Joan Cruz
Full name: Joan Manuel Cruz Castro
Country: Chile
Date of birth: 04/04/2003 (18 years old)
Place of birth: Santiago de Chile (Chile)
Height: 174cm
Youth career: Colo-Colo
Current club: Colo-Colo
Squad number: 35
Current national team: Chile U-20
Position: attacking midfielder, winger, second striker
Preferred foot: left
Market value (by transfermarkt.de): 550.000 €
Tournaments participated in: 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup (4/2)
Contract until: unknown
Player’s agent: AIM Futbol
Transfer rumours: —
Similar type of player: Phil Foden
Strengths:
– pace 
– acceleration
– creativity
– technique
– ball control
– agility
– dribbling
– flair
– passing 
– movement
Weaknesses:
– physical strength
– operating with his right weaker foot
Style of play:
– advanced playmaker
– likes to be fielded in a free role as an attacking midfielder, where he is given space to roam the pitch
– creative player with very good technical ability, 1vs1 short-dribbling skills, close ball control, fast direction shifts in possession and vision to make through passes to the teammates providing dynamism to the team’s last offensive third plays
– able to get out of various different scenarios, able to play wide and go direct, or being central and cutting through the lines/difference-maker
– player that always tries to find a vertical option in his game, so he is very capable of pushing his team forward to finishing positions
– highly technical and creative player
– excellent balance, footwork, coordination, and changes of pace
– likes to dribble
– likes to shoot from distance
– likes to make quick first touch combinations with his teammates
– known for his “quick feet”, mobility, and close control
– holds very good skill, pace, and low center of gravity
– creative at his off-the-ball movements, and likes to find the best space to receive the ball with good timings, linking up the team’s midfield and attack
– very strong in 1v1 situations, unpredictable, and very confident of his skills
– displays a natural technique to take fast decisions in tight spaces/press-resistant player
– often makes surging runs into the penalty box
– extremely dangerous on the counter thanks to his pace and acceleration
– capable of shooting on-target goals from great distances
– active and tenacious in pressing
– all-action and energetic
– avoids using his right weaker foot
– set-piece specialist
Cruz dribbles past his marker with a brilliant first touch and sends a dangerous shot on goal.
Cruz with a great run through the middle and brilliant pass to assist his teammate.
He is best suited to playing as:
Attacking midfielder in 4-2-3-1.
Video:
Achievements:
Chilean Primera División 2021 runner-up with Colo-Colo.
Copa Chile 2021 winner with Colo-Colo.
League summary (as for 23 December 2021):
Chilean Primera División 2020: 3 games/0 goals (Colo-Colo)
Chilean Primera División 2021: 18 games/0 goals (Colo-Colo)
Description:
Joan Cruz joined Colo-Colo youth academy at the age of 7. He made his league debut for Los Albos on 3 October 2020 against Huachipato FC. In 2021, he was one of the biggest young revelations in the Chilean Primera División. He is a part of a new very interesting generation of Colo-Colo youngesters which includes, among the others Vicente Pizarro, Daniel Gutiérrez, Jordhy Thompson, Lucas Soto, Julio Fierro, Jeyson Rojas, Bryan Soto, Luciano Arriagada, and Bruno Gutiérrez. He is also a regular youth international for Chile – in 2019 he represented his country at the World Cup U-17 and now he is a member of the U-20 national team.
Quotes:
“I think he has all the qualities to be the number 10 of Colo-Colo.”
(Claudio Borghi – Colo-Colo former player and manager)
Football Talent Scout potential rating:
First team material in a top European league.
Links: