Shortlist: Sudamericano U20 2025

26 players to keep an eye on at the near future

Despite being a largely uninspired team across the whole tournament and even taking a 0-6 loss in the initial game against fierce rivals Argentina, Brazil ended up winning the 2025 edition of the U20 Sudamericano, their second in a row.

Teams like Colombia and Argentina were packed with talent, while Ecuador and Uruguay (despite having some great players) disappointed their fans. Without further ado, let’s check out some of the better players this year. Also, don’t forget to hit the subscribe button!

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CB: Diego Arroyo (2005, Bolívar)

A tall, quick, good on the ball defender, Arroyo got all he needs to be a really good modern defender. He can dominate opponents in the air, hit line-breaking passes and sprint to cover other teammates easily. Besides all of that, he’s also left-footed, something that will for sure drive his value up in the next few years. Got signed by Shakhtar Donetsk as soon as Bolivia got eliminated — the Ukrainian side doesn’t mess around when it comes to scouting in South America.

CB: Iago (2005, Flamengo)

The Flamengo CB might have a tough time trying to break out in a super stacked squad, but he showed more than enough to convince me that he’s ready for professional football. Physically strong, he shines in aerial duels (defensive or offensive) and would be a massive asset to any team trying to defend his own box. He’s also good at blocking shots and isn’t afraid of throwing his body around to do that.

CB: Iván Román (2006, Palestino)

Román might be a shorter defender (1.83m) than one would expect, but he’s more than capable of holding his own when defending his own box. His reading of the game is quite good for someone as young as he is (played his first full season of professional football at 17 yo, got more than 3 thousands minutes racked up already), which helps him intercepts crosses into the box. Additionally, he showed himself to be a reliable defender facing strikers in direct duels, specially when they’re facing the opposite goal.

CB: Juan Rodríguez (2005, Peñarol)

Rodríguez is more of a covering defender than a proactive one, quick to react when needed, if someone in midfield ends up beaten or his defensive partner/full-back goes up to press. He’s comfortable drawing pressure and can occasionally find targets between the lines with low passes.

CB: Juan Villalba (2006, Gymnasia y Esgrima)

Need a left-footed, ball-playing defender? Look no further than Juan Villalba. Everything you might need from that specific role, he can do: dribble under pressure, carry the ball forward exploiting space, break lines through vertical, central passes… he’s the complete package. His career at an elite level might be derailed because of his height (1.73m), but he tries to compensate by adopting a highly aggressive style of defending, much like his compatriot Lisandro Martínez, now at Manchester United. They profile very similarly.

FB: Diego León (2007, Manchester United)

Speaking of Manchester United, they acted early and secured Diego León services before another European club could do so. An explosive and quick full-back, the Paraguayan can draw the ball away from pressure by carrying it forward (good in tight spaces) and usually breaks through the middle, as well as through the left-sided flank. Got some work to do defensively, as he sometimes struggles to control space behind him, leaving gaps that can be easily exploited.

FB: Igor Serrote (2005, Grêmio)

Igor Serrote is another highly aggressive defender, a right-sided full-back that is always going up to try and get the ball back in direct physical duels. He constantly dives into tackles, is quick enough to recover space when beaten and has shown himself to be a reliable back-post defender in crosses, something not all modern full-backs could say.

FB: Juan Arizala (2005, Independiente Medellín)

Arizala is another dominant duelist, be it in ground duels or aerial ones: the way he uses his body to secure marginal advantages in those scenarios being the highlight of his tournament. At the offensive end, he’s a proper full-back, carrying the ball forward and running on the outside.

DM: Alejandro Ararat (2006, Atletico Huila)

A defensive midfielder of a slender physical profile, Ararat takes advantage of his long strides to cover ground quickly and also engage in duels that, otherwise, would be unfavorable to him. He can easily put his leg forward and then tackle an incoming player in a way that is reminiscent of Brazilian DM Fabinho (ex-Liverpool).

DM: Thiago Helguera (2006, Sporting Braga)

Thiago Helguera is a super solid midfielder with the ball at his feet: distribution is his main thing. He can ping passes both sides of the pitch to connect wingers or rip a line-breaking pass to help move his team up, but really shines when given the opportunity to carry the ball forward, evading pressure in the process.

CM: Breno Bidon (2005, Corinthians)

Having been tracked by some of the most powerful clubs in Europe for quite some time now, it shouldn’t take too long before we see Bidon making a move to the other side of the world, far from Corinthians and Brazil. A left-footed midfielder that excels in taking the ball away from pressure as he controls it, he can also disguise his passes using great body shape before launching a pass forward. Expect to see him dominating games in Europe soon.

CM: Milton Delgado (2005, Boca Juniors)

Just like Bidon, Milton Delgado is a great midfielder to have if you’re a heavy possession side. The Argentinian has a really solid set of fundamental skills and the technical quality to execute them: he can turn away from pressure, take the ball into both feet, move around the pressing line to disrupt defenses and can hit all kinds of passes. A metronome of the highest quality.

