Simon Escobar is a 2009 left fullback from Argentina. Developed at Vélez Sarsfield, he signed his first professional contract less than a year ago. I already had the opportunity to see him against Belgium during the U17 World Cup, a game in which he was named player of the match. In this game, Argentina started in a 4-2-3-1 with the ball, which slowly transitioned to a 4-4-1-1 out of possession. The Argentinians tried to build from the back, often getting the ball out to the wings. During the Conmebol U17, where Argentina ended second, he was the captain of Diego Placente’s 4-3-3.

Standing at around 1.85m, the youngster is already well-developed physically and possesses interesting physical attributes. He showed an impressive and huge work rate, willing to provide offensive solutions and counter-press throughout the entire match. Left-footed, the young fullback barely uses his right foot. He is gifted with great speed and acceleration. He indeed showed a good combination of speed, power, agility, and balance, allowing him to quickly get past his opponents. When he decides to drive forward, he leaves his opponents behind most of the time, rapidly getting his shoulder past them. Simon Escobar is physically ahead of his age, and this was evident in several aspects, including his height, power, and muscular development. Aerial play is not his strong suit, but he remains decent in this regard, helped in part by his height.

Escobar excelled with his carries, often starting from the left sideline and going inside the play, taking advantage of the press and breaking the midfield line a few times, too. This is a signature move, well-timed, well-executed, and well-thought-out. The Argentinian is comfortable with the ball, with good ball control and a solid passing game. His ability to beat opponents made him very difficult to track, breaking through defensive lines with this destabilising run from deep into the heart of the game, leading to big chances and even a goal against Peru (31st minute). The fullback, very attack-minded, creates danger from his side by winning fouls, overlapping, dribbling, cutting inside, or going through the centre — a varied repertoire that makes him all the harder to anticipate. The Argentine favours short passing and tight spaces over crosses and long balls. He does not hesitate to shoot when the opportunity arises, with power but lacking in precision.

Without the ball, the left back was able to contain his winger thanks to his physical dominance first, but also his defensive skills. Escobar tackled and intercepted several balls. He showed good aggressiveness, conceding a few fouls, but not leaving space or time for his opponent. In this way, he won most of his duels. The fullback had a good capacity for anticipation and game-reading, allowing him to intercept by stepping in promptly. Simon Escobar found it more difficult to defend inside the penalty area — the fullback is better suited to one-on-one duels along the line and aggressive pressing.

Tactically, the fullback’s added value is impressive. With his ball-carrying runs, he made key differences that put opposing systems under real pressure, while also providing numerical superiority in the zone of Juan Cruz Policella and Giovanni Baroni, forming a high-level triangle and a strong backbone of the national team.

Escobar displayed a lot of confidence, as he seemed to be an adult surrounded by kids. He was able to make quick decisions, read the game well, and keep his concentration and motivation high. On the cognitive side, Escobar could easily situate himself and anticipate both his teammates’ and opponents’ runs — a capacity already well-established for such a young player.

On a more negative note, perhaps the mental side, with that well-known Argentine grit that can sometimes work against him, as illustrated by his poor gesture in the final, earning him a red card in the closing minutes. Aside from that, there is nothing that age and experience cannot teach, as Escobar is only 16 years old.

As for what comes next, the fullback appears to have the potential to establish himself at Vélez Sarsfield and subsequently earn a move to Europe. A transfer to Spain within the next 2 to 3 years seems a realistic prospect.