São Paulo sign Guatemalan legend’s son ahead of Grêmio 🚁 | OneFootball

Marvin Alexander Ávila Veliz Junior, 1.78m, 65kg and 17 years old. This is the new recruit unearthed by São Paulo for its youth academy, who will strengthen 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 shone since a very early age. A goal-scoring number 9, he excelled at every youth level of the national team, not only with many goals, but also with assists, titles, and leadership, serving as the team captain at times.

SON AND GRANDSON OF PLAYERS

Talent is in his blood. Marvin ‘Titimán’ Jr. inherited the nickname from his father, Marvin ‘Titimán’ Ávila, a local idol and one of the standouts of the Guatemala national team in recent years. The new Tricolor signing already knows at home the discipline needed to become a high-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 an athlete’s DNA and proved very early on that he may become the biggest name among his already renowned relatives.

WHAT SWAG!

And it was with his mother that the young star was unveiled, back in September 2023, by his current club, Antigua GFC, with star treatment after arriving by helicopter at the training center of the Guatemalan team. The event drew attention but showed how much his new club was betting on his talent and treating him as the true promising gem that was starting to captivate the country.

Marvin’s rise has been meteoric. He moved up from the U-15s to the U-20s of his country, always with goals and titles, standing out as the best player of the tournament on several occasions. He scored his first goal in the Guatemalan National League at 15, in 2024, netting the winner for Antigua against Zacapa.

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

BEATING GRÊMIO TO THE PUNCH

With scouts eyeing his football around the world, especially in South America, the new Tricolor signing had 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 deal with a purchase option, the Tricolor bought the forward outright and offered not only a professional contract but also a future project with academic education, psychological support, and a development plan up to the first team of São Paulo. There was no way for Marvin Jr. not to accept, also knowing the great gems the three-time world champions produce.

SKILLFUL AND PROLIFIC

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

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

Having agreed 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 the 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 that team that he scored the beautiful free-kick goal below:

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