Who is Ruan Pablo – the 15-Year-Old Bahia player compared to Endrick and Vitor Roque

Praised by a Spanish newspaper, Ruan Pablo has accumulated 15 appearances in a new category.

Ruan Pablo Barbosa Sousa, 15, is the latest rising star at Bahia. The youngster has been making a name for himself in the club’s youth divisions and is already attracting attention from European soccer. Born and raised in the Itinga neighborhood of Lauro de Freitas, in the metropolitan region of Salvador, the forward has been shining for the U-20 team and has been compared by the Spanish newspaper AS to players like Endrick and Vitor Roque.

“Another case of Endrick and Vitor Roque may already be forming.” – Excerpt from a report by the Spanish newspaper AS

The report from the Spanish newspaper AS, published last October, is titled “Ruan Pablo: another phenomenon on the way” and states that the forward is drawing international attention and is yet another precocious talent from Brazil being monitored by major European clubs.

“Ruan Pablo, a 15-year-old forward, is surprising and attracting attention, even though the Bahia football club wants to keep him almost hidden to continue developing him.”

“Ruan Pablo is a forward born in 2008, standing 1.83 meters tall, powerful, with excellent movement using both legs and devastating one-on-one skills. A formidable talent for whom a European career is already in the works. Major clubs from England and Spain have already approached the player to track his progress. In fact, the most important agencies have also positioned themselves to seek an agreement with his agent before he turns 16. Another case of Endrick or Vitor Roque may already be forming,” explains a translated excerpt from the article.

Statistics in 2024

In the current season, Ruan Pablo has been promoted to Bahia’s U-20 team and has been making his mark, despite being young for the category. Across the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, Brasileirão U-20, and Campeonato Baiano, the new talent of Esquadrão has played 15 matches, starting in seven of them, scoring four goals, and providing two assists.

Last Wednesday, Ruan Pablo scored one of the goals in Bahia’s 3-0 victory over Vitória in the first leg of the state championship final. In the second leg, this Sunday, also at the Estádio de Pituaçu, the Bahia team can afford to lose by two goals and still be crowned champions.

Winger Ruan Pablo joined Bahia in 2019. Since 2023, he has been part of Bahia’s individual development project for youth players. According to the club, the player is the centerpiece of the development process, and the teams are used as platforms to develop the athlete.

The rising star even participated in part of Bahia’s preseason in Manchester, England, at the beginning of the year. This is part of the player exchange program with the City Group, which owns Bahia’s SAF (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol). As part of this program, the young players take English courses provided by the club. Ruan Pablo, for instance, attends language classes twice a week.

It’s worth noting that the winger is still a developing athlete and will only be able to sign his first professional contract when he turns 16 on July 23rd this year. According to reports by ge, Bahia is fully prepared to secure the player’s long-term commitment.