The Vinotinto's pride of LaLiga

The eyes of Venezuelan football are on Adalberto Peñaranda these days. After his remarkable debut with Granada CF in Liga BBVA, the 18-year-old international is being seen as the new hope for the national team.

With the rivalry between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona a part of the daily life of Venezuelan sports fans, the breakthrough of Peñaranda adds spice to the usual conversations around Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane's arrival on the bench of Real Madrid, or Diego Pablo Simeone's Atletico.

The fearless rookie has quickly established himself as an emerging star in the best football league in the world. A call up to the national team for World Cup qualifying is surely imminent, where he could partner former Malaga CF striker Salomon Rondon up front. His performances in LaLiga auger well for the 'Vinotinto's' future. Juan Pablo Añor (Málaga), John Murillo (Tondela, Portugal), Ronaldo Peña (Las Palmas Atlético) or Andrés Ponce (Sampdoria) are among the other players of a new Venezuelan generation in which Peñaranda now looms large as as the leading reference.

Today the Venezuelan passion for LaLiga is not only focused on Derbies and Clásicos, which, by the way, are a real success in these lands. Peñaranda, with his goals, as Juan Arango did at RCD Mallorca, and 'Salo' Rondon did as well, is a source of great pride. The pride of the Vinotinto.