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Pele’s previous international record was broken by Kendry Paez of Chelsea, who is often compared to Messi and currently plays for Ecuador.
He won’t play for the Blues until 2025, when he is 18, as he is regarded as a player for the future.
Federico Valverde and Manuel Ugarte of PSG, two experienced Uruguayan professionals, will, nevertheless, argue that he is prepared for the big time.
The young sensation, who has been compared to Lionel Messi, displayed amazing skill in the middle of the field as Ecuador upset Marcelo Bielsa’s team 2-1 in a World Cup qualifying match.
Setting up Felix Torres to score the winning goal, which cemented Paez’s place in history, was the cherry on top.
He has broken the late great Pele’s long-standing record for the youngest assist maker in South American football.
But he had to make some compromises along the way to becoming the next great thing.
Early years Guayaquil, Ecuador’s second city, was where Paez’s burgeoning career got its start.
While growing up, he played for three organizations, including Barcelona Sporting Club in his own country.
To pursue his aspirations and get his big break, he would need to travel 160 miles from his family.
When he was barely 11 years old, he enrolled in the Independiente del Valle academy in Sangolqui, a town outside of Quito.
It demonstrated courage, a desire and drive for success, and an unrestrained will to succeed.
This young starlet had left.
The best clubs in Europe first learned about Paez’s potential in 2022.
He won the famous Copa Milo with Independiente’s U18 team, in front of scouts from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Borussia Dortmund.
He was the highlight of the event, scoring twice against Atletico Nacional of Colombia in the championship match.
He won the award for best player in the Next Generation Trophy for their U15 team in Salzburg a month later.
In order to advance to the final, Independiente overcame youth squads from Inter Milan and RB Leipzig.
Paez also had the tournament’s objective in mind. A bold throw-in from the center circle directed at the Germans.
fantasy debut
Paez made his eagerly awaited Independiente debut last year against Mushuc Runa at the age of just 15.
He broke another record before becoming the youngest player to play in Ecuador’s top division.
Paez instinctively floated the ball over Jorge Pinos on the volley into the right corner of the goal after Anthony Landázuri cut the ball back to him on the right side of the penalty area.
He became the LigaPro’s youngest goal scorer with the goal.
Martin Anselmi, his boss, praised him for his efforts throughout the previous season.
In such a short period of time, a 15-year-old youngster in the top division has gained the respect of the soccer world, he claimed.
He is an extremely intelligent player who runs, recovers, and analyses the game. He moves into the position we ask him to be in to get an edge.
All of his actions are practiced, and he executes them flawlessly. He also has a deep understanding of the game and is a very grounded individual.
fame on a global scale
In this week’s international debut for his nation, Paez proved he was the real deal.
In a crucial World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay, he was thrust into the fire.
But he didn’t seem phased.
A South American record, his participation aged 16 was just one year younger than Diego Maradona’s debut for Argentina.
Despite the numerous tackles from Real Madrid’s Valverde and hardman Ugarte, he continued to play like a man.
When he was chasing a loose ball that was bouncing down the touchline, the latter brazenly attempted to push him off the field.
Paez not only outran his rival to the ball, but he also ignored the shady maneuver to stay standing and launch another attack.
In that match, the attacking midfielder would also contribute to additional history.
He collected the ball on the left wing with the score tied at 1-1 and promptly sent in a low cross for Felix Torres to slide in the game-winning goal.
As his teammates thanked Paez for his assist, the audience went wild.
Even better, that assist broke Pele’s long-standing record for the youngest-ever assist in a South American game.
Rating from Caicedo
He will have the chance to team up with fellow countryman Moises Caicedo if he joins Chelsea.
The former midfielder for Brighton has previously gushed about Paez’s abilities.
He said to La Cancha Con Majo back in June: “He’s a crack!
“To tell the truth, I occasionally watch Independiente matches. It’s encouraging to witness these abilities in Ecuador because we know our young people are excellent.
All I can say to him is to stay on the correct path, perform tasks admirably, and he will succeed greatly due to his extraordinary talent.
Blues supporters should be really ecstatic.