Filling Legendary Shoes: Renato Tapia

Renato Tapia

Age: 20

Club: Feyenoord

Nationality: Peruvian

Position: Defensive Midfielder

When you think of the Peruvian national team, it’s not beyond belief that your mind would drift to memories of Claudio Pizzaro, Jefferson Farfan, or Paulo Guerrero. The trio cemented the Peruvian attack for more than a decade. However, all things must come to an end, and for the holy trinity of football in this coastal South American country, this means ceding power to the next wave of superstars.

The future of footballing in Peru is 20, and his name is Renato Tapia. After a handful of seasons at Dutch club FC Twente, Tapia landed at one of the league’s legends, Feyenoord. While at FC Twente, Tapia found success, earning 31 caps over two seasons, and scoring six times in the Eredivisie.

While it may seem irresponsible to place the footballing future of a nation on the shoulders of someone who still can’t legally drink in the United States, Tapia isn’t just any other 20 year old. Unlike many of his peers, he opted for a career abroad from a young age. He’s used to the pressures of playing on a big stage away from home, and when given the opportunity, can reek havoc on opponents’ midfields.