Santiago Rodriguez – Nacional’s attacking jewel
Early in his burgeoning career, 20-year-old, Santiago Rodriguez has garnered interest from Club America where he would join compatriots, Federico Vinas and Sebastian Caceres as well as from the MLS and Italy. Creative and technically developed players of his ilk are being mass-produced in Uruguay with major strides made in lower level coaching and opportunites for youth at top level clubs. The playmaker who stands out not just because of his ability on the pitch but because of the blonde frosted tips topping his hair could become an option for European clubs in the near future.
After making his debut in 2019, he has won three trophies with Nacional against Penarol as the Montevideo native looks to maintain his humility as well as his close connection with his family. After winning his first title, he could be found lounging at home with his family in the Conciliacion barrio in Montevideo before he attended his niece’s school dance. The youngster then went to visit his aunt in the coastal tourist resort of Kiyu. He considers the people within Nacional’s Los Cespedes training ground as his extended family, watching police shows with his teammates, witnessing Gonzalo Bergessio’s competitiveness in ping-pong and other games while enjoying the chef’s chicken schnitzel with puree which is his favourite dish.
It has not all been smooth sailing for the 20-year-old as he missed a crucial title-winning match against Penarol last year to represent his country at the U20 World Cup in Poland, returning with an injury. However, the recovery work with Nacional’s physio, Nicolas Maidana proved to be beneficial as he was injured at the same time as Rodrigo Amaral as the duo bonded in the treatment room. Rodriguez has closely worked with Nacional’s fitness staff and nutritional staff in the early stages of his career as he believed he was too slight after he made his debut so was focused on putting on muscle to be better prepared for the gruelling physical tasks that come with professional football.
The Uruguayan is able to perform on both flanks, but he is most effective when playing in the ten space beneath the striker as he has developed well in a season where Nacional currently lead the Uruguayan Primera Division table in the Apertura phase of the tournament and have secured early progression to the knockout phase of the Copa Libertadores. In a match away to Penarol in December last year, he started on the flank but showed his penchant for creating opportunities from the ten space. In the 27th minute, he beat a marker with brilliant directional first touch to drive the ball forward on the break in the ten space before before releasing Bergessio with a pass in behind for the Argentine forward to poke the ball into the frame of the goalkeeper.
He then took on a pass in the half-space to swivel away from a marker and smash his shot harmlessly over from the top of the box. Rodriguez took on another pass in the ten space to turn away from pressure and lob a pass to a winger in the box who teed up another teammate to drive a shot agonisingly wide. The youngster eventually got his assist in the 66th minute when he lobbed a free-kick from the right flank onto the head of a teammate to score. When playing in the centre, Rodriguez provides a turn of pace to burst past players while he will move into the wide areas to link-up play as he loves to work quick one-twos in tight spaces before picking his head up and looking to thread balls into runners.
In an away match against River Plate Montevideo, he was positioned on the left flank as Amaral played as the central attacking midfielder. The two linked up well with clever tricks and flicks but Rodriguez was isolated on the flank, constantly being muscled off the ball and tackled, unable to add his usual guile to the game. He did have some moments of magic when he received the ball on the touchline in the 10th minute, to drive inside as he was sandwiched in between two opposition defenders before he made a sudden turn back to the touchline to shed his markers to then work a pass into the central midfielders who switched the ball. He frequently had to cut back to his stronger right foot as he was playing on the left flank which limited him. However, he managed to create a crucial opportunity in the 13th minute when he received the ball to cut-back to his right foot to lob a cross into the box which bobbled into the path of Bergessio to take a touch and have a shot deflected in at the near post.
He was substituted in what was an underwhelming performance as up to that point, he very rarely played a full match as he would start the next few games on the bench before being restored to the starting lineup after a brace and tremendous performance against Cerro Largo. Rodriguez has responded to the early peaks and troughs of his career brilliantly as he has been starting and finishing games since that successful outing. In a home match of the Copa Libertadores against Argentine outfit, Racing Club de Avellaneda, Gabriel Neves touched a pass into him which allowed him to burst forward, finding his footing after being fouled to have a shot on goal as his side had failed to work moves like that in what was a tight game. The 20-year-old then had a defence splitting pass for a teammate to go through on goal before hitting another brilliant pass to Alfonso Trezza who had a cross deflect off a defender’s arm for a penalty.
