Rodrigo Huescas is a 22-year-old Mexican right-sided player who primarily acts as a box-to-box full-back, currently playing in the Danish Superliga for FC Copenhagen. He is currently playing in a back five under manager Jacob Neestrup, having previously been equally employed as a winger at his previous club, Cruz Azul. In his second season in Denmark, he currently leads the league for assists and has earned himself three appearances at senior international level. Standing at 1.72 m, Huescas’ play style is defined by his pace, creativity in the attacking third, and his relentless work rate.
Although not physically dominant, Huescas has explosive acceleration utilised in possession to stretch the defensive line with runs behind into dangerous areas and aid in counterattacks. His pace is additionally useful in defensive transitions, being utilised in recovery runs, of which he completes 4.25 per match. While not the tallest, he is effective, positioning his body well in duels and performing well aerially, winning around half his duels this season. He additionally displays great endurance, making constant box-to-box runs in transition throughout the full 90 minutes. Overall, while he is not the most imposing, his physical traits make him a persistent presence on both sides of the ball.
On the ball, Huescas is very technically sound, showing composure under pressure, making sensible passes, and recycling the ball well to retain possession. Huescas’ comfort on the ball allows his creativity to flourish, with inventive first-time passes aiding link-up play in tight areas. He uses this to progress possession into the final third. When in the opposition half, Huescas delivers a range of dangerous crosses, ranging in technique from low and driven to deep angled deliveries, contributing an assist almost every other game this season.
Off the ball, Huescas typically holds his width when in possession to stretch the defensive shape and provide an outlet with a switch of play or using his pace in behind with a through ball. He intelligently makes constant short and sharp angled runs to drag defenders out of position, allowing teammates to exploit the created space.
Defensively, Huescas shows an intense desire to win back possession for his side, closing opponents down quickly when pressing. He engages in a high volume of duels each match, winning around half. He utilises his pace off the ball to nullify the threat of opposition counter-attacks with some excellent recovery runs, pressuring wingers into losing possession. His desire to win possession can inevitably result in some unnecessary fouls from enthusiastic tackling attempts, suggesting a slight refinement in 1v1 defending would prove beneficial. Overall, he performs well in his defensive duties, given the new responsibilities of his position.
Huescas’ profile of a wing-back, with excellent ball retention, attacking desire, and a constant work rate, makes him a key player in the FC Copenhagen side, and understandably someone many managers would appreciate in their squad. With current exposure in Champions League and an outspoken desire to play in the World Cup for Mexico, Huescas’ next step would have to be a move to a system that allows him to thrive in his progressive wing-back role. A move to one of the top six leagues in Europe appears imminent, with interest arriving from many teams in European competitions. The Bundesliga, for example, could provide the platform to showcase his attacking talent in competitive technical matches while refining his defensive abilities. If Huescas continues on his current trajectory, he has the potential to prove himself as one of Mexico’s standout players over the next few years.
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