A list of 5 South American stars shining the Club World Cup, joining European teams is just around the corner

As the smoke of the Club World Cup group stage disappeared, the collective outbreak of American teams became the biggest highlight of the early stages of the game. All four Brazilian teams participated in the competition advanced to the knockout stage, and three of them advanced as the top spot in the group. In North America, Mexican powerhouse Monterrey and AMF represented International Miami, Miami, also successfully entered the top 16. The core teams of these teams are mostly composed of South American players. Facing European giants, their performance is not inferior. Many players have attracted the attention of European scouts with their excellent performance. Next, I will take a look at the five most worthy of South American stars in this competition.

No. 1: Palmeiras midfielder hub, Rios, nationality Colombia, age 25,

After helping Colombia reach the final last year, Rios has made his mark. His performance is still shining in this Club World Cup. The growth background of futsal football has given him excellent skills and the ability to calmly take and handle balls under high pressure.

Rios usually plays as the right midfielder among the two midfielders, but in essence it is a modern B2B midfielder covering the entire game. He is not good at speed, but he has excellent instantaneous activation and ridding ability. He is not a high-frequency passer, but he has first-class ball-holding and propulsion ability. Rios, which has both technical, physical and strong spiritual attributes, has become an important recruitment target for many Premier League clubs.

No. 2: Flamengo's sharp knife, Plata, nationality of Ecuador, age 24 years old,

Prata, who overcame knee injury and returned in time, played a key role in the Club World Cup. In Flamengo's 3-1 victory over Chelsea, he performed amazingly in his comeback debut and scored two goals alone. Plata, with delicate skills, is a versatile player in the frontcourt and can be competent in the wing, center and even the pseudo-9 position.

Flamengo coach Luis praised: "He is so outstanding and can play in the entire offensive three zones. Whether it is on the wing, middle or retreat, he is an indispensable core of the team." After experiencing the troughs of Portugal Sports and Real Valladolid, returning to South America has given Plata a new life. This player from the famous Ecuadorian youth training camp independent team is working with national teammates such as Kesedo, Pacho, and Xinkapier to promote the rise of Ecuadorian football. If it can continue, its return to Europe is just around the corner.

No. 3: Monterrey Midfielder, De Osa, nationality, 25 years old, De Osa's experience is inspiring. During the 2020 epidemic, he also worked as a miner in Colombia. Now, he is the key gentleman in Monterrey. Against Inter Milan, he immediately made a comeback after he came on as a substitute, helping the team tied for the Champions League runner-up. Since then, he has played all the games and has become an important contributor to Monterrey's advance to the top 16.

Similar to fellow Rios, De Osa is a strength midfielder with strong ball protection and confrontational ability. In the game against River Plate, he was violated seven times in a single game, which directly caused two opponents to be suspended from the game. De Osa is an excellent "stranger", with a strong left-footed long shot, and his overall offense and defense capabilities are balanced. Although he has not yet completed his national team debut, he has been called up by Lorenzo. He and Rios are expected to form the horrifying double midfielder of the Colombia national team in the future. European clubs are already eyeing it.

4: Botafogo's forward pillar, Igor Jesus, nationality Brazil, age 24 years old, Igor Jesus' performance in Botafogo's historic defeat of Champions League champion Paris Saint-Germain is one of the best performances in this Club World Cup group stage. As a single arrow, he has smooth ball connections on his back, and actively creates space without the ball, putting high pressure on the Paris defense line. He successfully broke through the central defender combination of Berardo and Pacho in many singles and scored a very representative and exciting goal.

After joining Botafogo last summer, Jesus made great contributions to the team's first South American Liberators Cup in the history of the team (3 goals in 6 games in the knockout stage), and was selected for the Brazilian national team and scored his first goal. It is reported that Nottingham Forest has reached an oral franchise agreement with it. Many people regard it as the hope of the Samba Legion's forward line in the 2026 World Cup.

No. 5: Fruminense Core, John Arias, Nationality Colombia. Arias is 27 years old and is a late bloomer. He started his professional football career at the age of 21. Today, he is a legendary Frumenensee and a regular visitor to the Colombian national team, and has shined in this Club World Cup. In the first game against Dortmund, he was the best in the game; in the second game, he defeated Ulsan Hyundai, he contributed a world goal and assisted. During the group stage, he was the player among South American players who won the most ground fights and created the most shots and passed the ball.

Since joining in 2021, Arias has made 226 appearances for Fruminense, contributing 47 goals and 55 assists, and led the team to bring the South American Liberators Copa 1 back to Maracana in 2023. He is skilled, outstanding in football business, calm in decision-making and has a leadership temperament. Arias has publicly expressed his desire to land in Europe. As the core of the national team and continues to shine on the international stage, its transfer to European football has become a general trend.