The little El Mago Joaquim, only 8 years old, has been capturing the attention of Palmeiras’ fans.
The excitement is such that he already carries a weighty nickname, referencing one of the club’s greatest idols in history. The Chilean Jorge Valdivia, El Mago.
Get to know this promising young talent with us.
Follow us on social networks to stay updated on the latest foreign football news: Instagram, Facebook and X.
Index
El Mago Joaquim
If Santos’ youth team can boast Kauan Basile and Nike as their youngest sponsored athlete, Palmeiras and Adidas are not far behind when it comes to Joaquim.
Affectionately nicknamed El Mago Joaquim, the boy was born in 2015 and plays for Palmeiras’ U8 futsal team.
Following in the footsteps of the greatest stars in Brazilian football history, such as Zico, Ronaldo “Fenômeno,” Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Romário, and Neymar, El Mago Joaquim is beginning his journey on Brazilian courts.
With long, tied-back hair, he bears a resemblance to one of Palmeiras’ greatest idols, El Mago Valdivia.
During his time with Verdão, Jorge Valdivia won titles in the Brazilian Championship and the Brazilian Cup at a time when Palmeiras wasn’t as strong as it is today.
The Chilean displayed real magic on the field. With silky dribbles and unmatched protection of the ball, it was almost impossible to dispossess the midfielder when he was in the groove.
Moreover, he had quite a bit of folklore around him, as he was known for taunting rivals when celebrating goals against them. All of these factors contributed to him having a special place during his time at the club.
In this way, Joaquim, at only 8 years old, already carries the weight of an idol’s nickname.
As mentioned earlier, Nike signed a contract with Kauan Basile when the boy was just 9 years old, making him the youngest player to be sponsored by the brand.
Their biggest competitor, Adidas, didn’t want to fall behind. They saw in El Mago Joaquim the opportunity to sponsor another young star.
In this manner, Palmeiras’ youth product secured his sponsorship deal with Adidas at the tender age of 8!
Image: Epitácio Pessoa/Estadão
The one who is doing quite well with this story is agent Bruno Martins, who, in collaboration with Joaquim’s parents, Renato and Sabrina, manages the young boy’s fledgling career.
And that’s not all. Bruno Martins, the owner of Bruno Martins Sports, also represents Kauan Basile, in partnership with Neymar Sr.
Image: Reproduction Instagram Joaquim – joaquim.lucas0915
Statistics and Outlook
El Mago Joaquim is proving to be a consistent young talent.
Ver essa foto no Instagram
In the 2022 season, playing for Palmeiras’ U7 team, the youngest Academy product scored 31 goals in 24 games. Palmeiras emerged as undefeated champions of the “Torneio União de Clubes,” organized by the Paulista Football Federation. The final was won against none other than their arch-rivals, Corinthians, and El Mago Joaquim contributed one of the goals in the victory.
In 2023, the boy continues to grow and develop his football skills. Alongside Matheus, the dynamic duo of Verdão scored 46 goals, 23 each, sharing the top scorer title in the Paulista U8 Championship.
The excellent performances of this duo led to the category’s Paulistão title, further underscoring the exponential growth of Palmeiras’ youth teams in recent years, making them true “title winners” in all categories.
El Mago Joaquim, surprisingly, not only shares a hairstyle similarity with Valdivia but also a playing style.
Wearing the number 10 shirt, the boy is bold and executes bewildering dribbles against his opponents. However, he shows great intelligence in decision-making, releasing the ball and serving better-placed teammates, providing numerous assists throughout the season.
The prospects are as positive as can be. We always feel the need to emphasize the importance of making this journey in the world of football a fun and enjoyable experience for a child. Otherwise, they may not reach their full potential in the future, or worse, they may suffer emotional consequences for life.
This doesn’t seem to be the case for Joaquim, who appears to have a supportive family involved in his daily life.
Additionally, the boy seems happy on the court, which is the most important thing.
Another noteworthy factor is being part of a stable club with a well-planned career path and substantial investment in their youth system, which will undoubtedly provide the means for the boy to develop as a professional and as a human being.
Here, we will continue to follow Joaquim’s football journey. We hope that he can go very far and become one of the great players in Brazilian football.
Image: Epitácio Pessoa/Estadão
Written by Vitor F L Miller
