- El chubutense de 19 años encontró su lugar en el elenco de The 19-year-old from Chubut has found his place in Marcelo Méndez's side, which continues to write its own story in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
- Andrade, who came through the academies at River Plate and Boca Juniors, is now a valued member of the surprise package Montevideo City Torque, who will contest the Great Conquest semi-finals.
Luka Andrade's journey is one that thousands of young footballers would dream of: by the age of 13, and far from his native Puerto Madryn, he had already been part of the youth set-ups at Argentina's two biggest clubs. His talent attracted interest from abroad, he joined Montevideo City Torque and, in his first international experience, has been gaining playing time and confidence in a squad that has already reached the continent's last four. “Marcelo Méndez is very demanding, and I like that. He makes sure we are all fully involved and, thanks to the fact that we are united, the team gets these results,” he said after reaching the semi-finals.
His first steps in Chubut
“We knew from the age of six that Luka could go a long way in football. Even as a young boy, he was already making a difference,” Andrade's father said during his son's early years, in an interview with LA 17, a historic radio station in the region.
He first showed glimpses of what he could do at Club Deportivo Euzkadi, where he began playing at the age of five. His potential was further confirmed at Club Juan José Moreno, where he caught the attention of River Plate.
His name between two giants
At the age of 11, while many of his schoolmates were still halfway through primary school, he travelled to Buenos Aires to move into the 'Millonario' club's academy residence. Two seasons of development followed, bringing direct exposure to the highest level and experiences that paved the way for a move to the other side of the divide.
A trial lasting just a few minutes at Boca Juniors was enough to earn him a place in the 'Xeneize' youth ranks. He quickly demonstrated his quality, ability and ambition, earning a call-up to the Argentina Under-17 side coached by Diego Placente, who secured qualification for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia.
Montevideo City Torque, the new target on the horizon
Andrade moved from Boca Juniors' reserve side to join Montevideo City Torque. With the 'Charrúa' outfit, the Chubut-born player gradually began to make his way into the side, taking steady steps forward while aware of the size of the challenge ahead. A month after arriving at the club, in February 2025, he made his first official senior appearances in the Uruguayan top flight in a 0-0 draw against Boston River, and days later played a starring role in a 2-1 win over Uruguayan side River Plate.
Marcelo Méndez's arrival in Montevideo was a boost for the young Argentine forward. For the manager, who saw qualities in Andrade that are increasingly scarce in modern football — dribbling, potrero and a rebellious streak — the Madryn-born player is a versatile option across the attacking line.
Those qualities have allowed him to feature in three of Montevideo City Torque's four knockout matches in this year's CONMEBOL Sudamericana, helping the side reach the continent's last four. “We all feel important in the team,” Andrade stressed after the 'Ciudadano' booked their place in the Great Conquest semi-finals.
Their next opponents are Atlético Mineiro, the final hurdle before the showpiece Final, which will be played in Barranquilla on Saturday 21 November. City Torque know they still have another tie to navigate, but they are daring to dream big.
