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Ben Mattinson

Jun 16 • 45 tweets • 18 min read Twitter logo

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SOUTH AMERICAN TALENTS: THE BEST OF ‘THE REST’

Year after year, South America produces some of the most talented players in world football. Top teams always have SA ballers.

Lot of focus is always on Argentina & Brazil, & other country’s talents are overlooked

SA’s can be flipped quickly as they aren’t considered ‘proven’ in Europe, but have the ability & mentality to be effective in those leagues

For that reason, I’ll be focussing on guys still in SA leagues

All players with high potential resale value. Here’s some of the best…

Kendry Páez
Age: 16
Team: Independiente
Nation: Ecuador 🇪🇨
Positions: AM, RW, CM
Height: 5’9”/177cm

Páez is the one most have probably heard of. Recently just signed for Chelsea for €20m & will join just after his 18th birthday. He recently made his senior debut for Ecuador too

Páez is a creative AM who has great agility, dribbling in tight spaces & ball-carrying. Despite being only 15/16 this season he’s played with a fearlessness

Along with this, he has great ball striking off his left foot. He's still very lightweight but that’s expected at 16.

Páez has high football IQ – his vision, passing range & his decision making for his age is quality. He’s a very silky player with acceleration that allows him to quickly escape challenges & burst into space

Excited to see how Páez develops over the next 2 years before Chelsea

Fabricio Díaz
Age: 20
Team: Liverpool FC Montevideo
Nation: Uruguay 🇺🇾
Positions: DM, CM
Height: 5’9”/176cm

Díaz is one of many upcoming stars for Uruguay & captained their U20 side to win the U20 WC. He captains his club at only 20 & has been linked with Barça a lot recently

Making over 100 appearances before 20, he’s been a key player for his side with his leadership skills & maturity being clear as when he was coming through as a teenager in the first team he was calling out players twice his age in his first few training sessions.

At the U20 WC he had the most key passes at 31 (14 more of 2nd) giving him 4.63 chances created p/90

He’s very composed on the ball & has a great passing range. He plays as a deep-lying playmaker who controls the tempo of the game (hence seen as a long-term Busquets replacement)

A dynamic player with great ball-carrying & high work rate means he can play as a B2B player too but still more of a DM

Technically secure
-86% pass completion
-7 progressive pass p/90

Often picks up the ball between the 2 CB’s & dribbles into midfield/ plays sensible passes

Óscar Cortés
Age: 19
Team: Millonarios
Nation: Colombia 🇨🇴
Positions: RW, LW, AM
Height: 5’9”/176cm

Cortés shone for Colombia at the U20 WC
-3rd top scorer (4G)
-1st big chances created (4)
-2nd most key pass (17)

Very quick, agile & constantly beats his marker

He’s still raw as his finishing isn’t lethal but his direct style is dangerous for defences

High work rate & energy style makes him an affective high presser

Millionarios have a friendly vs Palace soon so it’ll be interesting to see how he does. Top clubs will be scouting him

Kevin Mantilla
Age: 20
Team: Independiente Santa Fe
Nation: Colombia 🇨🇴
Position: CB
Height: 6’1”/185cm

Kevin Mantilla is a commanding aggressive CB who dominates aerial duels with an aerial duel success rate of 71.3% in Primera A.

His presence, leadership & bravery is that of an experienced CB

Mantilla has great defensive positioning & understanding to match his aggression, making him a beast in ground duels & anticipating passes. A great passer too & is destined to play in Europe sooner rather than later

Luciano Rodríguez
Age: 19
Team: Liverpool FC Montevideo
Nation: Uruguay 🇺🇾
Positions: ST, LW, RW, CF
Height: 5’10”/179cm

Rodríguez was MOTM in U20 WC final as he scored the winner for Uruguay to win 1-0 vs Italy. In the game he made 7 successful dribbles (7/10) & 2 key passes

Luciano is a high energy aggressive forward who can cover the front 3. He presses the defence high & loves to run at players & in behind. Despite smaller height, he’s physical enough to play as a lone ST. He shields the ball well making him tough to dispossess

He’s a great ball-striker off both feet. Right footed but scored great goals from outside the box with his left

Tenacity & determination is a trait you just can’t teach & he stated he used his motivation from losing the Sudamericano U20 final vs Brazil to help him win the u20 WC

Óscar Zambrano
Age: 19
Team: LDU Quito
Nation: Ecuador 🇪🇨
Positions: DM, CM
Height: 5’9”/175cm

A quality 6 & is the future anchor of Ecuador’s midfield. A tough tackler who’s good in duels & at anticipating passes. His aggression makes him more imposing than his height suggests

Zambrano is also very technical. He has very good line-breaking passes which start attacks for his team. But also has a vast passing range and particularly excels in long passing. Zambrano is great at progressing the ball and he was a key player for Ecuador at U20 WC.

Lucas Assadi
Age: 19
Team: Club Universidad de Chile
Nation: Chile 🇨🇱
Positions: AM, RW, LW
Height: 5’7”/172cm

Lucas Assadi is Chile’s future star. He’s a very agile skilful player who’s main position is in the no.10 where he creates but also scores goals.

He loves to run with the ball and beat players and has great acceleration to break away from defenders. Assadi has already attracted interest from Europe with both Southampton, Norwich, Newcastle & Everton all being linked with him in January.

Darío Osorio
Age: 19
Team: Club Universidad de Chile
Nation: Chile 🇨🇱
Positions: RW, LW, AM
Height: 6’1”/184cm

Another part of Chile’s exciting next gen. Osorio loves to beat players & when playing on RW he loves to cut in on his left foot to either cross/shoot from distance

His height also makes him an aerial threat at the back post and he’s dangerous in the transition due to him having space to open his stride and pull away from defenders with his speed. At 6’1” it’s not surprise that he’s a great ball-striker.

