He Peruvian soccer can “boast” of having old players who are still performing satisfactorily in both League 1 and League 2. Just as we previously analyzed who will be the oldest player still playing professionally in Peru in 2023, now it’s turn to discover the youngest of all. Much like the other extreme with Germán Carty’s almost unattainable 47 years, it’s very likely we’ll never see a debut as early as that of the remembered Fernando García López.
“Pizarrito” García made his debut in the premier division of Peruvian soccer on May 19, 2001 at the age of just 13 years and 310 days. The case of the Chiclayo striker is different from that of “Ostrich” since, unlike the 2003 Copa Sudamericana goalscorer, he did not play regularly with this record player. Beyond this data, there are interesting records of young players in the 2023 Peru football season.
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Who is the youngest player in League 1 and League 2?
The youngest player in Peruvian football at the professional level is named 2023 Benjamin Martin, goalkeeper of Deportivo Municipal. Founded in the quarries of the mayor team, the youth goalkeeper was born on March 15, 2007 and is currently 16 years old. It is impressive that he has been training in the professional squad since the age of 15 and is now registered as the fourth goalkeeper.
Martín was also invited to a microcycle with the Peru U-20 team in May. However, he has yet to make his debut and has not appeared on the list with Municipal in League 1. If we count only those who have already accumulated minutes of play, the title would be the youngest football player in Peruvian football Valentino Delgado, Cantolao’s central midfielder. He was born on September 11, 2006, is 16 years old and made his debut in the 4-0 loss to “U” on the third day of Apertura.
Valentino Delgado played three games with Peru in the last South American U-17 team. Photo: FPF
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If we only count League 2, San Martín forward Snayder Laines would be the youngest footballer in the tournament. Laines was born on July 28, 2006 and made his debut on the 11th day in the 2-2 draw with Llacuabamba. Like other players trained in the youth squads of the Sacred Squad, such as Leonardo Villar and Franco Zanelatto, the 16-year-old old man from Tumbes went through Barcelona’s Marcet Academy and also SC Braga’s U17s.
The 10 youngest players in Peruvian soccer 2023
In the top 10 of younger footballers, there are 7 who play in League 1 and only 3 in League 2. However, with the exception of goalkeeper José Roberto Pérez, the other two managed to add minutes in the tournament. In the first division only Delgado and Alejandro Pósito could make their debut.
- Benjamín Martín – 16 years old (March 15, 2007 – Deportivo Municipal – goalkeeper)
- Valentino Delgado – 16 years old (September 11, 2006 – Cantolao – midfielder)
- Snayder Laines – 16 years old (July 28, 2006 – Saint Martin – Forward)
- Sebastián Cornejo – 17 years old (May 8, 2006 – San Martín – winger)
- Jhosenffer Yllescas – 17 years old (April 27, 2006 – Alianza Lima – Defense)
- Kelvin Abad – 17 years old (April 14, 2006 – César Vallejo – midfielder)
- Adriano Neciosup – 17 years old (March 22, 2006 – Alianza Lima – Defense)
- Jose Roberto Perez – 17 (December 10, 2005 – Merchants FC – Goalkeeper)
- Ian Wisdom – 17 years old (September 14, 2005 – Sporting Cristal – midfielder)
- Alejandro Pósito – 17 years old (September 5, 2005 – Sporting Cristal – midfielder)
Of all the players on the list, Valentino Delgado, Jhossenfer Yllescas and Kelvin Abad were part of the Peru team that took part in the recent South American U-17 Championship in Ecuador. The one who has played the most minutes so far is Sebastián Cornejo (152′) and the only one who has not made the list in any game is Benjamín Martín.
Snayder Laines was educated at Saint Martin and has played in European football. Photo: Saint Martin