerbaijan.
One of the most intriguing participants will be 15-year-old Valencia defender Julian Mosquera, the younger brother of Arsenal centre-back Cristhian Mosquera.
The Spanish Football Federation has officially named Julian among the 14 players selected to represent Spain at the tournament in Baku.
Like his older brother, Julian plays as a central defender. Standing 194 cm tall, he possesses impressive physical attributes and pace.
Despite his young age, Mosquera has already gained experience representing Spain at youth international level.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, Real Madrid are also monitoring his development and have shown interest in the talented Valencia academy prospect.
His older brother Cristhian currently plays for Arsenal in the English Premier League, making Julian one of the tournament's most notable young players with a direct connection to a major European club.
Another representative of a famous football family is 14-year-old Alfredo Criscito, who has been named in Italy's final squad.
He is the son of former Italy international Domenico Criscito, who played for Juventus, Genoa and Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg during his career.
Alfredo is following in his father's footsteps at Genoa's academy, where he also plays as a defender.
Born in 2012, the youngster has already attracted the attention of Italy's youth national team coaches.
Interestingly, his younger brother Alessandro is also developing within Genoa's youth system, although he plays in a different position as a forward.
According to Italian media reports, Atalanta expressed interest in appointing Domenico Criscito to a coaching position during the summer.
The Bergamo-based club were reportedly also prepared to offer academy places to both of his sons. However, the family ultimately decided to remain in Genoa.
A third member of a famous football family could also appear in Baku.
Fourteen-year-old Kais El Mouttaqi is the son of former Morocco national team captain Medhi Benatia, who enjoyed a distinguished career with Bayern Munich, Juventus and Roma.
Unlike his father, who established himself as a commanding central defender, Kais plays as a forward.
The youngster is currently developing at the academy of French club Marseille and has already attracted attention with his goalscoring performances.
In May, he scored a hat-trick in the Mediterranean Youth Cup final, helping Marseille defeat Olympique Rovenain 5-2.
His progress has also earned him opportunities to compete against older players at U17 level.
El Mouttaqi was among 18 players called up for France's preparatory training camp ahead of the tournament.
However, his participation in the World Championship has not yet been confirmed.
Following the training camp at Clairefontaine from October 18 to 22, the coaching staff will select the final 14 players who will travel to Azerbaijan.
Therefore, Benatia's son remains a potential rather than confirmed participant.
It is worth noting that several national federations have yet to announce their final squads. As a result, more young players from prominent football families could emerge among the tournament participants in the coming days.
The FIFA U15 World Championship and Festival will be the first competition of its kind organized under FIFA's auspices.
Approximately 190 national teams are expected to participate, with around 950 matches scheduled throughout the tournament.
Unlike traditional international football competitions, matches will be played in an eight-a-side format on reduced-size pitches measuring 68 by 47 meters.
Each encounter will last 40 minutes, consisting of two 20-minute halves.
The competition will begin with a group stage, after which teams will be divided into six competitive levels based on their results.
The winner of the highest level, Tier A, will be crowned U15 world champion.
Importantly, all participating national teams will continue playing until the final day, ensuring valuable international experience for every squad regardless of their initial results.
Most matches will take place at the competition complex in the Hovsan settlement, while the opening fixture and final matches are scheduled to be held at Baku Crystal Hall.
Hosts Azerbaijan, coached by Famil Khalilov, have been drawn into Group AF alongside Australia, Israel, Haiti, Andorra and Timor-Leste.
The Azerbaijani youngsters will begin their campaign against Timor-Leste on October 24.
For the host nation, the tournament represents an opportunity to compete against teams from different footballing backgrounds while gaining valuable experience at international level.
The presence of young players connected to established European football stars will add another dimension to an event designed to showcase the next generation of global football talent.