Alexander Aravena
Age: 20
Team: CD Universidad Católica
Nation: Chile 🇨🇱
Positions: LW, RW, ST
Height: 5’10”/178cm

Aravena has been having a great season in the Primera División with 7G & 2A in 13 games - no surprise to see Sunderland interested. Aravena takes 2.65 shots p/90

He’s is a fast winger who loves to run in behind with great composure - he takes his time when finishing to focus on placing shots better. He has great link-up play & takes a lot of touches in the box (4.88 p/90) so he suits being around other agile, quick creative players.

Andrés Romero
Age: 20
Team: Monagas SC
Nation: Venezuela 🇻🇪
Positions: CM, LM, RM, AM
Height: 6’0”/184cm

Romero is affective in the attacking phase. Loves to dictate play in Z14, make runs into area & frequently shoot. Best at 8/10 to roam around the half space & run into box

Sebastían González
Age: 20
Team: LDU Quito
Nation: Ecuador 🇪🇨
Positions: CM, DM, AM, LM
Height: 5’10”/178cm

González is a top prospect in Ecuador. An all-rounder. He loves to look for the ball & is constantly scanning to see where his opponents are & plan his next action

Great vision/intelligence in final 3rd enables him to pick out passes.

His acceleration also helps him burst past markers & he’ll shield the ball well whilst running

He’s displayed glimpses of great finishing & shooting ability. Long-term his best position will be as a B2B 8

Damián Pizarro
Age: 18
Team: CSD Colo Colo
Nation: Chile 🇨🇱
Positions: ST
Height: 6’2”/187cm

Pizarro is the latest to break through in Chile with bags of potential. He’s Chile’s version of Darwin Núñez in many ways. An athletic physical ST with top off the ball movement.

Runs in behind & is an aerial threat. A really strong aggressive ST who uses his body well to carry the ball & battle defenders

Lacks composure to finish chances. Frustrating to watch at times as his runs are so intelligent & does well to create chances then doesn’t finish them

I believe there’s a top player in there & if he goes to Europe, I could see him building his confidence & refining his game. No surprise to see so many European teams scouting him because the finishing & composure aspects are coachable - if this improves he’ll be a serious player

Sebastián Boselli
Age: 19
Team: Defensor Sporting Club
Nation: Uruguay 🇺🇾
Positions: CB, RB, LB
Height: 6’0”/183cm

Another star for Uruguay’s U20s. Boselli is an intelligent defender who’s vision for passes allows him to play some great line-breaking passes.

Sebastián Boselli is versatile as he can cover all of the defensive positions.

He’s also got a real aggression to him & he reads the game well to step up and regularly make interceptions/tackles.

David Martínez
Age: 17
Team: Monagas SC
Nation: Venezuela 🇻🇪
Positions: RW, AM, LW
Height: 5’10”/178cm

Martínez is Venezuela’s future star. Breaking through at Monagas at only 17, Martínez has great vision & composure in final 3rd, loves to play balls over the top.

David Martínez a top finisher, with variety to his shots, very good curved shooting & strikes through the ball well from distance too. As a RW he loves to carry the ball and cut in on his left foot to shoot.

Jesús Castillo
Age: 22
Team: Sporting Cristal
Nation: Peru 🇵🇪
Positions: DM, CM
Height: 6’1”/185cm

An older option but Castillo is a top player in Peru - great ball progresser. He’s an aggressive, high-vol passer that plays 6/8. I’d imagine many teams interested in his skillset

Miguel Monsalve
Age: 19
Team: Independiente Medellín
Nation: Colombia 🇨🇴
Positions: AM, LW, ST
Height: 5’10”/177cm

Technical player that excels in attacking play behind ST - unpredictable & creative so he’s great in the half spaces. Needs to be more consistent but has potential

Kervin Andrade
Age: 18
Team: Deportivo La Guaira
Nation: Venezuela 🇻🇪
Positions:
Height: 5’6”/168cm

One of Venezuela’s biggest talents, he quickly became a key player for Deportivo in several roles. An agile dribbler that loves to beat players & even a threat via free kicks.

Alan Matturro
Age: 18
Team: Genoa
Nation: Uruguay 🇺🇾
Positions: CB, LB
Height: 6’2”/189cm

Last option already moved to Europe from Defensor in Jan but HAD to have him on the list due to top performances at U20 WC. He won the Silver Ball award (2nd best player of the tournament)

A mobile, physical CB who’s an adept LB too (played there all tournament). Surprisingly quick for a 6’2” CB & loves to defend aggressively. Broad frame helps to win aerial duels - he’s like a young left sided Araújo. I think move again soon, especially if he continues to improve

I think he’ll be on the move again soon, especially if his performances for Genoa continue to improve. He has been linked with Inter and Juventus who would then loan him back to Genoa for the upcoming season.

I do believe if he moves that’s the best option for him because at Genoa he can become a key player in defence and make huge strides towards becoming a high level CB.

Diego Gómez
Age: 20
Team: Libertad
Nation: Paraguay 🇵🇾
Positions: CM, AM
Height: 6’1”/185cm

Diego Gómez is Libertad’s next star after Enciso. Gómez has become an important player for Libertad as he’s now a starter in the LCM role of a 4-3-3.

He’s very strong & wins his duels but also possesses great ball-control & ball-carrying.

At his height he’s very good in aerial duels & as an aerial threat arriving in the box. Gómez loves to run forward to get involved in the attacks & his best position is clearly as a B2B CM.