There’s a young Chilean attracting attention at the U17 World Cup in Qatar, and he already has Manchester City as a possible pathway.
The player in question is Zidane Yáñez, who represents New York City FC, a club in the City Football Group. Chilean newspaper [**La Tercera**](https://www.latercera.com/el-deportivo/noticia/un-nuevo-zidane-anda-suelto-los-elogios-de-la-prensa-espanola-a-la-figura-de-la-seleccion-chilena-sub-17/) highlighted the growing interest after Marca published a detailed profile on him.
#### Background highlighted in Chile and Spain
La Tercera relayed Marca’s summary of Yáñez’s story. The forward was born in the United States to a Chilean father and Puerto Rican mother. He represented all three nations at youth level before deciding to play for Chile.
According to Marca, _“with the number 10 on his back, he has left his mark on the U17 World Cup”._ The outlet recalled his lob against Uganda that hit the crossbar, his goal against Canada and the move that led to Sahil Deo’s red card.
#### Focus on his name and early influence
The Chilean outlet also repeated Marca’s interest in the origin of his name. They cited an interview in Las Últimas Noticias in which his father said he named him after Zinedine Zidane.
He even put a Real Madrid shirt on him “from the day he was born”. That detail attracted attention in Spain, given the link with the French legend.
#### CFG link and route to Manchester City
Yáñez signed his first professional deal with NYCFC in 2023. The contract runs until the end of the 2028 season, and the CFG structure gives him a clear pathway towards Manchester City if he continues to progress.
NYCFC sporting director David Lee praised his development. He said: _“He has excellent general attributes as a forward with good technical ability and movement, excellent tactical understanding of the role combined with a first-class work rate out of possession. Above all he has consistently shown he is a clinical goalscorer at all age groups.”_
His next steps remain open, but the City Football Group link ensures that Manchester City will follow his progress closely.