Going by the words of USA U-17 team's head coach Jack Hackworth who described India as the "most hard-working team", there's no denying that the hosts have already attracted a lot of attention from their opponents.
Hackworth's US side has faced India only once in the past, boasting a 4-0 win in the AIFF Youth Cup in Goa in 2016.
But this time around, it may be different as his Indian counterpart Luis Norton de Matos is sure to surprise one of the Group A favourites with his "well-organised plans".
"US, Colombia and Ghana are all favourites. But, our boys have trained hard and are ready to give their best," De Matos said on Thursday, the eve of the match against USA.
"They are all eager to make the opportunity count. I am sure the experience gained from playing this competition will help these players in times to come.
"This is a big thing for India to participate at the WC. I'm very excited like any other Indian and have the confidence that we've worked well and very hard. This is the first step and the first moment towards that future. I'm excited to be part of that process," added the coach who has been with this team for the last seven months.
India's young captain Amarjit Singh, meanwhile, is aware of the celebrity status that his team-mates have already achieved.
"Good to see such great support of fans. We feel good and it means that we will do our best," promised the 16-year-old Manipuri footballer.
But he assured the fans that their support has not taken the focus away from the boys.
"Supporters are great, but now our job is to give our best in our first game. We're focussed to make it count," added Amarjit.
De Matos did admit that his wards lack experience but added that they make up for it by being extremely focussed.
"In countries like Portugal or the US, you find a seven-year-old kid playing the game and when they reach this stage, they have 10 years of experience behind them. In India, this is lacking. The weakness in India is that we convert one in seven chances, whereas a European scores one in three," the coach said.
