- Miguelito has established himself as a vital piece of Cuca’s Santos side, which advanced to the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16.
- The Brazilian team, which will face Ecuador’s Macará in the next round, started the Bolivian attacker in both legs of the Playoff tie.
Miguel Terceros scored Santos’ first goal in the 4-2 victory over Universidad Central of Venezuela at Vila Belmiro, a result that sealed an 8-3 aggregate win for El Peixe. The visitors had taken the lead, but Miguelito stepped up to level the match and set Santos on the path to victory, as he continues to grow into a regular and increasingly influential presence in Cuca’s setup.
Dealing with a combination of muscular issues and a lack of confidence, the Santa Cruz de la Sierra native had played only 26 minutes across Santos’ first four matches in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
From the fifth game onward — his first start in the current edition of La Gran Conquista — Miguelito responded emphatically and never lost his place again. He featured in the 2-2 home draw against San Lorenzo and enjoyed even more playing time in the 3-0 victory that secured Santos’ place in the Playoffs.
Bolivia came within touching distance of returning to the FIFA World Cup. Although they did not take part in the tournament held in Mexico, Canada and the United States, the 21-year-old shone in the La Verde shirt: on the final matchday of the CONMEBOL Qualifiers, he scored from the penalty spot against Brazil in a 1-0 victory for the Andean side. He repeated the feat in his national team’s second goal against Suriname — a 2-1 win — in the first of the two World Cup qualifying playoff matches.
Developed at the historic Tahuichi Aguilera Academy in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Terceros bounced back from the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup and, after the break for the biggest competition in international football, returned determined to further strengthen his status within the Brazilian side.
Cuca reaffirmed his confidence in him, and Miguelito started both matches against U.C.V. FC, forming part of the attacking midfield unit alongside Argentines Benjamín Rollheiser and Álvaro Barreal.
In the second leg against the Venezuelan side, he put his stamp on the match with his first goal in the competition. Dangerous in one-on-one situations, Miguelito burst into space down the right, cut inside onto his stronger foot, beat his marker and fired a left-footed shot home to celebrate his first international goal for Santos.
In a squad featuring high-profile names such as Neymar and Rony among Cuca’s many attacking options, Miguel Terceros — the first player from his country to wear the Peixe shirt — has already carved out a place for himself as a fresh, fearless alternative in a game that is becoming increasingly structured and automated.
