I was roommates with Jude Bellingham, now I play for Diego Maradona’s son in Spain’s fifth tier
Jude Bellingham, Harvey Elliott and Jamal Musiala have all starred in Europe recently, and one man knows them better than most. Kevin Gonzalez Quintero, also know as ‘Kego’, may not be a name on the radar of many football fans, but he counts all of the above among his former teammates. Credit: Instagram: @ud_ibarra1969Kego now has his first stab at senior football under the tutelage of Maradona Jr[/caption] A former England youth international, the 22-year-old was tipped for a bright future after impressing in Crystal Palace‘s academy, spending a decade there between the ages of 8 and 18. Named their academy player of the year in 2017, Kego’s fortunes took a turn for the worse when he was released by the Eagles in 2021. This led to four years of obscurity for the youngster, who has since travelled the world in search of a professional contract, trialling in 14 different countries. It was only in February that Kego sealed a return to full-time football, signing for Spanish fifth-tier side UD Ibarra after being spotted by the club playing in a street football tournament. The latest chapter of his career sees him cross paths with yet another huge name, with the Tenerife side managed by Diego Maradona Jr. And the opportunity to play for the son of the late Argentina icon has proved a surreal one for Kego, who counts Maradona Sr among his heroes. On working with Maradona Jr, he told the BBC: “He passed the ball to me and I said: ‘What? Wait, [it’s like] his dad is passing the ball to me’. “It’s a bit mad. I was watching his dad’s YouTube videos and then his son is passing the ball to me. “The way they walk, they have a similar look. It’s very motivating.” And with Kego’s move to Ibarra coming after a series of failed trails, taking him to Hungary, Spain and even Brazil, he admitted his career opening has been a long time coming. The UD Ibarra manager’s father inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986Getty He said of the move to Ibarra: “I was buzzing, excited, very emotional as well. “All these years of work, I would never have thought I would make it pro at 22.” Kego’s current chapter is a far cry from the world he once knew, whose exploits in the Palace academy earned him a call up for England at youth level. It was here that the South Londoner had his first brushes with some of football’s leading young talents, lining up alongside the likes of Real Madrid star Bellingham, Liverpool’s Elliott and Germany and Bayern Munich winger Musiala. The former was once his roommate whilst away on Three Lions duty, and Kego admitted the England talisman was always destined for big things. He said of Bellingham: “Jude, he is a great lad. He is very chill, a great person on and off the pitch. Though a Germany international now, Jamal Musiala lined up alongside both Jude Bellingham and Kego in England’s youth teamsInstagram @jamalmusiala10 Credit: Instagram: @ud_ibarra1969The former Palace youngster starred for two different countries at youth level[/caption] “You can see why he is where he is today. Since that very young age he has had that leadership. Very mature.” England wasn’t Kego’s only taste of international football, having also represented Colombia, his parents’ country, at youth level. This experience saw him play alongside former Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, who is now making his fortune in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr. Having witnessed Duran’s early struggles first-hand, Kego revealed his joy at seeing him become a feared goalscorer On representing Colombia, he said: “It was a dream. I always wanted to play for Colombia. Duran was there with me. He is a funny guy. “He has always been good, but he wasn’t banging in goals like that. Which shows his dedication, his time. It worked out for him. I’m very happy for him, too. “He deserves it, I saw how hard it was for him. “I remember him asking me for football boots. Just seeing him now is like: ‘Wow, you have grown so much and I am proud of you, man’.”
Jude Bellingham, Harvey Elliott and Jamal Musiala have all starred in Europe recently, and one man knows them better than most.
Kevin Gonzalez Quintero, also know as ‘Kego’, may not be a name on the radar of many football fans, but he counts all of the above among his former teammates.
A former England youth international, the 22-year-old was tipped for a bright future after impressing in Crystal Palace‘s academy, spending a decade there between the ages of 8 and 18.
Named their academy player of the year in 2017, Kego’s fortunes took a turn for the worse when he was released by the Eagles in 2021.
This led to four years of obscurity for the youngster, who has since travelled the world in search of a professional contract, trialling in 14 different countries.
It was only in February that Kego sealed a return to full-time football, signing for Spanish fifth-tier side UD Ibarra after being spotted by the club playing in a street football tournament.
The latest chapter of his career sees him cross paths with yet another huge name, with the Tenerife side managed by Diego Maradona Jr.
And the opportunity to play for the son of the late Argentina icon has proved a surreal one for Kego, who counts Maradona Sr among his heroes.
On working with Maradona Jr, he told the BBC: “He passed the ball to me and I said: ‘What? Wait, [it’s like] his dad is passing the ball to me’.
“It’s a bit mad. I was watching his dad’s YouTube videos and then his son is passing the ball to me.
“The way they walk, they have a similar look. It’s very motivating.”
And with Kego’s move to Ibarra coming after a series of failed trails, taking him to Hungary, Spain and even Brazil, he admitted his career opening has been a long time coming.
He said of the move to Ibarra: “I was buzzing, excited, very emotional as well.
“All these years of work, I would never have thought I would make it pro at 22.”
Kego’s current chapter is a far cry from the world he once knew, whose exploits in the Palace academy earned him a call up for England at youth level.
It was here that the South Londoner had his first brushes with some of football’s leading young talents, lining up alongside the likes of Real Madrid star Bellingham, Liverpool’s Elliott and Germany and Bayern Munich winger Musiala.
The former was once his roommate whilst away on Three Lions duty, and Kego admitted the England talisman was always destined for big things.
He said of Bellingham: “Jude, he is a great lad. He is very chill, a great person on and off the pitch.
“You can see why he is where he is today. Since that very young age he has had that leadership. Very mature.”
England wasn’t Kego’s only taste of international football, having also represented Colombia, his parents’ country, at youth level.
This experience saw him play alongside former Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, who is now making his fortune in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr.
Having witnessed Duran’s early struggles first-hand, Kego revealed his joy at seeing him become a feared goalscorer
On representing Colombia, he said: “It was a dream. I always wanted to play for Colombia. Duran was there with me. He is a funny guy.
“He has always been good, but he wasn’t banging in goals like that. Which shows his dedication, his time. It worked out for him. I’m very happy for him, too.
“He deserves it, I saw how hard it was for him.
“I remember him asking me for football boots. Just seeing him now is like: ‘Wow, you have grown so much and I am proud of you, man’.”
