Luka Romero took the pitch in the 83rd minute for Mallorca in his team’s 2-0 loss against Real Madrid, coming on as a substitute for Iddrisu Baba. While that fact in and of itself might not seem of note, the reality is that Romero’s debut marked history in Spanish soccer.
Romero, who was born in 2004, debuted with his senior team and became the youngest player in the history of La Liga to see the field at the age of 15 years and 219 days.
He broke a record that had been standing since 1939 when Sanson debuted for Celta Vigo at the age of 15 years and 255 days.
The teenage midfielder, considered one of the brightest upcoming stars in the game, was called up for training by head coach Vicente Moreno in early June during the team’s preparation to return to the field after the COVID-19 pandemic.
While he was included in the roster for Mallorca’s previous matches after play was resumed, Wednesday night’s match at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium was the first time he saw the pitch.
Romero didn’t find the stat sheet in his brief action on the pitch, but the Argentina international did manage to break a record that once seemed impossible to reach.
