Yoshimar Yotún: Where are the ‘Jotitas’, the generation in which ‘Yoshi’ couldn’t play?

After eight years abroad, Yoshimar Yotun is back in Peruvian soccer. The 31-year-old midfielder stars in his third stage with Sporting Crystal and there are already many expectations of what he can achieve with the Rímac club. Regarding his return, it is timely to remember what happened to the renowned ‘Jotitas’, the generation of Peruvian players in the same category as ‘Yoshi’ (1990) who qualified for the 2007 U-17 World Cup.

It has been 15 years since a group of underage youth caused the joy of an entire country. The ‘Jotitas’ -as they were nicknamed- undertook a feat never before achieved.

Curiously, in that team that had Reimond Manco as a great star, the name of Yoshimar Yotunwho is now an indispensable player for the Peruvian national team.

“Yotún was left out due to a knee problem, an issue with the growth plate”explained the national coach in a past interview for this newspaper when he was consulted about the absence of the midfielder in that 2007 squad. From the same category are Luis Advíncula and Paolo Hurtado, who were not at that appointment in Korea either.

With the already consolidated team of ‘JJ’, Peru faced the World Cup in Korea that year without Yotún. The absence of the Rimense midfielder, who at that time played as a left-back, did not matter, because the ‘Blanquirroja’ played a great role and finished among the eight best in the world, after reaching the quarterfinals of the contest.

Now, the present of many of the ‘Jotitas’ is clearly adverse. Indiscipline, bad decisions, withdrawals have led that team to an inevitable decline. It is an almost lost (or extinct) generation.

Where are the ‘Jotitas’?

To face the South American, Juan José Oré summoned a total of 23 teenagers excited about glory: the goalkeepers

All of them directed Peru towards a historic qualification for the Under 17 World Cup. With their success, it was hoped that the 23 could be part of the senior team in the near future, in addition to succeeding individually with their clubs, either in Peruvian soccer or abroad, but the current reality falls like a bucket of cold water.

Of that historic youth squad, the vast majority have retired and very few continue to shine in football.

Irven Avila (Sporting Cristal) and Luis Trujillo (UTC) they are the only players to continue their career in the local tournament.

So do Gary Correa (Juan Aurich), Néstor Duarte (Pirata FC), Éder Hermoza (Cusco FC), Víctor Ulloa (Deportivo Llacuabamba) and Erick Coavoy (Comerciantes Unidos).

The rest of the team is divided into two: those who are without a team and those who have already hung up their boots.