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Guadalajara native Joao Maleck, the forgotten U-20 player

By Jahir M. Martinez

OLIVAL, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 1: FC Porto forward Junior Joao Maleck Robles celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Youth League match between FC Porto and RB Leipzig at Centro de Estagios do Olival on November 1, 2017 in Olival, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
OLIVAL, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 1: FC Porto forward Junior Joao Maleck Robles celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Youth League match between FC Porto and RB Leipzig at Centro de Estagios do Olival on November 1, 2017 in Olival, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images) /
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Mexico announced its Under-20 World Cup roster with the ultimate goal to bring home a championship.

Mexico’s Under-20 team of Mexico is headed to the World Cup in Poland next month with lots of rising young stars on the roster. Leading the way are the electrifying Diego Lainez (Spain’s Real Betis) and Jose Juan Macias (Leon), the top Mexican scorer in the Liga MX. Other notable names are Pachuca forward Roberto De La Rosa and  Tijuana goalie Carlos Higuera.

Despite the big names, there were two surprises. Midfielder Jonathan Gonzalez was left off the team after his club – Monterrey – told Federation officials that Gonzalez would be needed for the playoffs, as the Rayados compete for the title.

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Also overlooked was striker Joao Maleck, a hidden gem who currently plays with Sevilla B in Spain’s second division. He recently returned to the field after a knee injury suffered in early March. The injury and his lack of playing time were a factor in the team’s decision to pass on Maleck, though he has played with the Under-18 and Under-20 teams. With Macias, Lainez and Maleck up front, El Tri could have featured Mexico’s scoring stars of the future.

Maleck was born in Guadalajara (his father is a naturalized Frenchman from Cameroon who came to Mexico in 1998 to play for the Tecos of Guadalajara) and started out in the Chivas academy before finding a spot with Santos Laguna. He helped lead the Guerreros’ U-17 team to a league title and scored 21 goals in 44 games. He then played one season with Santos’ U-20 team before signing with Portugal’s Porto where he played with their academy teams in 2017 and 2018.

Spain’s Sevilla then negotiated a deal with Porto and Santos, but a bureaucratic snafu deprived him of eligibility until January and his injury came only two months later.

Although Maleck would be eligible to play with Mexico, France or Cameroon, the young winger has insisted he only wants to play for El Tri. Hopefull, his chance will come in the near future.

El Tri is in Group B and will first play Italy on May 23, then face Japan on May 26 and finish group play against Ecuador on May 29. Hopefully, Mexico can get out of the group stage and continue in the tournament in a strong stance.

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