According to The Athletic, 19-year-old Ecuadorian prodigy Paez has been relegated to the Chelsea U21 reserves, with reports citing his lack of discipline. He needs to pick himself up soon to get his star career back on track.

The report states that for Paez, the key is not to jump to conclusions.

The playmaker, widely regarded as the next South American superstar when he emerged in Ecuador, only turned 19 in May. The technical ability Chelsea signed him for remains undiminished; Paez's left foot is still a joy to behold and a potent weapon. There are many paths before him, some of which are still full of promise. No one will give up on him easily.

However, it's understandable why some people are looking at Paez and starting to ask questions.

At the end of August, Paez left Argentinian giants River Plate, where his original loan spell lasted only seven months, instead of the planned 18. Before that, his loan spell with Ligue 1 side Strasbourg also ended prematurely. Since the end of 2024, he has only made appearances equivalent to 13 full matches for the first team in total.

That number will not increase in the short term. Paez has returned to Chelsea, but earlier this month, coach Xabi Alonso plainly stated his current situation. Alonso said Paez is "not in the first-team squad, not in the team's plans." At this stage, he can only be considered a Chelsea U21 player – and in fact, based on his three appearances so far, he's merely a U21 substitute.

It's not hard to imagine that this week's events would be particularly painful for Paez. Ecuador played South Korea in Suwon, ultimately losing 0-3. The team is now heading to Japan for the Kirin Cup. But Paez is not on the roster; Gallardo, who briefly coached him at River Plate, did not call him up for his first national team training camp.

Perhaps this is just a temporary slump, and when Paez sweeps the world of football again at 24 or 25, he'll look back on this experience and just laugh. But right now, the situation is very serious.

Even when he was young and famous, some questioned whether he could handle the accompanying fame and public scrutiny. But at the time, his talent overshadowed all controversy. Paez made his first-team debut at 15 and was a national team regular at 16. Though a bit raw then, his talent was dazzling and undeniable. Now, there are increasing signs that the balance has shifted.

Talking about a 19-year-old player's early career sounds a bit comical; perhaps we can call it his breakout period. Paez came through Independiente del Valle, one of South America's most renowned talent factories.

Everyone raved about him. Andrés Chicaiza, a player for rival side Universidad Católica, said: "He is a superstar. We are fortunate to witness him; such talent comes once every fifty years." Former Ecuadorian international Carlos Tenorio's praise was even more exaggerated: "He has everything it takes to surpass Messi and Neymar in the future."

Those who know Paez best also had high expectations. But behind the many accolades, there was always a hint of caution.

"Kendry can achieve anything in football," Christian Pellerano, former captain of Independiente del Valle and his mentor, said in an interview with The Athletic in 2023. "It all depends on his desire, his fighting spirit, and his attitude towards challenges."

Martín Anselmi, the coach who gave Paez his debut at Independiente del Valle, was even more blunt: "He's jumped up through the ranks, but he must be wary of becoming complacent. I'm talking about intrinsic motivation. To be a first-team regular, an international, a star at such a young age... what's the next goal?"

Even Paez's agent, Manuel Sierra, warned in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS in January 2023: "It's so difficult at 16. Think of everything that comes at you, countless temptations, all sorts of offers."

These words now sound like a prophecy. Just a few months later, photos circulated online of Paez partying in a New York nightclub. The midfielder went to the nightclub with national teammates the night before Ecuador's friendly against Italy. In the photos, Paez and several teammates also appeared at a strip club.

The Ecuadorian Football Federation issued a statement saying the incident "violates the values and principles we uphold and promote." Although most domestic criticism focused on the older players in the squad, these photos served as a wake-up call.

"He needs someone to help him make the right decisions and provide psychological support so he doesn't go astray through all of this," his former youth coach Carlos Cajas told The Athletic a few months later. "He needs to put in a lot of extra effort – training, lifestyle, and these intangible things."

This was the noise surrounding Paez in 2024 during his final season in Ecuador. It was widely believed that without proper guidance, his own actions would stifle his talent. Some were fiercely critical, while others chose to defend him.

"Everything happened too fast," Sebastián Beccacece, who coached the Ecuadorian national team between 2024 and 2026, said in an interview with The Athletic last summer. "We need to accompany him, guide him, understand him. We have to allow him to make mistakes; it's normal for teenagers to make mistakes. From this perspective, what happened to Kendry seems very normal to me, and he shouldn't be constantly blamed, blamed, and blamed again."

