- Argentine teenager breaks Sergio Aguero’s record as youngest ever player
- The young star made a cameo in Copa Argentina game for Deportivo Riestra
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An Argentine teenager has broken a record set by Sergio Aguero by becoming the youngest player to make an appearance in the country’s cup competition.
Mateo Apolonio made his professional debut for Deportivo Riestra in their 1-0 defeat to Newell’s Old Boys on Thursday, aged 14 years and 29 days.
His appearance as a 84th minute substitute for Gonzalo Bravo, saw him break the record set Aguero in 2003.
The former Manchester City ace was aged 15 years and 35 days when he made his bow for Independiente and has been a record that has stood for over twenty years.
During his brief cameo on the pitch, Apolonio saw little of the ball and was unable to prevent his side being knocked out of the last 32 of the COPA Argentina.
Mateo Apolonio made history on Thursday becoming the youngest player in Argentine football
At 14 years and 29 days Apolonio’s appearance came in Riestra’s COPA America defeat
The appearance broke the twenty-year record of Sergio Aguero’s Independiente debut
Apolonio’s inclusion had already been hinted by Riestra’s coach Cristian Fabbiani, believing that the teen was ready to make his professional bow.
Before the game the 14-year-old share his excitement on the club’s social media channels in a video.
He said: ‘I was in the living room of my house, my mother called me and my father was crying on the phone. And there he told me: ‘You were call to the first division squad.
‘It is a unique experience and no matter what happens, it will be a beautiful memory for me.’
The hype mirrors the emergence of infamous teenage sensation Freddie Adu, who at 14 became the youngest American footballer to sign a professional contract when he was signed by DC United in the 2004 draft.
Adu was linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs and signed a deal with Nike, but ultimately never lived up to his massive billing.
Instead he enjoyed a nomadic football career that took him everywhere from Benfica and Monaco, to spells in the Serbian and Finnish leagues.
Apolonio will hope to instead emulate the career of the man who’s record he broke, Aguero, who went on to play 56 times for Independiente, scoring 23 goals.
The hype around the new Argentine is similar to the billing given to 14-year-old American sensation Freddy Adu in 2004
After setting the record, Aguero went on to have a glittering career, most notably at Man City
Ethan Nwaneri remains the Premier League’s youngest-ever player at 15 years and 181 days
He then went on to enjoy a illustrious career in Europe, first with Atletico Madrid, before his glittering achievements with Manchester City.
Here, he won five Premier League titles, six League Cups and an FA Cup, as well becoming the club’s all-time record goal-scorer and highest scoring South American in Premier League history.
The striker also won 101 caps for his country, scoring 41 goals, before being forced to retire in 2022 due to a heart condition.
Apolonio’s debut also tops the Premier League record, currently held by Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri, who was 15 years and 181 days old when he made his debut for the Gunners against Brentford in September 2022.
