In an aged midfield such as the Brazilian one, new talents mean that Luiz Gustavo and Fernandinho are able to take a breath. In fact in the Brazil National team over the past few years we’ve seen many older players playing as playmaker or defensive midfielders, in addition to those previously named: Ramires, Hernanes, Renato Augusto, Lucas Leiva, Elias, Paulinho…
Big clubs are always looking for young talents, and National teams too. Dunga likes to give young talents a chance and so decided to preserve his best players to help them. He said about young players picked up from the U23 National Team: “They are not boys, they are professionals, men playing with responsibility for their clubs. It is important to give them experience. We always try to merge so that they acquire more experience in the squad. Players need to understand that they are here for the Copa América, and not the Olympics. The future depends on the present.”
Of those young players there is a talent who will possibly go to the next Olympics: Walace Souza Silva.
It would be strange not to see Walace in the Olympic Brazilian team: with the Championship starting soon, we will surely see Walace as a regular in Gremio’s line up. But who is this Brazilian boy?
Wanted by a host of big European clubs, especially a number of Italian teams, Walace doesn’t want to miss the chance to take the plunge. At 21 years old, he’s a natural defensive midfielder but can also play as a CM and in the number 10 position. He’s really good at tackling, aerial duels and shooting from distance, a wonderful mix of technical qualities and physical gifts. Fast for his height, he’s a nice dribbler too and proficient in passing from long distances.
He has to improve his mental approach as is the case with almost all young players, because he lacks concentration when pressed by the opposition and he must impose himself more in the bigger games.
His playing style can be compared to that of Pogba. Indeed he’s not mature and not trained in the same way as the Frenchman, but he has some similar qualities and needs to work on the same mental weaknesses as Pogba. He’s a diamond in the rough and he needs to refine his unripe features.
Recently Tottenham have been linked with a £7 million bid, however Gremio’s president dismissed the idea of a summer transfer to Spurs being sanctioned. However if Walace showcases his undoubted talent this season, then it will surely be hard for Gremio to hold on to their next star player.
This is just one of the young players to keep an eye on, if he gets his chance to represent Brazil at the Olympics games. All the soccer fans want to see new champions rising and this boy definitely has the right foundations in place be one of them!
About the author – Marco Santanche
Marco was born in Rome and supports Inter because of Luiz Nazario Da Lima Ronaldo. He is a Brazilian citizen because of his father’s roots. He played futsal for several years, even in the FIGC (Italian FA) as a winger, playmaker and striker. He is now studying for a degree in finance.
