Chelsea summer signing Kendry Paez has created history with Ecuador after becoming the youngest player to represent La Tri in his debut against Uruguay.
The 16-year-old also became the youngest debutant in the South American qualifiers, beating Argentine legend Diego Maradona.
The highly-rated teenage prodigy also made his debut even more memorable by producing an eye-catching performance in the win over Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
The Blues struck a deal with Independiente del Valle to sign Paez for around €20 million in the summer, although the player will only move to Stamford Bridge when he turns 18 in 2025.
Chelsea have a gem of talent in their hands for the future, with Paez turning heads with his precocious talent in the victory against Uruguay.
Featuring alongside fellow Chelsea star Moises Caicedo, Paez bamboozled the Uruguayans with his top-level playmaking and dribbling capabilities.
He also worked hard off the ball, and the icing on the cake was his sublime assist to Felix Torres’ first goal, with El Tri eventually winning the game 2-1.
Paez has demonstrated that he can scale greater heights in future, and Chelsea will be eager for his arrival in 2025.
Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez also produced an excellent performance in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Bolivia, scoring the first goal of the game.
It is an excellent sign for the Blues as they can have an in-form Fernandez for the weekend’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth.
Mauricio Pochettino has made a poor start to his managerial stint at Stamford Bridge, and he will look to return to the winning ways against the Cherries.