New talented player: Lucas Ocampos

Lucas Ocampos

Club:River Plate BA
Nationality:Argentina
Age:17
Height:1.87 m / 6.14 ft
Weight:82 kg / 180 lbs
Position:Attacking mid(L)

Lucas Ocampos - Argentina`s Baby Cristiano Ronaldo

"In my neighborhood they called me 'Luquitas' (little Lucas), because I was always the smallest".

One could never imagine that this 17 year-old, trapped in such an enormous body, would ever be given such a diminutive nickname. 82 kg stretched over 187 cm, Lucas Ocampos is the new revelation of River Plate, already drawing comparisons to his idol Cristiano Ronaldo , due to his physique, role and style of play.

The fairy tale began some two years ago, in mid-2009. Ocampos, born and raised in Quilmes, a neighborhood in south Buenos Aires, scored a brace against River`s youth team, whose coach was so impressed that he told the team`s management: "You must sign the kid".

The deal was sealed when Ocampos returned from the South-American U-15 championship later this year, where the he caught the eye again delivering two goals for Argentina. His good performance at the U-17 world cup this summer, where he started all 4 matches, earned him a call for River`s senior team pre-season matches.
It was not long before club veteran and current first team coach, Matias Almeyda, decided that "this young bull" deserves a bigger stage to showcase his talent. "Lucas Ocampos is a real crack, quite unstoppable. He has a tremendous future", Almeida praised. Future? Ocampos became an instant hit in the Primera B Nacional. He found the net in his 2nd league match to become River`s second ever youngest scorer, after Javier Saviola, then adding another goal a week later. He started in all of River`s first seven league matches, also adding two assists.

Although Ocampos has been playing alongside club heroes such as Fernando Cavenaghi and Alvaro Dominguez, and fellow Argentinian Lionel Messi is regarded as the best footballer in the world, the young sensation eyes are set on someone else: "I always watch Cristiano Ronaldo , because he plays on the line and cuts inside to produce a shot on goal. And he's very fast in one on one situations. I try to imitate him. Everybody want to be like Messi, but Ronaldo is the one I like."