Considered one of the best prospects in South America, Kendrey Paes is challenging the world stage at the age of 4.
On the 21st (Korean time), Ecuador, who played the first leg of Group B of the 2023 Argentina U20 World Cup at the San Juan Stadium in San Juan, Argentina, lost 0-1 to the United States. Jonathan Gomes scored the winning goal in added time in the second half.
Ecuadorian midfielder Paes is one of the most noteworthy players in this tournament. Born in May 2007, at the age of only 16, he took part in this World Cup, where his 2003 birth was the main focus. He is the youngest player in the tournament.
It’s not just about getting attention when you’re young. His talent is also exceptional. He is considered one of the best prospects in South America along with Brazilian striker Endrick, who has been confirmed to join Real Madrid. His ball handling skills are excellent, and he is also equipped with dribbling and kicking skills. He participated in the 2023 South American U17 Championship, which opened in March, and showed his talent on the international stage by recording 2 goals and 6 assists in 8 games.
As he is one of the best players in his age group, he is used to his skipping class. His current team is home league club Independiente Delbaye. It is the home team of Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is showing prominence in the English Premier League (EPL), and Paez is already playing as a regular in the first team in Independent Entedelbaye. Earlier this month, he also made his debut in the Copa Libertadores, the Champions League for his South American side.
Paes also started as an attacking midfielder in the first leg of the U20 World Cup against the United States. However, as his performances did not live up to expectations, the game ended early in the 29th minute of the second half. According to local Ecuadorian media, he recorded only one shot that did not connect as an effective shot, and the pass success rate was only 63%.
As Paes, who had to release the game, was somewhat sluggish, Ecuador suffered a goalless defeat against the United States without an effective shot, and started the group stage dangerously. In this World Cup, there is still room for 1st and 2nd place in each group, as well as the top 4 countries out of 3rd place in 6 groups to advance to the round of 16. Ecuador’s opponent in the second match was Slovakia, who defeated Fiji 4-0 in the first match. If Ecuador is to repeat their achievement of reaching the semifinals of the last tournament, Paez, who is already considered a key player in Ecuador at a young age, will need to play.먹튀검증
It is not only Ecuadorian soccer fans who are expecting Paes’ performance. Chelsea, which preoccupied Paes with a huge investment, is also watching. Paes drew attention from European clubs last year while participating in the ‘2022 Next Generation Trophy’ competition held in Austria. Chelsea, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, etc. had a scouting match, and Chelsea, who was the most active, paid about 20 million euros (about 28.6 billion won) for a transfer fee and embraced Paes. Paez is set to join Chelsea in 2025, when he turns 18 according to the rules.