Adrian Pelayo
{{Short description|Mexican footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Adrian Pelayo
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Adrian Pelayo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2006|5|16}}
| birth_place = Marion, Oregon, United States
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}
| position = Defender
| currentclub = C.D. Guadalajara
| clubnumber = 86
| youthyears1 = 2023
| youthclubs1 = Portland Timbers
| youthyears2 = 2024-
| youthclubs2 = C.D. Guadalajara
| youthyears3 =
| youthclubs3 =
| years1 = 2023–2024
| clubs1 = North Carolina FC
| caps1 = 2
| goals1 = 0
| years2 =
| clubs2 =
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 =
| clubs3 =
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| nationalyears1 = 2023
| nationalteam1 = United States U17
| nationalcaps1 = 0
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2023
| nationalteam2 = Mexico U17
| nationalcaps2 = 1
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = July 21, 2024
| nationalteam-update = November 12, 2023
}}
Adrian Pelayo (born May 16, 2006) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a defender for Liga MX club C.D. Guadalajara in their U-23 team. Born in Marion, Oregon, he has represented Mexico at youth levels.
Club career
= Youth =
Pelayo played for the Portland Timbers academy, and even got to play a game for the first team in preseason.{{Cite web |last=Timbers |first=Portland |title=Timbers top LA Galaxy 4-1 in first 2023 Coachella Valley Invitational match |url=https://www.timbers.com/news/timbers-top-la-galaxy-4-1-in-first-2023-coachella-valley-invitational-match |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Portland Timbers |language=en}}
Pelayo joined the Guadalajara U-23s in July 2024.{{Cite web |last=Kennedy |first=Paul |date=2024-07-12 |title=North Carolina FC transfers pair of teens |url=http://www.socceramerica.com/north-carolina-fc-adrian-pelayo-julian-placias-chivas-westerlo/ |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=Soccer America |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Chivas signs another Mexican-American; it is Adrián Pelayo |url=https://www.milenio.com/futbol/club-guadalajara/adrian-pelayo-chivas-ficha-otro-mexicoamericano |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=www.milenio.com}}{{Cite web |title=North Carolina FC transfers Adrian Pelayo to Chivas, Julian Placias to K.V.C. Westerlo |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1313992/wiki/Wikipedia |access-date=July 21, 2024 |website=USL Championship}}
= Professional =
On September 28, 2023, Pelayo signed his first professional contract with North Carolina FC in USL League One.{{Cite web |title=NCFC signs teenage phenom Adrian Pelayo |url=https://www.northcarolinafc.com/news/2023/09/28/ncfc-signs-teenage-phenom-adrian-pelayo/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=North Carolina FC |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=NCFC signs rising youth national team talent Adrian Pelayo to first pro contract |url=https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1285975 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=www.uslleagueone.com}} He never made an appearance in USL League One as North Carolina moved up to the USL Championship. He made his debut in the 3–1 loss Loudoun United FC, almost playing the whole game.{{Cite web |title=North Carolina FC falls 3-1 at Loudoun United FC |url=https://www.northcarolinafc.com/news/2024/03/16/north-carolina-fc-falls-3-1-at-loudoun-united-fc/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=North Carolina FC |language=en-US}} He played his first 90 minutes in the U.S. Open Cup game against Carolina Core FC.{{Cite web |title=North Carolina 1-0 Carolina (Apr 17, 2024) Final Score |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/701613/carolina-core-fc-north-carolina-fc |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=ESPN |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=RECAP: NCFC claims 1-0 Open Cup win Wednesday |url=https://www.northcarolinafc.com/news/2024/04/17/recap-ncfc-claims-1-0-open-cup-win-wednesday/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=North Carolina FC |language=en-US}}
International career
= Youth =
Pelayo was called up to a United States under-17 national team camp in April 2023 in preparation for the World Cup.{{Cite web |title=U-17 Men’s Youth National Team Continues World Cup Prep With 23-Player Training Camp In South Florida {{!}} U.S. Soccer Official Website |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2023/04/u17-mens-youth-national-team-continues-world-cup-prep-with-23-player-training-camp-in-south-florida |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=www.ussoccer.com |language=en}} However, he was including in the World Cup squad for the Mexico under-17 national team.{{Cite web |author=USLChampionship com Staff |date=2023-10-31 |title=Battery’s Fidel Barajas, NCFC's Adrián Pelayo named in Mexico U-17s World Cup squad |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1289916-battery-s-fidel-barajas-ncfc-s-adri-n-pelayo-named-in-mexico-u-17s-world-cup-squad |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=USL Championship |language=en-us}} Pelayo's team was knocked out in the Round of 16 by Mali.{{Cite web |title=Mali 5-0 Mexico (Nov 21, 2023) Final Score |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/688192/mexico-u17-mali-u17 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=ESPN |language=en}}