Offers and movements to receive in the penalty area

Our Technical Study Group is attending all matches at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Indonesia 2023™, and during the round of 16 clash between Argentina and Venezuela, the aforementioned attributes were notable in the performance of Santiago López (11). 

Despite only playing 61 minutes of the game, the impact he made for his team was impressive, according to Pascal Zuberbühler.

“López was excellent, especially his movement in and around the penalty area. He is very fast, loves to run with the ball and take defenders on. He was always offering to receive the ball and is particularly effective at carrying the ball towards the end line and cutting it back for oncoming support players.” 

The work rate of López cannot be underestimated as he continuously offered to receive with movement in behind the opposition’s defence. He performed these actions more than any other player in the game, with a total of 16, nine of which were in the final third. These movements make him unpredictable and cause difficulties for opposition defenders. In addition, he performed 51 sprints in the game, more than any other player, and had two receptions of the ball in behind Venezuela’s defence. 

Another aspect of López’s play that impressed Zuberbühler was his clever and well-timed movement in and around the penalty area.

“Against Venezuela in the last 16, his runs to the front post were effective. I really liked his movement to get across the front of defenders and there is a good example of this in the first clip below. He knows where to be and his timing to get there was really impressive. For their second goal (in clip 2), he also made this front post run and in doing so, he dragged the defender with him, opening the space that was exploited for the attempt at goal. This is very clever and intelligent play. He is very difficult to defend in the penalty area because he is so good at dribbling the ball with pace and power and his awareness of his positioning in relation to the goal when he receives the ball is very impressive.

“Nothing happens by chance with this player, he is fully aware of defenders’ actions in relation to what to he wants to do with the ball, and you see for his goal (in clip 3), he waits until the defender has taken the step before shooting the ball through his legs. He is very, very aware and his timing and decision-making are impressive.”