France win FIFA under-17 World Cup

Florent Sinama Pongolle scored his ninth goal of the championship as France routed Nigeria 3-0 to win its first FIFA under-17 World Football Championship, at Port-of Spain, Trinand, on Sunday.

For French soccer it was their third major success, having won the 1998 World Cup and last year's European Championship.

In putting France ahead in the 34th minute, Pongolle broke the longstanding tournament record of eight goals, which stood in the name of West Germany's Marcel Witeczek, who achieved the feat in the 1985 competition in China.

The European runners-up got their second goal immediately into the second session as Anthony Le Tallec drove home a curling shot in the 53rd minute.

Substitute Samuel Pietre completed the rout minutes from the final whistle, finishing on a deft touch-on by Pongolle from an angle on the right side of the box into the roof of the net.

In the third-place match, Paul Gorogo and Henoch Conombo each scored as Burkina Faso upset Argentina 2-0.