Rodriguez’ ability to work connections came to the fore as well as his renewed physicality when receiving possession with his back to the opposition goal, holding off a defender to lay-off the ball and turn or turning to draw a fouls when he was in tight quarters. He also thrived in working quick combinations in the ten space before spraying passes into runners as he played a switch ball into Brian Ocampo who squared a cross into a teammate to have a shot saved. Rodriguez has been on an upward trajectory becoming a more pivotal part of the Uruguayan league leaders as he has spoken of an on-field bond with Trezza, Ocampo and Thiago Vecino who he developed with at Nacional’s academy as well as a kinship with technically skilled players like Amaral.
In the away game against Racing, he had to switch flanks with Ocampo to gain a foothold on the game as he then received the ball with his back to goal to link-up with a teammate for a counter. He then linked up with Amaral who held up the ball before threading a pass through to Rodriguez who went through on goal to have a 1v1 opportunity with the keeper to open his body and have his shot smothered. Rodriguez showed his ability in receiving the ball with his back to goal, to hold the ball up and work connections with Vecino and Amaral as this performance was night and day from his outing away to River Plate. He was physically stronger and more confident while he also participated in the pressing phase, harrying his fullback into loose passes allowing his side to regain possession. He also received the ball and attempted to work connections, so he had space to utilise his burst of pace and drive at goal.
He had a moment where he drove into the opposition half to work a pass for Bergessio on the break as his performances have become more commanding as the season has gone on. In Nacional’s match against Liverpool, he moved into the nine space when Bergessio dropped deep to receive possession as this allowed him to receive the ball and work one-touch flicks and passes to teammates making runs. He eventually created a great goal for himself when he spread the ball to former Real Sociedad winger, Chory Castro to burst forward as he continued his run into the box to flick in Castro’s cross.
Rodriguez is brilliant in his ability to be an attacker who can receive the ball in between the lines and work connections while having the vision to attempt through balls to create opportunites. He has worked at developing his physicality and it has showed with his ability to hold the ball in tight spaces while it would also make him a more effective winger if he plays in that position. He is a threat on the break because he can burst into open space and has the decision making to play the right pass at the right time to create an opportunity for himself or his teammates. He can also create counter attacking opportunities by working connections, switching the ball or lobbing a pass to a runner in behind as well as gliding past his man into space to push his team forward. His multi-faceted ability as an attacker makes him one of the most exciting prospects in Uruguayan football.
“It is true that he felt comfortable in that position. But I have no doubt that he can play on the right, on the left or on the inside. Only he puts his limitations of not playing on the wings. Because he has features, he is fast, skilled, he understands the game. Only he can get that he cannot play on the wing or feel uncomfortable. I have no doubt that he can play for the entire attack front and feel comfortable and make a difference. That's very good for the team and for him,” said Nacional Head Coach, Gustavo Munua to Ovacion Digital when asked if Rodriguez can only play in the central attacking midfield positon.
“Yes, many. For example, I didn’t know Santi Rodriguez and he’s a spectacular player for his age, he does crack things,” said Felipe Carballo to El Observador when asked which players surprised him when he returned from Sevilla.
Rodriguez has suffered with an injury, playing different positions as well as poor form as he has responded with vigour surpassing each obstacle put his path. Uruguay have looked to add technical excellence to the usual Uruguayan feistiness or ‘garra chua’ in their new generation of youth products as players like Fede Valverde will lead this generation. Rodriguez will be on the shortlists of many clubs around the world as he could be acquired for a low fee and be sold for tremendous resale value as his ability as an attacker is perfect for the modern game. His passing in tight spaces, dribbling and beguiling turn of pace make him an exciting prospect for the future.
