Luka Romero

Luka Romero Bezzana (born 18 November 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Segunda División side RCD Mallorca. Born in Mexico, he represents Argentina at youth international level.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Romero and the second or maternal family name is Bezzana.
Luka Romero
Personal information
Full name Luka Romero Bezzana
Date of birth (2004-11-18) 18 November 2004[1]
Place of birth Durango City, Mexico
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Mallorca
Number 29
Youth career
2011–2015 Sant Jordi
2015–2020 Mallorca
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Mallorca 6 (1)
2020– Mallorca B 2 (2)
National team
2019 Argentina U15 6 (2)
2020– Argentina U17 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 November 2020

Early life

Born in Durango City, Mexico, to Argentine parents, Romero moved to Villanueva de Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain, at the age of three. He moved to Formentera, Balearic Islands at the age of seven, and started to play at Ibiza's Penya Esportiva Sant Jordi.[2]

In 2011, Romero had a trial with FC Barcelona, but could not sign as he was under 10 and did not live in the area.[3] In 2015, he signed an eight-year youth contract with RCD Mallorca, at the age of ten.[4][5] In his first four years at Mallorca, Romero scored 230 goals in 108 matches.[6]

Professional career

Romero was called up to train with the main squad of Mallorca by manager Vicente Moreno on 5 June 2020.[7] Eleven days later, he was included in the list for a La Liga match against Villarreal CF after being given special authorization at the age of 15 years and 221 days,[8] but remained an unused substitute in the 0–1 away loss.[9]

Romero played his first match with Mallorca on 24 June 2020, replacing Iddrisu Baba late into a 0–2 away defeat against Real Madrid.[10] Aged 15 years and 219 days, he broke Sansón's record for the youngest player to ever play a professional match in La Liga.[11]

Romero started the 2020–21 campaign with the main squad, but also appeared with the reserves in Tercera División in some occasions. He scored his first senior goals on 1 November 2020, netting a brace with the B-side in a 3–0 away win against CD Llosetense.[12]

Romero scored his first professional goal on 29 November 2020, netting the fourth in a 4–0 Segunda División home routing of UD Logroñés.[13]

International career

Born in Mexico to an Argentine family, and moved to Spain at a young age, Romero holds all three passports, and is currently eligible to represent all three senior national teams.[14] He represented Argentina at under-15 level in the 2019 South American U-15 Championship, where they came in second, scoring two goals in six matches.[15]

In March 2020, Romero was called up to represent Argentina's under-17s at the year's Montaigu Tournament, but the competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]

Personal life

Romero's father, Diego, was a professional footballer.[17] His twin brother Tobías is also a footballer, and plays as a goalkeeper.[3]

Career statistics

Club
As of 30 November 2020.[18]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mallorca 2019–20 La Liga 1000——10
2020–21 Segunda División 5100——51
Total 6100——61
Mallorca B 2019–20 Tercera División 00——1[lower-alpha 1]010
2020–21 22———22
Total 22——1032
Career total 8300001093
  1. Appearance(s) in Tercera División play-offs

References
  1. "Luka Romero". Liga de Fútbol Profesional. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  2. "Luka Romero, convocado: podría debutar con 15 años" [Luka Romero, called up: could debut with 15 years of age] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  3. "Luka Romero (Mallorca) és el nou Leo Messi" [Luka Romero (Mallorca) is the new Messi] (in Catalan). Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  4. Millar, Colin (15 June 2020). "Mallorca's Luka Romero, 15, to become youngest ever La Liga player". Yardbarker. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  5. "Luka Romero, 'el nuevo Messi', llegó al Barça demasiado pronto" [Luka Romero, 'the new Messi', arrived at Barça too early] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  6. "Luka Romero, el niño al que llaman 'el nuevo Lionel Messi', es mexicano" [Luka Romero, the youngster who is called 'the new Lionel Messi', is Mexican] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  7. "Real Mallorca: Luka Romero: Real Mallorca's 'Mexican Messi'". Marca. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  8. "Luka Romero, el heredero de Messi, fue autorizado para ir por una marca histórica en La Liga" [Luka Romero, Messi's heir, was given the green light to go for a historical landmark in La Liga] (in Spanish). Clarín. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  9. "El Mallorca aplaza el debut de Luka Romero, el 'Messi mexicano'" [Mallorca delay the debut of Luka Romero, the 'Mexican Messi'] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  10. "Luka Romero: Mallorca's 'Mexican Messi' the youngest player in La Liga history". Goal.com. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  11. "Luka Romero breaks LaLiga record for youngest debutant at 15 years and 219 days old". Marca. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  12. "Los dos golazos de Luka Romero para que le sigan comparando con Messi: 15 años..." [The two great goals from Luka Romero so that they can keep on comparing him to Messi: 15 years old...] (in Spanish). Marca. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  13. "Al Mallorca se le puso todo de cara y el líder acabó goleando" [Mallorca played it all from the start and the leader ended up thrashing] (in Spanish). Marca. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  14. "Luka Romero, el 'nuevo Messi', puede hacer historia" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  15. "Brasil es campeón del CONMEBOL Sudamericano Sub-15" [Brazil is the champion of the CONMEBOL South American U-15 Championship] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  16. Bruzos, Gustavo (12 June 2020). "Luka Romero, la gran promesa del fútbol argentino" [Luka Romero, the biggest prospect of Argentine football] (in Spanish). ESPN. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  17. "La historia de Luka Romero, el joven que juega en Mallorca" [The history of Luka Romero, the youngster who plays at Mallorca] (in Spanish). TNT Sports. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  18. Luka Romero at Soccerway. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
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