18-year-old Olger Escobar burst onto the scene during the Gold Cup for Guatemala, scoring two goals. He appeared in all five matches, starting two and scoring his second goal against the United States. The right winger made his senior debut in 2023 after posting an impressive goal record with the youth teams. With 14 senior caps already, it may have taken awhile for him to find his footing, but he is now quite experienced for his age with impressive goals on his record. Regarding club football, CF Montréal acquired Escobar from New England Revolution in April for a small fee. He has only made four appearances as a substitute in Next Pro since, but that will surely change after his flashes of brilliance for the national team (he has now made three MLS appearances off the bench since July).
Escobar is around average height for a winger (1.73 m) with a lean frame. He is left foot dominant with bits of two-footedness shown. The Guatemalan is explosive in his acceleration with a high-intensity work rate. Both in attack and defensively, Escobar is aggressive and physical into duels, showing resilience to play through physical contact. Spatially, he must become more aware as he fails to create proper space off the ball for teammates to receive or can get caught offside when making runs in transition.
In possession, his dribbling displays his athletic profile with explosion in 1v1 situations, then using quick left-footed flicks and/or turns to evade defenders. He excels cutting inside from wide and is comfortable receiving with his back to goal to link play despite pressure. He is effective combining play with one-twos, especially when in a more central role, but his distribution when cutting inside is where he shines. Escobar plays accurate, well-weighted ground passes into and around the box. He also demonstrates further creativity and vision to break lines and put in chipped deliveries. Sometimes when cutting inside his decision making can be delayed or he will overdribble, leading to stalled counterattacks or turnovers. His goals came via a chipped finish with his weaker right foot under pressure vs. Guadeloupe and a decisive shot from the top middle of the box to lace the bottom corner vs. the United States. His ball-striking displayed not just confidence and technique but impressive composure for his age during the Gold Cup, giving him a plethora of dangerous chances, including one finished well enough for a teammate to secure a rebound goal. Additionally, Escobar can take corners on his left foot putting in both in- and out-swung deliveries with decent accuracy.
Defensively, his high work rate shows in the press with active feet to anticipate passes for interceptions in advanced areas. Escobar often uses his pressing intensity to lead directly into chances after challenges or interceptions. He engages physically into duels and can draw fouls whether in or out of possession. Occasionally, he is too aggressive into the physical pressure, putting himself at risk to foul or get dribbled by. His recovery runs are usually made with effort, but he is sometimes late tracking runs when in transition.
With flashes of brilliance in the Gold Cup at only 18, Escobar put his potential on display. If he can put together those moments more consistently throughout matches, the sky is the limit as an athletic dribbler and confident finisher. Escobar must get more game time at club level to keep developing, but if he does, the top five leagues will be calling.
Target Scouting 