| Name: Thiago Helguera | Date of birth: 26/03/2006 |
| Position: DM – CM | Preferred foot: Right |
| Nationality: Uruguayan | Club: Club Nacional |
| Contract until: 18/07/2026 | Competition: Primera División |
| International: Uruguay U-17 | Agency: – |
Report:
Thiago Helguera stands at 1.81 meters and has an average build. He is quite strong, using his body efficiently in physical duels and only sporadically getting pushed off the ball. Helguera occasionally struggles to win duels with his back towards the goal. He displays decent speed over short distances and average speed over long distances, although at the age of 17, he could improve his speed over the upcoming years. Helguera does not change directions that quickly, with one of the reasons being that he does not always seem to be in full control of his body. He needs to work on his mobility. Helguera covers a lot of ground in and out of possession, showcasing his excellent endurance and stamina.
Defensively, Helguera is very positively aggressive in physical duels. He always tries to physically overwhelm his opponents in loose ball duels, often coming out on top in those duels. Helguera does well to keep his opponent in front of him in defensive 1v1 duels. His tenacity and persistence help him to win back the ball or to hold up the opponent. Helguera has good defensive positioning and vision, especially for his age. He reads the game well, anticipating the opponent’s passes well and intercepting the ball. Helguera steps up at the right time. He picks up a lot of second balls as he is always in the right position. Helguera sporadically fails to track a runner in behind, especially when the tempo increases. Helguera does not always track back after losing possession. His aerial ability is slightly above average but could be improved. He displays decent timing but average jumping reach and uses his hands smartly to disrupt opponent.
Thiago Helguera showcases good off-the-ball movement in first-phase possession, moving into the right position at the right time. Helguera’s first touch under pressure is decent but can be a bit bouncy. He uses both feet to take touches and to play passes. He likes to carry the ball forward in first-phase possession, looking strong but sometimes a bit sluggish on the ball whilst also not having great ball control while dribbling. Helguera often needs too much time on the ball, getting himself into trouble as he consistently fails to play out of pressure against multiple opponents. He needs to work on his body control and footwork in tight spaces. Helguera uses his body efficiently to turn away from his opponent as he puts his body between the ball and the opponent. He sporadically turns the wrong way under pressure as he fails to scan when the tempo increases. Generally, he scans before receiving and subsequently makes the right decision. His passing over short distances can be a bit sloppy, although he does not often lose possession. His teammates often need to make an extra step to control the ball. His long passing technique is quite nice.
Thiago Helguera looks very good defensively for someone of his age. Once he understands his own limitations better and works on his athleticism, Thiago Helguera could become a very good defensive midfielder. He also needs to improve his passing consistency and gain more experience at his current level to understand what is needed in certain situations (scanning, etc.). However, over time, I think Thiago Helguera has the potential to play in the top 5 leagues.
Target Scouting 