World Cup 2026: The Chelsea wonderkid once tipped to be 'better than Messi' chases redemption with Ecuador

For a agelong time, Kendry Paez was tipped arsenic the adjacent large improvement of South American football. He was the adjacent large thing. Still a teenager, the Independiente del Valle attacking midfielder dazzled with his refined technique, imaginativeness and antithetic maturity for his age. The endowment connected amusement was truthful evident that it caught the oculus of European clubs adjacent earlier helium turned 18.

In all, helium made 70 appearances for the Ecuadorian club, scoring 13 goals and providing six assists. His outstanding and precocious signifier caught the oculus of European heavyweights, who began monitoring the youngster's situation, and Chelsea were the ones to triumph the race, investing astir 17m euros (15m pounds) to onshore him, successful 1 of the biggest income successful the past of Ecuadorian football.

Kendry Paez: the Ecuadorian jewel tipped arsenic a aboriginal star

At 1m78 and noted for his outstanding near foot, the subordinate calved successful 2007 carried immense expectations astatine the time: Paez was expected to beryllium the adjacent South American jewel destined for stardom. But his vocation has not followed the publication galore had imagined.

The midfielder's aboriginal performances were hailed by each manager helium worked with. Enzo Maresca, past successful complaint of Chelsea and the antheral who worked with the subordinate astatine the Blues, went truthful acold arsenic to comparison him to immoderate of the all-time greats of the game.

Maresca said: 'He has everything to beryllium amended than Leo Messi, amended than Neymar, but it depends connected him and his agents. It is the archetypal clip I person seen a subordinate with these characteristics. I deliberation helium has everything to go 1 of the astir important players successful satellite football.'

From wonderkid presumption to struggles successful Europe

After leaving Independiente del Valle, the midfielder was incapable to find the playing clip helium needed to make arsenic expected. Signed by Chelsea successful 2023, earlier helium turned 18, the subordinate had to hold earlier being capable to formally enactment pen to paper. Soon aft reaching the property of majority, helium moved to the Blues, but did not play a azygous infinitesimal for the English club.

Looking to springiness the subordinate European playing time, Chelsea loaned him retired to Strasbourg successful France, which is portion of the aforesaid consortium that runs the English club. But the youngster struggled to accommodate to European football. The Strasbourg spell did not supply the accordant tally that specified a young subordinate needed, with 21 appearances, conscionable 1 extremity scored and small successful the mode of a lasting impression.

Trying to recoup the concern and hoping the youngster would rediscover his champion football, Chelsea opted for different indebtedness move, this clip backmost to South American football. Paez was returning to his continent, this clip with River Plate.

Pedro Cabrera, Ecuadorian journalist, told Trivela: 'It seemed to beryllium the perfect script for Kendry Paez to rediscover his football. But aft going done a bid of idiosyncratic issues, unsuitable behaviour and distractions disconnected the pitch, his show ended up being affected. Little by little, the representation of a aboriginal prima of Ecuadorian shot began to fade. He could not nail down a spot astatine Chelsea, nor astatine Strasbourg, and helium is not astatine his champion astatine River Plate either.'

Paez arrived astatine the Argentine nine successful January 2026 and, successful this archetypal fractional of the year, he has been incapable to unafraid a starting role. So far, helium has made 14 appearances, with 1 extremity and 1 assistance for the Nunez-based club.

According to Cabrera, the youngster mislaid his absorption astatine precisely a decisive infinitesimal successful his career, erstwhile helium astir needed to consolidate his determination to planetary football. Another important origin has been the pressure.

From an aboriginal age, the youngster has been carrying the value of being treated arsenic the starring endowment of Ecuador's caller generation. The anticipation has grown with each elder planetary call-up and each header placing him among the astir promising players connected the continent.

Call-up could enactment Paez backmost connected track

Even successful a hard moment, Paez has received a ballot of assurance from Ecuador manager Sebastian Beccacece. Within the nationalist team, religion successful his imaginable remains intact. The call-up for the 2026 World Cup shows that the manager continues to judge that the subordinate tin rediscover his champion form.

Rubbing shoulders with leaders of the squad is seen arsenic a accidental for Paez to mature and to rediscover the shot that made him 1 of Ecuador's brightest prospects. Cabrera said: 'Beccacece saw successful him a subordinate susceptible of adding prime to the attacking unit, operating arsenic a playmaker, a creator of chances, and a subordinate of large method ability.'

Cabrera added: 'The content is that the manager is looking to support and enactment him due to the fact that helium inactive believes successful the endowment helium possesses. Beccacece sees successful Paez a subordinate susceptible of recovering his champion version, of rediscovering his magic and of increasing alongside experienced and palmy teammates. Rubbing shoulders with players similar William Pacho, a two-time Champions League winner, Piero Hincapie, a caller finalist successful the competition, oregon Moises Caicedo, alongside different elder figures successful the squad, could assistance him recognize the value of professionalism and commitment.'

For each the setbacks, the midfielder's vocation is acold from being considered a failure. At 19, helium inactive has plentifulness of clip to close his trajectory and reclaim the spotlight helium has lost. After all, the endowment that caught the oculus of Europe's starring clubs is inactive there.

The reunion betwixt Paez and the Ecuador nationalist squad could beryllium precisely the turning constituent his vocation needs. The World Cup is, therefore, emerging arsenic a uncommon opportunity: not conscionable for Ecuador to number connected a subordinate susceptible of swinging matches successful their favour, but besides for Paez to amusement the satellite erstwhile again wherefore helium was considered 1 of the astir talented players of his generation.