The 16-year-old could be in serious trouble
Ecuador’s Football Federation (FEF) are investigating a video which appears to show Chelsea wonderkid Kendry Paez and two teammates partying in a strip club in New York while on international duty.
The video has gone viral on social media just days after Ecuador were beaten 2-0 by Italy in New Jersey on Sunday in which Paez came on as a second half substitute.
It’s not clear when the video was filmed however in the clip you can hear defender Robert Arboleda shouting as a dancer performs in front of Paez and Gonzalo Plata.
Paez officially joins up with Chelsea once he has turned 18 in the summer of 2025 as he is still only 16-years-old. Last year, he became the youngest player to ever represent Ecuador and the youngest South American player to score in a World Cup qualifier.
The minimum legal drinking age is 21 in the United States and those under the age of 21 are also not allowed to enter nightclubs
A statement from the FEF read: “Given the facts of public knowledge, the FEF expresses the following: The official delegation had free time on Friday, March 22, from 2:00pm to 8:30pm, a schedule that was fully complied with. Images of events contrary to the values and principles that we defend and promote as an institution have been disseminated, which will be reasons for analysis for future calls.”
Article 16 of the FEF’s Code of Ethics (published March 2024) states that any offences that are committed while representing the Ecuador national team will be punished with a minimum fine of $1000 (£790),
Arboleda has since posted the following message on his Instagram story following the video leak: “From now on on my days off I will just start reading the Bible.”
Another video on social media shows Chelsea midfielder Caicedo and Brighton’s Ipswich Town loanee Jeremy Sarmiento among several other teammates in night-spot TAO Downtown Nightclub – however there’s no alcohol in the footage.
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