Cliver Huaman Sanchez, 15, goes from hilltop Libertadores call to Santiago-Bernabeu mic | OneFootball

A 15-year-old Peruvian, Cliver Huaman Sanchez, became a national sensation after commentating the Copa Libertadores final from a hill overlooking the Estadio Monumental in Lima. According to L'Équipe, he is now due to be on the mic for Real Madrid-Manchester City in the Champions League.

A week earlier he was known only in Huampica, his rural hometown. His 900-kilometre, 18-hour bus journey to the capital, suit a size too big and rapid-fire delivery, turned him into a breakout story.

Denied accreditation or a ticket, he set up on Cerro Puruchuco with a phone, tripod and microphone, and began an improvised broadcast watched by a few onlookers. He struggled to identify players at distance, yet the stream surged from 500 viewers to 10,000 as he poured more emotion into his voice.

He now has more than 2 million followers on social media, his tale echoed across the continent and by CBS Sports, Marca and El Chiringuito. Bizarrap, Manchester City and several professionals publicly congratulated him, and the Peruvian federation showed him around the national team facilities.

Raised in modest circumstances, he works on his parents' farm and supports Los Chankas. He discovered journalism at 13 by accompanying his father, a radio host, then honed his narration on local amateur pitches in Spanish and Quechua.

To fund the trip to Lima with his father and brother Kenny, he sold hot chocolate in the street, secured help from local businesses and saved for months, brushing off taunts. Three days after the viral night, broadcaster L1Max invited him to join coverage of Sporting Cristal-Alianza Lima, a 1-1 first-leg semi-final, where Paolo Guerrero, 41, formerly of Bayern Munich and Hamburg, embraced him and handed over his shirt.

Latina Noticias has invited him to commentate Real Madrid-Manchester City on Wednesday night, live from the Santiago-Bernabeu.

Source: L'Équipe