Real Mallorca’s Luka Romero, 15, became the youngest ever player to feature in La Liga after appearing as a substitute against Real Madrid.
The teenager replaced midfielder Iddrisu Baba for the closing stages for the visitors in a two-goal defeat, breaking an 81-year record previously held by Francisco Bao Rodriguez, known as Sanson, who made his league debut for Celta Vigo aged 15 years and 255 days in 1939.
The 15-year-old – born 18 November 2004 – had been included in Vicente Moreno side’s squad to take on Villarreal earlier this month but ultimately made his debut against Madrid on Wednesday, aged 15 years and 219 days.
Los debutantes más jóvenes en TODA la historia de La Liga:
15-219 LUKA ROMERO🇦🇷🇲🇽
15-255 Francisco Bao “Sansón”🇪🇸
15-288 Pedro Irastorza🇪🇸
15-289 Óscar Ramón🇪🇸
16-083 Branko Kubala🇸🇰
16-098 Fabrice Olinga🇨🇲
16-124 Antonio Puche🇪🇸
16-151 José A. Reyes🇪🇸
16-157 Martin Ødegaard🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/l94iCPxHn7— MisterChip (Alexis) (@2010MisterChip) June 24, 2020
For context, the teenager was born nine months after Madrid captain Sergio Ramos first appeared in La Liga – for Sevilla in February 2004.
Born in the Mexican city of Durango, he holds three nationalities – Mexican, Argentinean – whom he has represented up to Under-17 category at youth level – and Spanish, as highlighted by Marca.
El Mundo and Diario AS outlined how his style of play has many similarities to that of Barcelona star Lionel Messi and how there is a great deal of excitement surrounding his future.
Romero arrived in Spain aged three when he first lived in Villanueva de Córdoba and he now is a resident of Mallorca, with the club paying his wage – said to be €1k per month – and all his rents and utility bills.
He signed for the club as a 10-year-old in 2015 and began training with Mallorca’s first-team squad this month.
