Zambia’s Under-15 national team produced an impressive performance to beat Portugal 5-2 and clinch the Tier B title at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Maxen Msimuko led the charge with a hat-trick, while Benson and Thomson also found the net as the Junior Chipolopolo capped their campaign with a convincing victory over their European opponents.

Samuel Musonda also came close to getting on the scoresheet, striking the crossbar as Zambia dominated the contest to secure the title.

The triumph marks a significant achievement for the young Zambian side, who competed against teams from across the world at the landmark youth football festival.

The inaugural tournament brought together almost 3,000 young players representing 189 national teams from all six continental confederations, providing an unprecedented platform for international youth football.

A total of 932 matches were played during the competition, producing 4,505 goals at an average of 4.83 per game.

Zambia were among four African nations to reach the finals across the tournament’s different competition tiers, alongside the Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Tunisia.

They were joined by four European sides – Belarus, Czechia, Portugal and Spain – as well as Bangladesh and Tajikistan from Asia, Canada from North and Central America and New Zealand from Oceania.

The tournament also featured 554 players from 52 FIFA Talent Academies, underlining its role in FIFA’s wider commitment to youth development and identifying emerging talent.

Zambia’s emphatic victory over Portugal provides a memorable conclusion to their participation in the inaugural edition of the competition, which has set a new benchmark for international youth football.