AM: Claudio Echeverri (2006, Manchester City)

By now, you should know the name Claudio ‘El Diablito‘ Echeverri. Signed by Manchester City more than a year ago, he stayed on loan at River Plate to keep developing himself before making a move to Europe this winter. He’s quite agile, got great control in tight spaces and is a deadly finisher from the edge of the box — it wouldn’t surprise me to see him making some appearances for Man City before the end of the season. Could be developed into a creative midfielder also.

AM: Jordan Barrera (2006, Junior Barranquila)

Barrera is a proper baller, one of those highly skilled players with the confidence to execute anything, from rabona crosses to dribbles under pressure. His bread and butter are through balls, creating chances for runners in behind, but he can also drive his team forward by carries. He might be a little inconsistent right now, but a team willing to bet on him could reap astonishing rewards.

AM: Kervin Andrade (2005, Fortaleza)

Playing at home and captaining his country, Kervin Andrade had a lot of weight on his shoulders and, although Venezuela couldn’t reach the latter stages of the tournament, he made their fans proud. Popping up all over the pitch, Kervin took upon himself to create some of the better chances his team had, be it via open-play passes, set pieces or long range shots, excelling at all of them. He’s a short, agile, attacking midfielder that can be a double threat, scoring or assisting.

AM: Moisés Paniagua (2007, Always Ready)

A versatile attacking midfielder that could also play as a winger, Paniagua is a player whose intelligence belies his age: he’s constantly looking to occupy the half-spaces before getting the ball and taking on defenders. His dribbling style consists of lots of subtle changes of direction and, although he could be a little erratic with it, he doesn’t shy away from trying it in high pressure scenarios. Does more than enough defensively. At just 17 years-old, he’s got loads of time to fill out physically.

W: Gabriel Aguayo (2005, Cerro Porteño)

A explosive winger, Aguayo offers some versatility when taking on defenders, cutting inside to his non-favored foot or going around the defender and hitting the byline. He likes to offer himself to quick one-two combination that could see him getting the ball ahead of him, running into space.

W: Ian Subiabre (2007, River Plate)

After producing the likes of Enzo Fernández, Julián Alvarez and Claudio Echeverri, River Plate have struck gold again, in the form of a flashy, devastating winger. Already courted by Chelsea (despite having played only four games as a professional footballer), Ian Subiabre is the perfect winger for 1 vs 1 isolation scenarios. His close control in tight spaces is outstanding, he can work effectively in both flanks and he’s aggressive in the way he moves, driving forward with the ball at his feet more often than not.

W: Ignacio Vásquez (2006, Universidad de Chile)

An inverted winger off the left-side of the pitch, Vásquez can keep possession under pressure and is a fairly creative player via passes. Furthermore, his left foot usage is decent, if not spectacular. Have seen him play as an attacking mid in some other tournaments, but for now he seems to be more of a winger for Chile.

W: Joaquín Lavega (2005, Fluminense)

Remember the times when most wingers played at his “natural side”? Sounds ages ago, but we still see a right-footed player occupying the right flank (and vice versa) every now and then. Getting the ball wide, driving forward, taking it to the byline and crossing… lots of crossing: that’s Lavega, an old-school winger. His crosses from the edge of the final third are quite good, as he is able to direct them with good weight.

W: John Montaño (2006, Lommel SK)

An inverted winger that eats ground easily with long strides, but can also shift directions really quickly. Good at finding teammates via diagonal passes, need to do better at finishing. Signed by Group City just before the tournament — Belgium should be a good place for his development, assuming he doesn’t get lost in a series of loans.

W: Maher Carrizo (2006, Vélez Sarsfield)

Playing off the right wing, Carrizo likes to get inside using his dominant left-foot before attempting passes into the box or some mid range shots. Although he usually operates from the wing, most of his good work is done in more central areas, crashing the box. He’s not the quickest, but has a burst of speed that allows him to distance himself before cracking a shot on goal. Also played as a striker.

W: Óscar Perea (2005, Strasbourg)

Explosive and unpredictable, Óscar Perea can go around defenders to the byline just as easily as he can dribble inside, targeting the penalty box with the ball at his feet. Usually take on players with lots of stop-start sequences, throwing them off balance before driving forward.

W: Pedrinho (2006, Zenit)

A proficient ball-carrier, Pedrinho is small in stature, but strong enough to keep the ball under pressure, absorbing contact while carrying it to the final third. He’s also great at manipulating the ball in tight spaces and can deliver good crosses in set pieces scenarios.

ST: Juan Francisco Rossel (2005, Universidad Católica)

Amongst a variety of offensive runs, Rossel’s preferred move is dropping deep to get the ball at his feet, back to goal. From there, he can turn and carry the ball up the pitch or launch a pass forward, all while holding his own against more physical defenders. He might not seem like it, but he is deceptively strong and can disrupt opponents in shoulder to shoulder duels.

ST: Neyser Villarreal (2005, Millionarios)

A flashy player with lots of flair (his idol is Neymar, after all), Neyser Villarreal likes to take on opponents and engage in short combinations after dropping deep to get the ball — he’s kinda like a winger playing as a 9. However, his first touch is still quite inconsistent, leading to some turnovers time after time. His trademark move, what he does best, are shorts bursts into space to finish inside the box.

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