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Aged 14 years and 29 days, Deportivo Riestra midfielder Mateo Apolonio shattered a historic record on Thursday, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in Argentina's First Division.
Apolonio surpassed the previous record held by former Manchester City star Sergio Agüero by more than a year.
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Apolonio entered the field in the 84th minute of Riestra's 1-0 defeat to Newell's Old Boys in a Copa Argentina round of 16 match replacing midfielder Gonzalo Bravo. He saw limited action during his brief time on the pitch.
Agüero's debut with Independiente on July 5, 2003, at 15 years and 33 days old, had stood as the record for over two decades.
Riestra coach Cristian Fabbiani hinted at Apolonio's inclusion last Saturday after the team's first league game, stating his belief in the 14-year-old's readiness for professional competition.
"I was in the living room of my house, my mother called me and my father was crying on the phone. And there he told me: 'You were call to the first division squad,'" Apolonio said in a video posted before the match on the team's Twitter account.
"It is a unique experience and no matter what happens, it will be a beautiful memory for me."
