Ryan Babel is of Surinamese descent but was born in the Netherlands. He represented the Dutch team at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship for u-20 players on home soil. Babel could not save the Netherlands from crashing out of the tournament as hosts at the quarterfinal stage. Nigeria ended their participation at the tournament via penalties. Ryan Babel scored his own penalty during the shootout but his team still managed to lose 10-9 to Nigeria thereby exiting the tournament in the last eight. Babel scored two times in four games during the tournament eventually won by Argentina via a pair of penalties from the great Lionel Messi in a 2-1 win over Nigeria.

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