In December 2024, Paez played his last game for Independiente del Valle. In the following months, he prepared for his move to Europe (he turned 18 in May 2025, allowing him to officially transfer to Chelsea). He bought property in London, trained with the Chelsea first team and affiliate club Strasbourg, and joined Strasbourg on loan for the 2025-26 season.

Roseneel was initially impressed, calling him "exceptionally talented" and praising his good attitude in training. Paez also had a decent start on the field.

But this was his peak performance. After that, Paez's form declined, disappointing fans who had seen his arrival as a major signing.

"Even in a single match, his performance was inconsistent," said Dorian Foucherand, a reporter for French TV channel Canal+ who follows the team. "He might make five beautiful plays and then immediately make five consecutive mistakes. He couldn't keep up with the pace of the league, he was slow on the ball, as if he was still playing in the Ecuadorian league. Once he lost the ball, his mood immediately plummeted."

Roseneel openly criticized him and often expressed his dissatisfaction privately. In Strasbourg's UEFA Europa Conference League documentary, "Strasbourg: European Dream," there's a striking scene from a match in October where Roseneel screams at Paez. The team had an excellent counter-attacking opportunity, but Paez was distracted, adjusting his socks, an act that enraged the coach.

"Do you want me to treat you like a child or an adult?" Roseneel questioned Paez in front of the other players. "The choice is yours."

Under Roseneel, Paez only received two more starting opportunities. By the time he left France in January this year, he had become a fringe player. Old controversies resurfaced: L'Équipe reported that he had repeatedly gone out partying late at night during his time at Strasbourg.

"I saw him in a nightclub in the city two days before a Ligue 1 match," Foucherand said. "He still hasn't understood that to perform well on the field, you have to be disciplined, focused, and clear-headed off it."

To be fair, there were no similar reports of late-night outings during his time at River Plate. Even so, it's hard to say his loan spell at River Plate was a success.

Gallardo's initial statement was promising: an 18-month contract would allow Paez to gradually familiarize himself with the club, tactical system, and teammates. The message was clear: River Plate would be a new beginning for him, with no need to rush for immediate success.

However, just three weeks later, Gallardo left. Paez had opportunities to prove himself, including an unexpected start in the Superclásico against Boca Juniors in April, but he failed to seize them. Former River Plate player Reinaldo Merlo commented after the match: "He looked weak and ineffective on the field." The new coach apparently agreed with this assessment and turned to other attacking players, effectively sidelining Paez before the World Cup break. His loan contract was also terminated early in August.

Maxi Benozzi, a River Plate correspondent for Clarín, expressed some sympathy for Paez: "Playing for River Plate is not easy; external expectations are extremely high, and the team's own performance wasn't ideal. I think he was overwhelmed by the environment. He's the type of player who needs gradual development and more patience."

Nevertheless, the dismal end to his River Plate loan spell, coupled with Alonso's subsequent statements, sparked a wave of regretful discussion in Ecuador.

"Something is wrong with him," former Ecuadorian national team captain Iván Hurtado said on a football channel program. "He's too slow to realize it. At his age and with his talent, if he's not getting playing time, there must be something wrong with him. He shouldn't be out late at night. He must be fully committed and stay away from bad influences."

Independiente del Valle president Deller expressed a similar view: "This kid isn't bad by nature, but he's been through a lot of ups and downs, and some choices have made his path difficult." He said in an interview with Hincha Amarillo, "We still expect him to fulfill his extraordinary talent. But at this stage, everything is in his hands. He knows what to do, and opportunities won't be endless. He must mature to become the best version of himself."

These interviews took place before Gallardo announced Ecuador's squad. His exclusion from the national team made headlines again. In Ecuador, few believed he deserved a call-up. Ecuadorian legend Antonio Valencia even stated that he wouldn't take the youngster to the World Cup in June. But everyone felt a sense of regret and concern – Ecuador's most anticipated attacking talent might be slowly fading.

Last June, Beccacece was not so pessimistic: "I believe that once he finds the right environment, it's only a matter of time before he unleashes his talent. Then, we will certainly see the best of Kendry."

Fifteen months later, optimism is hard to maintain. The possibility of a turnaround still exists, and the path to the top is not completely closed; it still lies before him, waiting to be walked. But Paez seems to need to completely change his ways. The Athletic contacted the player's team for comment but has not yet received a reply.

Failing to establish himself at Chelsea is not the end of the world. But letting immense talent slowly waste away, that would be the real regret.

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