Tchouaméni, Fernández, Amrabat and why it is vital for a team to have an extraordinary midfielder

In the most glorious pages of football, the names of Zinedine Zidane, Xavi, Platini, Zico and other legendary and incomparable midfielders are inscribed, but the list does not end and will not end anytime soon, because neither will football. New and old projects at the wheel of the king of sports also want to enter history, although it is not an easy mission.

Without going very far, in Qatar 2022 many midfielders were called to give the time, but not all those who had to shine were able to do so. Among the four best teams in the World Cup, for example, players like Luka Modric and Antoine Griezmann can be named, who stood out in their position as usual.

However, in this note it is extremely necessary to talk about those unexpected figures who were suddenly transcendental in the success of their respective teams throughout the World Cup. Having midfielders like the three mentioned below is a guarantee of success and this has been reflected in the last month.

Aurélien Tchouaméni

In the run-up to Qatar 2022, France lost two of its best cards in the midfield: N’Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba, protagonists in the conquest of Russia 2018, were out due to injury. But that didn’t mean much of a problem for Didier Deschamps, who found a great solution to his problems in his renewed roster: Aurélien Tchouaméni.

At 22 years old, the Real Madrid midfielder was not afraid of the challenge and filled that huge gap perfectly. From the first game against Australia, he shone in his position and was always essential for the French team to reach the final.

In fact, he played all seven matches of the tournament as the undisputed starter, totaling more than 620 minutes on the field. In addition, despite fulfilling more defensive functions as a pivot, Tchouaméni managed to celebrate a goal in the difficult quarterfinal against England.

It must also be taken into account that the French pivot was the one who made the most interceptions of the ball in the tournament (14). In addition, in the selection he was the first in successful passes (423), he had a spectacular 90% accuracy in that sense and also 64% of duels won, according to SofaScore.

These figures are more than positive for Tchouaméni, especially since it is only his first World Cup and he has many more opportunities ahead to continue to shine. Without a doubt, he has been one of the youth revelations of the tournament and sooner rather than later he will end up consolidating himself as a true star in his position.

Enzo Fernandez

It has been a pleasant surprise for Argentina. Practically, nobody had him in mind to be one of the revelations of the World Cup, but he ended up being one at full throttle. Although he did not play any game in the Qualifiers, it only took the former River Plate midfielder 61 minutes (in two friendly matches) to convince Lionel Scaloni that he could be one of his best aces up his sleeve. So it was.

With 21 years on and having several competitors in his position, Enzo managed to earn an important place as a starter in the Argentine team. In fact, he was a key piece for the ‘albiceleste’ to savor glory and it was not by chance that he was chosen the best youth footballer in Qatar 2022.

The statistics support his well-deserved award. Enzo played seven games -five as a starter- in which he contributed, from his position, with a goal and an assist. And not only that. According to SofaScore, the Argentine midfielder also recorded 22 saves, 88% accuracy, 59% wins and 39 ball recoveries.

Enzo’s presence, then, has been completely vital for Argentina. His talent, quality and sacrifice on the field have allowed his country to continue celebrating until the end. And that is why today many big clubs in Europe have it in their orbit.

Sofyan Amrabat

Morocco has been the biggest surprise of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, being the first African team to reach the semifinals of a World Cup. But making history is not a matter of chance. To get as far as they did, the Moroccan team needed great figures, including Sofyan Amrabat.

The 26-year-old midfielder left many speechless with his great ability with and without the ball. Together with Ounahi -who deserves special mention- he was one of the best weapons, if not the best, for Morocco in midfield. And is not for less.

We are talking, then, of a tireless pivot. In fact, Amrabat was the player who covered the most kilometers in the World Cup (81.44). His sacrifice, in this sense, is enormous. He does not stop running to help his team and that is why many top clubs have already been interested in his services.

In addition, the Moroccan midfielder played seven games in the tournament -all as a starter-, in which he accumulated 660 minutes and recorded 16 saves, six interceptions and 10 clearances, according to SofaScore.

For this and many other things, he was one of the most praised players in a historic team that managed to rank among the top four in the world. He has been a true warrior in midfield.