Speedy, Silky, Stylish
Alexis Sanchez is Chile's wonderkid. At 22, he might not literally be a kid but indeed he represents the future of Chilean football. The Udinese forward is perhaps one of the most sought after players in the world currently.
From a very young age itself, Sanchez showed glimpses of his talents and was immediately nicknamed as El Niño Maravilla by fans- mostly due to his bombastic style of play. With Cobreloa, Sanchez was already a shining star by all means and became the youngest ever player to feature in a Copa Libertadores match at the age of 16. European interest was very much evident and Udinese came calling and the winger signed immediately.
But perhaps two loan spells back in South America benefited his career as he came back to Udinese in 2008 as a completely transformed player. For someone that depends on pure pace during attack, he took the Italian game by his strides and became largely influential for both his club and country.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was an eye-opener for other European giants and a year after that, he is now subject to reported interest from the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City. Well, even Chile's hopes in the upcoming Copa America very much depends on his form and ability to change games.
Lowlights And Highlights
Lowlights
FIFA U-20 World Cup 2007: Sanchez was already an emerging talent at this time and after becoming the youngest ever player to debut for Chile, he was immediately drafted into the squad for the U-20 World Cup. Despite scoring a goal in the tournament, Sanchez failed to make anything happen in the semi-final defeat to Argentina by the score of 3-0 and was even involved in some wild incidents after the match.
FIFA World Cup 2010 vs Spain: Chile were receiving praises after praises for their impressive performances which led to a spot in the knockout round. Alexis Sanchez, who was already being compared with Cristiano Ronaldo for his style of play, couldn't inspire a victory over the Spaniards, despite assiting Chile's only goal against the eventual champions.
Highlights
Friendly Match vs New Zealand 2006: He made his professional debut for Chile in a friendly game against the Kiwis back in 2006. With that, he became the youngest ever player to play for the South American nation.
Strength And Weaknesses
Franklu speaking, Sanchez can rip defences apart with his pace alone. The Udinese talisman is capable of playing on both wings and also as a forward but the right wing is his preferred choice. He can pull off a trick at anytime and is also talented enough to score key goals from key areas. Sanchez can be overconfident at times and his decision-making isn't at the best level yet. Nonetheless, expect him to be an integral part of Chile's chances in the Copa America. The video attached below provides some key look into his terrific abilities.
Current Form And Condition
He can be pretty inconsistent at times but some tough training sessions with the national team should have prepared Sanchez for the tournament. His future is still being hitly debated about with reported breakdown in contract negotiations with Barcelona. He looks certain to leave Italy this summer but first and foremost, Sanchez needs to keep his focus on the Copa America because another impressive tournament might make some other European giants consider their options.
