Matias Arezo – Next Uruguayan Star by Sam Wood
Name : Douglas Matias Arezo Martinez
Date of Birth : 21 st November 2002 (18 Years Old)
Height : 1.8m (5 ft 11 inches)
Weight : 76kg
Position : Striker
Nation : Uruguay
Club : River Plate Montevideo (Uruguay)
Similar Player – Luis Suarez
General
Douglas Matias Arezo Martinez, also known as just Matias Arezo is a teenage sensation who has been making waves in South America for a few years despite being the tender age of just 18. Currently still playing for his boyhood club River Plate Montevideo in his native Uruguay, Arezo has been a mainstay in the team this season having been in the starting eleven every game. Despite being so young he is proving that he has been able to make the step up to senior level, having scored 11 goals and has provided 11 assists so far in 15 games this season. He has been an integral part of the team having participated in 55% of his teams goals in the Uruguayan Primera Division in 2021.
Before he was making an impact in the first team, Arezo was prolific in his youth and has been tipped for a while to be one of the next Uruguayan stars to make the jump to one of the big leagues in Europe. The young star has represented Uruguay at multiple youth levels and has recently been involved with the under 23’s despite still only being 18. In 2019, at the South American Under 17 Championship he finished as the tournaments 2 nd highest goal scorer showing his class from a young age.
Type of Player
Matias Arezo is a very similar type of player to Luis Suarez and so is a constant nuisance for defenders. He is a skillful players who is often able to beat his man but also plays quite instinctively which allows him to beat his man more easily as he is more unpredictable. Like Suarez, Arezo is of a stocky build which allows him to withstand physical pressure whilst on the ball, and gives him to opportunity to either hold the ball up or run with the ball when the ball is played into him. In a similar style to the Atletico Madrid striker, Matias Arezo is not blessed with blistering pace but he is quick enough that he’s is able to get away from defenders, due to his anticipation and reading of the game which allows him to be a second or two ahead of the opposition players.
In Possession
In possession of the ball Arezo is very comfortable and often his first thought is to go forward but will look to link up with his teammates if this is a better option. He reads the game very well and so he is often able to anticipate where the ball is going to end up, which allows him to get a variety of goals. The Uruguayan star in the making, has the ability to score a wide range of goals as he is a competent finisher with great instinct in front of goal, with his ability to anticipate play means he is a lethal finisher from inside the box whilst also being a threat in the air when balls are played into the box. Arezo has shown on many occasions that he is also capable of scoring goals from outside of the box with such power that he is able to get behind his shots. The young striker tends to try and get behind the defensive line, and so his teammates often try the ball over the top or down the sides of the defenders so that Arezo is able to show his composure in front of goal and finishes more often than not. His technique allows the striker to have a good chance of scoring as he is able to hit the ball sweetly and regularly hits the target with either foot, although he does tend to prefer use his stronger right foot.
When in possession, Arezo is comfortable making shorter passes to his teammates, whilst his longer passes are not something that he tries too often, as this is not part of how he plays in his role up front. Due to his stature and good balance, defenders find it very difficult to get the ball off the forward, as he is able to protect the ball well when under pressure from defenders, as he almost bounces off them when carrying the ball. The ability to hold the ball up but also run with the ball means that he has great versatility, which allows his manager to change the playing style and tactics of the team without having to change the personnel.
Off the Ball
Off the ball, Arezo is a real nuisance for defenders as he is constantly aware and closing down defenders, especially those who like to take risks, when playing out from the back. He can sometimes go too far when pressing and challenging defenders which has seen him pick up 3 yellow cards so far in 2021, but the risk and reward has definitely been worth it with the 11 goals he has got in that time. He seems to start the press for his team for his teammates to join, which results in either him or a teammate winning the ball, and therefore he ends up with a goal or an assist as a result. Due to his high level of anticipation he is also able to intercept passes that the defenders are trying to make alongside being able to tackle them, which puts the opposition under great pressure. Very much like Luis Suarez, he is a constant pest for defenders and will regularly be at the defenders heels trying to win the ball back giving them no time on the ball to be able to pick their passes.
Conclusion
To conclude, Matias Arezo is going to be a great striker for a European club in a few years, with Atletico Madrid currently linked with a £10m move for him at the moment. He will be taking over the mantle of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez in the national team once he has developed a bit more and proved how good he is in one of the big European leagues in the future.