Vitor Roque | Brazil | 17 | Forward | Athletico Paranaense
To avoid hyperbole, it’s important to always remain realistic with expectations, but Roque is the real deal. A 17-year-old striker who plays for Athletico Paranaense and has reportedly been acquiring plenty of admirers, including Chelsea, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. All would have to wait until he turns 18, and Paranaense will demand a hefty price as they see Roque as a fundamental player, not just for the club but also Brazil. He is a classic center-forward who can play anywhere across the front line.
There have been comparisons to Ronaldo Fenómeno, but I refuse to go there as that type of pressure should never be applied to someone so young. Let Roque make his own path, one that looks to be extremely promising.
Álvaro Rodríguez | Uruguay | 18 | Forward | Real Madrid
Born in Spain to Uruguayan parents, Rodríguez is one of two members of Real Madrid Castilla who are taking part in the tournament (the other being Nico Paz), and Uruguay U20 coach Marcelo Broli is ecstatic to have him, as Rodríguez had previously featured for Spain’s U18s.
“It’s so great to have him here, because we were trying for months to get him to come,” Broli said earlier this week. “He’s a very humble kid and has adapted to the team very quickly. Our game suits him well because we like to go wide with speed so hopefully we’ll get him to the danger areas.”
That’s exactly what Rodríguez, who made his debut for Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey last week, does. In terms of Uruguay, there was no doubt in his mind he wanted to eventually come and represent the nation.
“It was me who made the decision,” he said, and not his father, the former Uruguay international Daniel “Coquito” Rodríguez. “My heart pulls for Uruguay.”
It will surely be more than his heart as Uruguayan fans are in for a treat as “Coquito Jr.” is ready to make an impact for La Celeste, who will look to make up for the disappointing performances from their senior team at the World Cup.
