But today, three years after that announcement and the expectation created around him, the boy who excited us with the possibility of having the first Peruvian defending the colors of the powerful Manchester City lives a present that is totally distant from the one he dreamed of. He will turn 20 on May 5, he has been trying for the great feat for two seasons and so far he has not managed to shine as he would have wanted. Not even Lommel SK, a team from the Belgian Second Division that welcomed him with open arms and with which he has a contract until next June, was the ideal springboard to take the big leap towards the Premier League. Without continuity, prominence or action, Kluiverth was relegated to the substitution in his team and currently his struggle is not to be part of the statistics of national players who could not make it in Europe.
Why couldnāt Kluiverth show in the āold continentā what we saw in Alianza Lima? Why did City Group Football see a business opportunity with your purchase? Why is it so difficult for us to export, maintain and highlight our talents in the elite? Perhaps finding an answer can be just as titanic as solving all the problems of Peruvian soccer. The issue goes further, it is complex, structural, historical, and everyone is needed to change the landscape. But reflecting on it is a necessary exercise, because it helps to show the reality that is not seen in a 90-minute game.
Between the abyss and hope
Kluiverthās growth as a footballer was meteoric. At the age of 15 he played in the 2019 South American Sub 17 tournament that almost brought us back to the World Cup and at 16 he made his debut for Alianza Lima under the command of Pablo Bengoechea. A year later he signed his contract with the City Football Group and when he came of age he was already traveling to Europe to have his first experience abroad. āGoing to City is something too big in my career, Iām happy that they noticed me. It is a club with some extraordinary players, a coach and fansāAguilar said at the time with the illusion of every boy at that age.
What we saw of him in the field was enough to convince him of his abilities. Good technique with the ball, positioning on the pitch and accurate coverage. His best performance was in the South American of the category and that convinced Alianza Lima, who had already had first contact with him before the tournament. Immediately, the club sent him to the recruiting area to include him among its ranks. CĆ©sar Cueto and Jaime Duarte spoke with Virgilio Alzamora, who was his representative at the time, and they convinced little Kluiverth, whose blue and white swelling made it easier for him to adapt. He did not play in the inferiors nor did he meet his Sub 16 teammates; on the contrary, he went head-on to train with the reserves. And Bengoechea gave him the opportunity to show himself on November 2, 2019, when he made his debut in a 1-1 draw against Alianza Universidad at just 16 years old.
He is not an athlete on the right wing who makes the physical effort of coming and going as if he were a plane; but Kluiverth maintains his balance in his zone and the defensive order. What came after his professional debut came as a surprise to the player himself. Manchester City scouts saw him in the South American and were impressed with his game. They quickly concluded that he was a raw gem, a player with projection and maturity who needed filming outside his borders to become the idol of his generation. They offered him the contract and the amount for his purchase, and the player accepted. Alianza did not hinder him and he also agreed. Kluiverth signed and traveled to England after turning 18, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and with suitcases full of long-term goals to meet. The sacrifice and effort had been worth it.
- Kluiverth numbers since he left Alianza Lima
Season | Equipment | games played | Minutes | goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021/2022 | Lommel SK | 3 | 136ā² | ā |
2022/2023 | Lommel SK | 4 | 177ā² | ā |
In Europe things changed. Before what could have been his final destination, Manchester City, Kluiverth was loaned out to Lommel SK to develop physically and football. He took the first step, which was to leave abroad at an early age; but that is not enough for our players. You have to give more, perhaps double or triple what you have been giving. Sacrifice and effort are not enough; rather, both must go hand in hand with discipline and resilience to create a path away from home. Kluiverth spent two years in Belgium, seeking to navigate the unknown and disinterest, playing just seven games with his current team and trying to break down that ideological barrier that several compatriots collided with and rebounded before him. It is not easy for a boy of almost 20 years to become a man. Is anything easy in this life?
And Kluiverth remains in that trance, in that pendulum between two scenarios: becoming part of the statistics of Peruvians who did not stand out in Europe or continuing with his adventure abroad looking for other destinations. His relationship with Lommel SK expires next June; but he still has a contract with City Group Football until 2025. his next steps will depend solely on him. The invisible idol needs to become visible again.
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