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FIFA rules blocked Barca signing La Liga record breaker

Barcelona had agreed to sign Mallorca’s Luka Romero as a seven-year-old but FIFA regulations at the time blocked any move.

Romero became the youngest ever player to play in La Liga on Wednesday when he replaced midfielder Iddrisu Baba for the closing stages for the visitors in a two-goal defeat at Real Madrid.

It is said by Marca that the Catalan club had offered terms to the youngster and his family but because they were not residents of the city, no deal was allowed.

Four years later, Romero signed for local Mallorcan team Montuïri before making the move to Mallorca, where he scored a notable 230 goals across 108 appearances in the youth teams.

The 15-year-old – born 18 November 2004 – had been included in Vicente Moreno side’s squad to take on Villarreal earlier this month but ultimately made his debut against Madrid on Wednesday, aged 15 years and 219 days.

For context, the teenager was born nine months after Madrid captain Sergio Ramos first appeared in La Liga – for Sevilla in February 2004.

Born in the Mexican city of Durango, he holds three nationalities – Mexican, Argentinean – whom he has represented up to Under-17 category at youth level – and Spanish, as highlighted by Marca.

El Mundo and Diario AS outlined how his style of play has many similarities to that of Barcelona star Lionel Messi and how there is a great deal of excitement surrounding his future.

Read Also: Gerrard reacts to Liverpool’s first ever Premier League silverware

Romero arrived in Spain aged three when he first lived in Villanueva de Córdoba and he now is a resident of Mallorca, with the club paying his wage – said to be €1k per month – and all his rents and utility bills.

He signed for the club as a 10-year-old in 2015 and began training with Mallorca’s first-team squad this month.

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