Explosive and threatening

When Konrad de la Fuente signed up for Marcet’s intensive courses he had just set foot in Barcelona. His family, originally from Haiti, had lived in Miami for years, a city that would later become Konrad’s birthplace. The High Technification courses and his participation in the Academies’ World Cup of Football suited him well and, once the summer was over, he joined Tecnofútbol, Marcet’s flagship team.

At 10 years old, the young footballer stood out in his age group. His first year at Tecnofútbol was such a success that Damm signed him for the following season and ended up keeping for one year. Barça had long been on his tail and finally made space for him on their U-13s team.

The azulgrana club had just signed themselves a fast, explosive, destabilising and goal scoring player. Konrad was on the rise. In his first few weeks he had to earn his way onto the starting eleven and on some occasions even play defence. With time be established his place as a right-winger and from that moment on, it was all go. That year he scored 10 goals and, amongst the annual Catalan grassroots football tournaments, Barça‘s u-13s B won against Real Madrid for the MIC finals thanks to a goal from the American prodigy.

“Konrad was always reminding himself that to succeed you had to fight,” stated an article by ‘Vavel’. “Without haste, but without pause, he managed to climb his way up past the lower categories shining bright and lighting his own way towards becoming a key piece in each and every squadron he leads. […] Swift and elegant, rightful bearer and master of the captaincy armband, the Barcelonean striker brings about a perfect symphony with his goals.”

Despite being right-footed, Konrad has settled on Barça’s left wing. He likes to play on his weak leg, stuck to the line and ready for any opportunity to stike. Quickly he became one of the great figures of Barça’s junior B and made several appearances on the A team. The press was on his every move, because it was starting to become apparent that Konrad was on his way to becoming one of the most valued homegrown players of the Catalan team.

His idols have been Ronaldinho and Neymar, the idea of one day occupying a similar position at Barça is not at all far-fetched. In fact, in 2020 Konrad became the first US footballer to play for Barça’s first team. Then he accomplished his main objective, and just a couple of months later the winger could also made his Champions League debut against Dinamo Kiev.

In the summer of 2021, Barça transferred Konrad to Olympique de Marseille for 3 million euros. In the historic French club, the American winger found the continuity that he so much sought in one of the best leagues in the world. A regular starter for the the Mediterranean team, Konrad did not need long to feel comfortable in Marseille, a city where he will be able to harden himself in order to eventually take another leap towards excellence.

The American striker travels with a Spanish passport, but it’s clear that in international competitions he wants to represent his country of birth. Since the age of 14, he’s been summoned on a regular basis to play for the US National Team. On both sides of the Atlantic, football experts are betting on him and predict a future of success at the highest level. A promising sign for that 10-year-old boy who came to Barcelona and joined Marcet’s intensive

In his first season with Olympique de Marseille, Konrad showcased his qualities in 23 matches. However, seeking more playing time, the young winger was loaned to Olympiakos, Greece’s most decorated club. Although this transition presented an opportunity for growth, it didn’t unfold as expected for the North American player, as the coaching staff sparingly used him. Consequently, Konrad returned to the French team, where, in this new phase, he won’t be taken into consideration.

The talented footballer is training diligently and carefully assessing his options to continue his sports career. Despite the different experiences, Konrad maintains a positive attitude and remains optimistic about future challenges. As part of the natural growth process in professional football, he is determined to find the destination that best aligns with his talent and ambitions, thus continuing to build a successful career in sports.