A special moment in Argentine soccer history unfolded this week as Stephen “Kiki” Ramos, a Haiti-born teenager, made his debut for Argentina’s Under-17 national team in a 2-1 friendly win over Ecuador in Buenos Aires.

Ramos was born in Haiti on April 3, 2009, and survived the devastating 2010 earthquake before being adopted by an Argentine family at just nine months old. He has since grown up in Argentina, where he developed his football career.

Now a rising prospect with Vélez Sarsfield, Ramos has impressed coaches with his athleticism, strength and goal-scoring ability, earning a call-up from Argentina U-17 coach Diego Placente.

The friendly forms part of Argentina’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar later this year.

If Ramos is selected for the tournament, he could become the first player without Argentine ancestry to represent Argentina in an official competition, marking a historic milestone for the Albiceleste.

His remarkable journey—from surviving one of the world’s deadliest earthquakes to wearing Argentina’s famous sky-blue and white jersey—has already made him an inspiring story both on and off the pitch.