When, as a child, you dream about playing football in Argentina, Boca Jrs, and River Plate are probably the main aims. As you progress in your career, the next dream is...
the jump to European football, and clubs the calibre of Manchester United or Juventus always an aspiration. Finally maybe, one day play for the National Side.
Well this story is about a boy, from a small town called Brinkmann, in the Province of Còrdoba, 620km north of Buenos Aires.
Most of its 9890 inhabitants, dedicate to the dairy industry, being one of the main centres for milk production in the country.
But Julian Chicco, did not want to be one of them. He had dreams. Ever since he remembers he loves football, and tried to play it as often as he could.
It did not take long to realise that he was good at it, so good that his name started to cross provincial borders, and the word reached the neighbouring Province of Santa Fè that there was this amazing prospect in Brinkmann.
He was watched and signed by one of the biggest clubs in the area, Colòn de Santa Fè. And started playing for them in the youth squads.
In 2014 at the age of only 16, he was about to sign for Boca Juniors, when a phone call to his father was made, inviting him to do a training trial with Manchester United.
The arrangements were made and off he went. He spent 10 days, mixing it up with the future stars of the red Devils.
His best memories, according to his own words, are made of meal times, sitting only metres away from Rooney and Van Persie.
As he returned to Argentina from his trial there, Boca upped the ante, and put a firm offer to sign him up, promising a fast rise to the reserves as of January.
His entourage liked the idea and pout pen to paper. Now Chicco is living in, in the facilities the club provides for young players, who just arrive to the city.
He plays as central midfielder, and has a very elegant style to pass the ball, but with great positioning to recover it as well. Many say he is a bit like a young Fernando Redondo, others more of a Sergio Busquets.
But in a twist of fate, that can top everyone's expectations, the talented midfielder, having played ZERO MINUTES of professional football, is already on the verge of a dream move to Italian giants Juventus.
Weird as it sounds, the Turin club, sent scouts to check out another talented midfielder called Tomas Pochettino (18 years old), and sent glowing reports on both players.
So much so, that Pochettino is 90% a certainty to end up on loan for 18 months at Juve, with a €1.5 million buying clause after that, and Chicco could follow him for around the same money.
Boca Juniors have historically, had a great developmental academy, and it seems that with players like these ones, they are living up to that name.
My concern is that, they are letting them go younger every time, not fully developed, with no professional experience under their belts, and for very low fees.
Forming and developing players take time and money, and clubs need to be patient if they want to recover their investment or make profit for their efforts.
In the meantime, keep an eye, and remember these names, as they have a future, if they don´t get homesick, and put hard work to match their natural talent.
Oh, about the last dream, that one of being capped by tyour country, both these players will be representing Argentina in the U17`s South american Championships in Uruguay in January 2015....
Well this story is about a boy, from a small town called Brinkmann, in the Province of Còrdoba, 620km north of Buenos Aires.
Most of its 9890 inhabitants, dedicate to the dairy industry, being one of the main centres for milk production in the country.
But Julian Chicco, did not want to be one of them. He had dreams. Ever since he remembers he loves football, and tried to play it as often as he could.
It did not take long to realise that he was good at it, so good that his name started to cross provincial borders, and the word reached the neighbouring Province of Santa Fè that there was this amazing prospect in Brinkmann.
He was watched and signed by one of the biggest clubs in the area, Colòn de Santa Fè. And started playing for them in the youth squads.
In 2014 at the age of only 16, he was about to sign for Boca Juniors, when a phone call to his father was made, inviting him to do a training trial with Manchester United.
The arrangements were made and off he went. He spent 10 days, mixing it up with the future stars of the red Devils.
His best memories, according to his own words, are made of meal times, sitting only metres away from Rooney and Van Persie.
As he returned to Argentina from his trial there, Boca upped the ante, and put a firm offer to sign him up, promising a fast rise to the reserves as of January.
His entourage liked the idea and pout pen to paper. Now Chicco is living in, in the facilities the club provides for young players, who just arrive to the city.
He plays as central midfielder, and has a very elegant style to pass the ball, but with great positioning to recover it as well. Many say he is a bit like a young Fernando Redondo, others more of a Sergio Busquets.
But in a twist of fate, that can top everyone's expectations, the talented midfielder, having played ZERO MINUTES of professional football, is already on the verge of a dream move to Italian giants Juventus.
Weird as it sounds, the Turin club, sent scouts to check out another talented midfielder called Tomas Pochettino (18 years old), and sent glowing reports on both players.
So much so, that Pochettino is 90% a certainty to end up on loan for 18 months at Juve, with a €1.5 million buying clause after that, and Chicco could follow him for around the same money.
Boca Juniors have historically, had a great developmental academy, and it seems that with players like these ones, they are living up to that name.
My concern is that, they are letting them go younger every time, not fully developed, with no professional experience under their belts, and for very low fees.
Forming and developing players take time and money, and clubs need to be patient if they want to recover their investment or make profit for their efforts.
In the meantime, keep an eye, and remember these names, as they have a future, if they don´t get homesick, and put hard work to match their natural talent.
Oh, about the last dream, that one of being capped by tyour country, both these players will be representing Argentina in the U17`s South american Championships in Uruguay in January 2015....