Ireland's group opponentsSaudi ArabiaQualification: Finished third at last year's Asian Youth Championship in Qatar.World Youth Cup record: Failed in their six appearances to get past the first-round stage. Hosted the tournament in 1989.
Coach: Daniel Romeo. Assistant to Carlos Bilardo with the Argentinian senior team between 1986 and 1990, the former Estudiantes player has also coached in France, Japan, Guatemala and Switzerland.
One to watch: Eisa Al Mahyani. Goalscorer and playmaker, Al Mahyani scored nine goals in six games in the Saudis' qualifying campaign, including a hat-trick against fellow-qualifiers Uzbekistan.
Ivory Coast
Qualification: Runners-up in the African Youth Championship, losing to Egypt in the final.
World Youth Cup record: Have failed to win any of their previous 12 World Youth Cup games, losing seven and drawing five. This will be their fifth appearance in the finals, equalling Nigeria's record for an African nation.
Coach: Mama Ouattara. A former player (1974-1982) and youth team coach at Montpellier in France, Ouattara was appointed Ivory Coast under-20 and under-17 coach in July 2002.
One to watch: Antonin Koutouan. One of the many Ivory Coast players to have already moved to Europe (most to France, some to Belgium), Koutouan plays with the second-division French club Lorient. A powerful striker renowned for his pace.
Mexico
Qualification: Runners-up in the Central American qualifying tournament, losing to hosts Panama in the final.
World Youth Cup record: Have missed just four of the 13 World Youth Cups, their best performance coming at the 1977 finals, when they lost on penalties in the final to the Soviet Union. Failed to qualify for the last tournament, in Argentina (2001).
Coach: Eduardo Rergis. A member of the Mexican youth team that lost the 1977 final, he has been national youth coach since 2001 and has had spells coaching five senior clubs in his own country.
One to watch: Would have been Alberto Medina Briseno, already a senior international, but injury has ruled him out of the tournament. Striker Aldo Denigris is now lumbered with the tag of the "next Hugo Sanchez", having already made an impression with first-division Los Tigres.
Ireland's schedule
Today: Ireland v Saudi Arabia, 1.45 p.m. Irish time.
Tuesday: Ireland v Ivory Coast, 1.45 p.m. Irish time.
Friday: Ireland v Mexico, 4.30 p.m. Irish time.
Groups
Group A: UAE, Slovakia, Panama, Burkina Faso.
Group B: Argentina, Spain, Uzbekistan, Mali.
Group C: Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Australia.
Group D: Colombia, Egypt, Japan, England.
Group E: Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Mexico, Ivory Coast.
Group F: Paraguay, USA, South Korea, Germany.
Past winners and rising stars
1977: Soviet Union.
Vladimir Bessonov (USSR), Ruben Paz (Uruguay).
1979: Argentina.
Diego Maradona, Ramon Diaz (Argentina).
1981: West Germany.
Jorge Burruchaga (Argentina), Enzo Francescoli (Uruguay).
1983: Brazil.
Bebeto, Dunga (Brazil), Marco van Basten (Holland).
1985: Brazil.
Claudio Taffarel (Brazil), Rene Higuita (Colombia).
1987: Yugoslavia.
Matthias Sammer (East Germany), Robert Prosinecki, Davor Suker (Yugoslavia).
1989: Portugal.
Diego Simeone (Argentina), Leonardo (Brazil), Paulo Sousa (Portugal).
1991: Portugal.
Luis Figo (Portugal), Dwight Yorke (Trinidad), Andy Cole (England).
1993: Brazil.
Marc-Vivien Foe (Cameroon), Dietmar Hamann, Carsten Jancker (Germany).
1995: Argentina.
Mark Viduka (Australia), Paulo Wanchope (Costa Rica).
1997: Argentina.
Damien Duff (Ireland), Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet, Nicolas Anelka (France), Michael Owen (England).
1999: Spain.
Ronaldinho (Brazil).
2001: Argentina.
Javier Saviola (Argentina).
