Mallorca’s Luka Romero, known as the ‘Mexican Messi’, becomes youngest star in LaLiga history at 15

The name Luka Romero will go into the history books after the 15-year-old Mallorca midfielder became the youngest player to feature in LaLiga against Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

The highly-rated star came on in the 83rd minute during his club’s 2-0 loss to Los Blancos, but it will be a moment he remembers forever as he played the final ten minutes of the game. 

He was introduced in place of Iddrisa Baba for an unusual debut behind closed doors in the Spanish top flight, and while he wasn’t able to showcase any real signs of his potential, fans around the world will be familiar with the name.

He came on in the 83rd minute of Mallorca’s 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on Wednesday night 

In making his introduction at 15 years and 219 days he broke a record that was 80 years old in the process – Celta Viga’s Sanson was the previous holder in 1939. 

It’s never helpful to be compared to Lionel Messi, but Romero is already being touted as ‘the Mexican Messi’ due to his similarities in dribbling style as well as his trial with Barcelona at the age of just seven. 

He has been tipped as ‘The Mexican Messi’ after being born in the South American country

He was born in Mexico but his whole family is Argentinian and he hopes to play for the South American side internationally.

The Spanish giants liked what they saw but the boy’s family weren’t willing to move to the city, and they ended up heading to Mallorca, where he was spotted by the club in 2015 and duly signed up at the age of just ten.

Just two years later he was having a kickabout on a beach in Ibiza before ex-Barca defender Dani Alves spotted him and asked if he could play. 

Former Barca defender Dani Alves compared Romero to Lionel Messi after watching him play

When fans gathered to grab a selfie with the right back, he told them: ‘take pictures of him, not me – he is the new Messi’.

Mallorca are being careful not to throw him in at the deep end despite being well are of his talent from an early stage. 

‘We have been watching him since he was 12, but we never wanted to promote him too early because we also have to be careful,’ said Mallorca coach Dani Pendin, as reported by Goal. 

He went on trial with Barcelona at the age of just seven but his family were unwilling to move

‘We have seen him play and he did incredible things in his age group, but physically he was not fully developed and that could bring him problems when running into senior players. Today you can see in his legs and his body that he begins to fill out.’

Romero’s record setting was in the offing after training with the first team as they returned from coronavirus suspension and being named in the squad for a game against Villarreal on June 16.

He was again left on the bench against Leganes just days later, before his moment finally arrived against Madrid – not as he would have been hoping as he was sent on at Madrid’s reserve stadium without a single spectator in sight – but a moment to savour regardless.