Jesus Polo is a 16-year-old right-back who plays for Liga de Quito U-17. The young Ecuadorian was a regular starter for Liga de Quito U-17 this season and won the league title with the U-17’s after beating Barcelona SC. The young right-back was also involved with Ecuador U-17 at the U-17 Sudamericano and U-17 World Cup. I have not written about Jesus Polo for Target Scouting yet.
The right-back stands at around 1.70m with a slim build. Jesus Polo is slightly underdeveloped physically, potentially struggling against older/senior opponents. Jesus Polo has a decent burst of speed and has decent speed over long distances. He has good changes of directions and displays decent agility. Polo displays good stamina, capable of running up and down the pitch for 90 minutes and playing with a very high intensity.
Jesus Polo has a decent technical profile but does not stand out in this aspect. The right-back can lose his composure under pressure and go for a long pass instead of trying to find a passing option nearby. Polo has a decent short passing technique, not making many mistakes with his short passing. His long passing technique is good. Polo likes to switch play and does this very well. The Ecuadorian right-back’s ball-carrying lacks quality, as his close control and strength on the ball are not great. He makes some good overlapping runs occasionally, displaying decent crossing ability but sometimes being wasteful with his crosses.
Defensively, Jesus Polo is an aggressive right-back who gives his all in every duel. The downside to his aggressiveness is that this can lead to rashness and naiveity. Polo’s timing in defensive 1v1 duels is often poor, whilst also going in for a slide tackle instead of staying on his feet. The Ecuadorian right-back should be more composed defensively but his lack of defensive vision could hinder him in his professional career. He also sometimes gives away needless fouls whilst also displaying a lack of strength in defensive duels. Polo should sometimes also be more narrow, leaving too much space between him and the right central defender. His clearances are sometimes pretty average, too.
My expectation for 2024 is that Jesus Polo becomes a regular starter for Liga de Quito U-19, even though he will occasionally struggle in this age group due to his lack of physicality and defensive ability. He has an average physical profile, a decent technical profile and an average tactical profile, making him not the most interesting player. I think Jesus Polo will struggle to reach Liga de Quito’s first team but he could have a decent career in Ecuador.
Target Scouting 