15-year-old Cliver Huamán from Peru has become a minor celebrity with the video of a football match in Lima, which he recorded and commentated from a hill. Now he has been allowed to travel to Madrid, to the famous Bernabéu Stadium.
10.12.2025, 04:58
10.12.2025, 06:50
SDA
But let's start at the beginning. Huamán comes from the Apurímac region in the Andean highlands of Peru. And he dreams of becoming a football commentator. For the final of the Copa Libertadores - the South American equivalent of the Champions League - he traveled 16 hours from his village in the south of the country to the capital Lima at the end of November. His goal: to commentate on the match between the Brazilian clubs Flamengo and Palmeiras.
However, the 15-year-old was turned away at the gates of the stadium - because he had not been properly accredited and was still a minor. But Cliver Huamán had an idea: he climbed the Puruchucol hill in the east of the capital - and commentated on the match from there.
He attached his cell phone to a tripod and spoke into a microphone: "We are in the final of the Copa Libertadores de América. Flamengo is advancing. The Flamengo team has the ball. In the middle, Danilo - Goooooool!" The video of his passionate reporting in front of a spectacular backdrop went viral - Huamán now has 1.8 million followers on Tiktok under the name Pol Deportes.
Talented commentator from a farming family
Huamán's family are farmers, they grow quinoa and kiwicha. "I've been working since I was six years old. But I want to realize my dream," he recently said on local television. His older brother recognized the boy's talent and set up a commentary booth for him in the family's simple house. He took his first steps as a football commentator with match footage of Messi and Neymar, which his father had saved on a USB stick.
After his viral hit from the Copa Libertadores final, Huamán was given the opportunity to commentate on a Peruvian league match alongside professional commentators. Together with his family, he was even received by Peru's President José Jerí.
Now Huamán has traveled to Madrid at the invitation of the Peruvian television station Latina and the Spanish sports magazine "Marca". On his arrival at the Spanish capital's airport, the rather shy-looking boy in a dark suit and tie was enthusiastically welcomed by dozens of compatriots. The people waved Peruvian flags, filmed the boy with their cell phones and chanted "Peru, Peru!".
But the highlight of the trip is yet to come: Huamán is to watch the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Bernabéu Stadium and commentate for Latina. And then maybe it will be "Gooooool!" again this Wednesday.
