São Paulo beat Grêmio to Guatemalan legend’s wonderkid 🚁 | OneFootball

Marvin Alexander Ávila Veliz Junior, 1.78m, 65kg, and 17 years old. This is the new talent scouted by São Paulo for its youth categories, who will join the Cotia squad starting in 2026, when he comes of age.

The young forward, however, is already a well-known name in his country, Guatemala, where he has shined from a very young age. A prolific number 9, he has stood out in all youth levels of the national team, not only with many goals, but also with assists, titles, and leadership, even serving as captain of the national team at times.

SON AND GRANDSON OF PLAYERS

Talent runs in the blood. Marvin ‘Titimán’ Jr. inherited his nickname from his father, Marvin ‘Titimán’ Ávila, a local idol and one of the highlights of the Guatemalan national team in recent years. The new Tricolor signing already knows at home the discipline needed to become a top-level player on the international stage.

And the family tradition doesn’t stop there. His grandfather, Cándido Macabi Véliz, also played in the National League during the 1970s and 1980s. Marvin Jr. has the athlete’s DNA and proved very early on that he might become the biggest name among his already renowned relatives.

WHAT A SHOW-OFF!

It was with his mother that the young star was introduced, back in September 2023, by his current club, Antigua GFC, with all the fanfare of a star after arriving by helicopter at the team’s training center in Guatemala. The event drew attention, but it showed just how much his new club believed in his talent and treated him as the true promising jewel who was beginning to enchant the country.

Marvin’s rise has been meteoric. He moved up from the U-15 to the U-20 categories of his country, always scoring goals and winning titles, and was even named the best player of the tournament several times. He scored his first goal in the Guatemalan National League at age 15, in 2024, netting the winner for Antigua against Zacapa.

Marvin Ávila Jr. arriving by helicopter at Antigua (Photo: Reproduction)

OUTSMARTING GRÊMIO

With scouts watching his football all over the world, especially in South America, the new Tricolor signing underwent trials earlier this year with Grêmio’s youth teams, who also wanted a closer look at the young talent. However, São Paulo ended up winning the race for the prospect.

While Grêmio proposed a loan contract with an option to buy, Tricolor bought the forward outright and offered not only a professional contract, but also a future project with academic training, psychological support, and a development plan all the way to the main squad of São Paulo. There was no way Marvin Jr. could refuse, knowing also about the great talents the three-time world champion has produced.

SKILLED AND PROLIFIC

“Agile, intelligent, with great vision and the ability to adapt to various attacking roles,” highlighted a local press publication about Marvin Titimán Jr., which also included testimonials from coaches who have managed the boy in youth national teams, describing him as “disciplined, analytical, and with an uncommon work ethic for his age.”

Titimán Jr. plays both as a central striker, a winger, or even on the right flank. His skill stands out, as does his goal-scoring instinct.

Having signed with São Paulo, where he is expected to play for the U-20 team, Marvin Jr. should only arrive at his new club next season, after turning 18. May he have luck and success at Tricolor!

In addition to him, the Morumbi club also signed the Ghanaian midfielder Ridwan Mohammed, one of the standouts from the Young African Promises academy, renowned for developing young players on the continent who head to Europe. It was for this team that he scored the amazing free-kick goal below:

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.