If the established roadmap does not undergo any unexpected change in the coming months, it is more than likely that Tenerife born Nico Paz will return next season to Real Madrid, the club where he developed as a younger footballer.
His excellent performances with Como 1907 in the Italian top flight have led him to be chosen as the “Rising Star” of Serie A, an accolade given to the best under-23 players in the Italian league.
His emergence in Italy has been overwhelming with the likes of Francesco Totti, the legendary Roma player, recently commenting on players that most excite him in Serie A: “There aren’t many Italian talents that excite me right now. The only one I’m truly interested in right now is Nico Paz. I’m incredibly intrigued to see how his development continues and how far he can go.”
Both Como boss Cesc Fàbregas and Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni, who called him up again for the Argentine national team for the friendlies against Puerto Rico and Venezuela, have unwavering faith in the player.
In his first season in the demanding calcio, Paz shone bagging six goals and delivered nine assists and already in the 25-26 campaign, the 21-year-old has found the net three times and proved three assists.
AS spoke with former coaches and teammates to assess his progress and speculate on his potential contribution to Madrid’s first team should his return materialize.
Carlos del Rey (Madrid, 1985) spent eight years as a coach at Valdebebas and witnessed Paz’s progress firsthand, coaching him in his first year as a Real Madrid player in the U14 B team. “He arrived from Tenerife and was quite an introverted kid. However, on the pitch he transformed. He showed a certain level of character that he didn’t show and a very high competitive level. From day one, we recognized his great talent. We played him as a right winger with the freedom to move inside to take advantage of his left foot,” recalls the current Móstoles B coach and San Pascual Montpellier sporting director.
Competitively, there was something about him that made him stand out from the rest. When he’d only been with the club for a couple of weeks, we faced Barcelona in a preseason tournament in Zaragoza. He was surprised that he started, but we wanted to gauge his potential. We lost 2-1, but he was a blast down the wing. It was a tremendous display he put on. That’s when we realized he could go very far.”
Marc Cucalón arrived at Valdebebas at the same time as Nico, and the two led parallel lives until an unfortunate injury sidelined the Zaragoza native. Few know the Como talent better: “He took us a bit of a time adapting at first, but you could see he was a difference-maker from the moment he touched the ball. He was ahead of the rest, and when he got physically fit, he stood out even more. They promoted him to Castilla as a first-year youth player, and he was already flying. Leaving Madrid at a young age has been great for him to mature and assume leadership. He has everything to be a world-class player.”
Now a scout for Unlimited Sports, Cucalón has no doubt about what the future holds for his friend: “He has some Messi traits. I remember giving him the ball to volley in training and watching him put ten bicycle kicks in a row into the top corner. His left foot is amazing and his right foot is very good. He’s impressive. He has quality, intelligence, ambition, and a great environment. I wish him all the best because he’s a great person and fame hasn’t changed him at all. He’s going to mark an era and could also make a difference at Madrid.”
Fran Beltrán (Alicante, 34) also felt that emotion at first sight when he had him under his command. The current Mérida coach managed the Canary Islander in his second-year youth team and contributed to his development: “He was polite and quiet, but he transformed when he came onto the field and there was a ball involved. He’s very competitive and contributes a lot in defense because if he puts his foot in, he steals the ball.”
Beltrán’s assessment of the Argentine international’s footballing talent corresponds to the profile of a world-class player: “He has creativity, daring, and a striking ability that makes a difference. He also handles all types of finishing very well. He has a magnificent shot with both legs and is phenomenal with his head. He doesn’t look very fast, but he has a tremendous burst of speed that allows him to come out from the outside and from the inside. He’s also physically privileged and has a stable and committed environment. It’s clear that he’s a special player and that if he’s lucky, he’ll continue to break through, as he’s already doing in Italy.
Regarding a hypothetical return to the first team, Del Rey is clear: “He has more than enough quality to be at Madrid, and if they give him continuity, he can establish himself as a key player. He’s evolved into a more central position to get closer to scoring goals and making decisive passes, and he’s doing a fantastic job at it. He’s also gotten stronger and has a good build. I predict a great future for him."
His ideal position on the pitch is as close to the penalty area as possible: “Nico is a 10. He can play as an inside midfielder, but it’s not a good idea to keep him away from the finishing zone because he’s a star and scores a ton of goals. He could also play a role similar to Mastantuono, starting from the outside, with freedom, and gradually moving closer to the attacking midfield with his quality. I hope he returns and has the space to be decisive. I would love to see him succeed, and he has the quality to do so,” says Beltrán.