Modern footballs requirements at centre-back have evolved, along with the rest of the game.
With the rise of high pressing in recent years, defenders must be prepared to face in-possession challenges under pressure.
On the other hand, the volume of faster transitions has developed, so the defenders also have to deal with a lot of open pitch actions.
Each part of the game—physicality, technique, reading, and mentality—is crucial to building a competitive defensive structure.
In South America, there are a lot of talents who can become important in senior categories, including younger players.
Various names show exciting abilities without having much experience.
In this scout report in the form of a tactical analysis, we are going to discover five U19 defenders from different leagues across South America.
Our analysis looks at why each one is an interesting profile to watch as a potential top player because of their characteristics.
Iván Román Scout Report At Palestino Chile
Iván Román, born in 2006, is surely the most promising centre-back on this list — mainly because he has been very involved with the Palestino senior side in Chiles top flight.
He has also been involved in the international setup with Chile U17s and friendlies with the U20s.
He is the major one to watch in this article.
At the time of writing, he has played more than 2000 minutes in senior categories.
So, his profile may evolve, and we can try to predict accurately what type of centre-back he can become.
Iván Román Tactical Reading His Greatest Asset
Its clear from Románs short time in senior football he has fantastic tactical reading and understanding.
In this topic, we will examine one of his best traits: his contribution to attacking set-pieces.
Iván Román uses his 1.83cm in height and velocity to attack defensive lines in set-piece actions.
And he is a standout here.
The main crucial part of his profile is the defensive aspect, but let’s take a closer look at the sequence below.
In this goal, which he scored at CONMEBOL U17, his tactical reading of the game was more important than his aerial play.
He started pinned beyond the offside line, then attracted his marker, left the line, and ended up running in behind, taking care of the offside, heading freely.
This is a constant threat.
