2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup squads explained

See main article: 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Players name marked in bold went on to earn full international caps. FIFA published the final lists with squad numbers on their website on 24 September.^[1]

Eligibility of players

Each Participating Member Association shall ensure the following when selecting its representative team for the World Cup:
- all players shall be citizens of its country and subject to its jurisdiction;
- all players shall be eligible for selection in accordance with the FIFA Statutes and relevant FIFA regulations.
In addition to the above provision, each Participating Member Association shall ensure that all players of its representative team were born on or after 1 January 1989.
In addition to the above provisions, players who have already taken part in a preliminary or final competition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup and/or have taken part in a preliminary or final competition of an Olympic Football Tournament may compete in this competition provided they still fulfill the above age requirement.
Protests regarding the eligibility of players shall be decided by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
The Participating Member Associations are responsible for fielding only eligible players. Failure to do so will lead to the consequences stipulated in the FIFA Disciplinary Code.^[2]