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<p>Talents Calendar</p>
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<img alt="Santiago Londoño: Meet the Envigado star tipped to be the next Falcao" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/talente-kalender-2025-santiago-londono-1765194406-184501.jpg" title="Santiago Londoño: Meet the Envigado star tipped to be the next Falcao" />
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<p>Envigado FC has earned acclaim for its youth academy, which has launched the careers of stars like James Rodríguez and Jhon Durán. Now, 17-year-old Santiago Londoño appears poised to follow in their footsteps. As a regular first-team starter, his performances with the U17 national team have drawn comparisons to the legendary Radamel Falcao.</p>
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<p>Londoño made his professional debut in March 2023 during the Copa Colombia against Tigres FC, just a month after celebrating his 15th birthday. This debut came 28 days earlier than Durán's first appearance in February 2019. Since August 2024, Londoño has become a staple in the first team, netting three goals in 24 matches throughout the 2025 season.</p>
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<p>His prowess was particularly evident while representing Colombia’s U17 team. He helped lead them to the finals of the U17 South America Championship, where they narrowly lost to Brazil in penalties. Londoño showcased his talent by scoring a hat-trick in the 5-1 semifinal victory over Venezuela. Although Colombia exited the U17 World Cup in Qatar in the Round of 16 against France, he contributed with a goal, finishing with eight strikes in 12 appearances for the U17 team. Hildebrando Castro, his former youth coach, reflected, “I promoted him a year early, and he was still among our top performers. He’s lethal inside the box.”</p>
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<img alt="Talents Calendar Day 10: Santiago Londoño" height="263" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/talents-calendar-day-10-santiago-londono-1765242492-184600.jpg?lm=1765242496" title="Talents Calendar Day 10: Santiago Londoño" width="503" />
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<h2>Londoño: A Rising Star Like Falcao and Ángel</h2>
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<p>“Santiago Londoño is a modern striker capable of playing both centrally and on the wings,” noted Samuel Vazquez Rivas, Transfermarkt’s Area Manager in Colombia. “His contributions extend beyond scoring, which has drawn interest from European clubs.” His impressive physicality, speed, aerial ability, and tactical vision make him stand out. Vazquez remarked, “It’s rare to see a Colombian striker gain such popularity before turning 18.”</p>
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<p>Traditionally, Colombia’s national team has been known for its attacking midfield talents, including the likes of Falcao, Luis Díaz, and James. However, in recent years, the nation has also cultivated notable center-forwards. Alongside Durán and Falcao, Jackson Martínez, Luis Muriel, and Carlos Bacca have made significant impacts in European football. Luis Suárez, currently at Sporting in Portugal, also represents this promising new generation of Colombian strikers.</p>
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<p>Rivas highlights that Londoño's playing style has already positioned him alongside some of Colombia's most celebrated talents. “In Colombia, he’s been dubbed ‘Baby Falcao’ due to striking similarities in their games, although that comparison might be a bit excessive. He’s also being compared to Juan Pablo Ángel, who achieved great success at Aston Villa, scoring 62 goals during his six years there.”</p>
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<h2>Londoño Following in the Footsteps of Durán and James</h2>
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<p>Rivas asserts that Londoño benefits significantly from the development provided by Envigado’s academy. “The club has successfully nurtured talents like Durán and James, making them some of Colombia's highest-value players,” he remarked. James transitioned to Banfield in Argentina in 2008, beginning his extensive career, while Durán moved to Chicago Fire in 2022. Other notable alumni include Jhon Córdoba and Juan Fernando Quintero.</p>
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<p>With a market value of €900,000, he is currently Envigado’s most valuable player and ranks among the most promising strikers born in 2008. LaLiga’s Real Oviedo is reportedly considering a bid of €1.85m for Londoño, a sum that would exceed the €1.7m Envigado received from Chicago for Durán. The club's record transfer stands at €3m for Yáser Asprilla when he was signed by Watford in 2022—perhaps Londoño could surpass that milestone.</p>
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<p><em>From December 1 to 24, we’ll introduce new prospects from various countries born in 2008 and 2009. Throughout this series, area managers, users, and data scouts will share their insights. You can keep track of these players by adding them to your TM watchlist.</em></p>
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