Igor Gomes – Sao Paulo’s artistic midfield genius
Brazil can resort to saddling players with lofty expectations due to comparisons with former greats as a skillful goalscoring attackers being tutored at the Santos academy will ultimately be compared to Neymar and Pele. In the same fashion, a technically gifted midfielder coming through Sao Paulo’s Cotia academy will be compared to Kaka as 21-year-old, Igor Gomes has had to deal with the comparisons. The duo shares the same perfectly dishevelled black-hair with a fringe over their foreheads as well as their gait, running and dribbling style. Igor Gomes has even described Kaka as ‘a mirror’ for his career but was quick to state that he will have his own career. Cotia is mas-producing high-level talent again under a proactive young Brazilian coach in Fernando Diniz as the side from Brazil’s most populated area are leading the league.
“About that, the people at the base already talked a lot, compared to Kaka. For me it is an honor. He is a person I see as an idol who has won many titles, played at a high level, was the best in the world. An athlete that I have as a mirror. He has his career, and I have mine, I'm starting now. So, I prefer to be talked about. Not "Kakazinho,” said Igor Gomes to Globoesporte.
Brazilian football can be a whiplash for young players being catapulted to stardom and International interest at early ages while not being given the tools to deal with the pressures of fame. Igor Gomes joined Sao Paulo at 14-years-old, but the Brazilian side had already been watching him for four years while he was starring with the Sao Jose do Rio Preto soccer school in the interior of Sao Paulo. He was then housed in Cotia where he progressed through the academy with Ajax’ Anthony, Gabriel Sara and Jonas Toro. They proved that they were a formidable force at youth level as in October 2017, Igor Gomes, Sara and Toro all scored against Red Bull Bragantino as it was the first time that three academy developed players scored in the same game for Sao Paulo. Dorival Junior invited him to the first-team and gave him his debut in 2017 as Ajax and Real Madrid have been rumoured to be interested in the 21-year-old.
However, he has continued to be a bright spark for Fernando Diniz’ league-leading side that are the top scoring side in the Brasiliero as the two have formed a bond that has faced a few tests. When Gomes’ agent and Sao Paulo had issues, Gomes was diplomatic in saying that he respected his club and his manager as well as his agent while Diniz stated that he liked ‘Gomes’ more than his agent as the midfielder continued his high standard of performances. At a time of empty stadiums, it is a shame that Igor Gomes can’t demonstrate his immeasurable gifts in front of the raucous Sao Paulo fanbase as his decision-making in possession is consistently astute and unfailing. The midfielder has added goals to his game recently while he has played as an interior, central midfielder and a central striker.
Brazilian clubs tend to use young midfielders in a wide array of positions to exhibit technical and tactical intelligence in linking play together as midfielders are used on the flank and in central striking roles, to hold up the ball and connect attacking moves. Igor Gomes has thrived at this as he may not accrue many assists, but it is beautiful to watch him operate with masterful artistry in the final third as he weaves into space and plays wonderful passes to teammates making runs. At home to Fluminese, he came off the bench with his side 1-0 down as he sent a corner into the box that was nodded into the path of Brenner who diverted it in with an outstretched leg to level the score.
The 21-year-old midfield maestro became heavily involved in his side’s attacking moves as they sought to dominate the game as Igor Gomes worked a pass for Vitor Bueno to drive inside and back-heel to Brenner who spread the ball for Gabriel Sara to have a cross deflected for a teammate to hammer over. He was clever in transition with innate feints and dummies to evade pressure as he absolutely changed the game while playing on the same pitch as the ‘New Kaka’ of the past in Paulo Henrique Ganso. He also engaged in the dirtier side of the game, winning tackles as his peerless passing allowed his side to establish themselves on the break. He also showed his penchant for impish dummies and flicks in the final third as left-back, Reinaldo worked a pass into him for Igor Gomes to flick a pass back to him with the outside of his boot for the fullback to cut-back for Luciano to blast over.
The young midfielder truly is a magical player to watch as he slows the game down to his speed and distributes the ball with penetration and precision, gliding into space to work connections and involve his teammates in the game. He played up front next to Luciano away to Santos as he adapted to his new position seamlessly. He began the game by controlling a pass, flicking it over a sliding defender and calmly working a pass to a teammate in the final third. He then moved into the channels to receive the ball and delicately lob a delivery onto the head of a teammate who had his opportunity saved before Luciano bundled in the rebound as the striker was flagged for offside. He then worked some brilliant connections on the right flank to create space for two deflected crosses.
Diniz continued to trust his young starlet in the Copa Libertadores against Argentine giants, River Plate as Igor Gomes started the game with a dummy. He then moved into space to receive possession and spread the ball to the wide areas for Reinaldo to have a volley deflected in off a River Plate defender. He was moving into space in the central areas as he dummied the ball to evade the press to facilitate an attack, received a pass from the goalkeeper, Tiago Volpi to turn and play a switch ball to a teammate. Diniz has an interesting tactic in the build-up phase where he moves of his midfielders into a centre-back role as his centre-backs move to the sideline to operate as fullbacks or move into the central spaces as extra men. Igor Gomes received the ball in the centre-back position to move into the central areas in the next line and thread a line-breaking pass to a teammate.
There are few midfielders in world football who use the ball as efficiently and effectively as Igor Gomes as he has the dribbling ability to weave out of pressure. He loves to receive possession in the central or wide areas to shield the ball by cutting the ball onto his right foot, as he has a swift turn of pace and change of direction to weave past players before releasing the ball to a teammate in space. He utilized this manoeuvre against River Plate before making an interception and recycling the ball into the next line at pace. When the goalkeeper, Volpi received possession, Tche Tche and Igor Gomes would move to centre-back roles before Igor Gomes would move to the six-space once the ball progressed the next line.
Igor Gomes truly thrives in build-up play and in approach play in the final third when he moves into the same vertical zone as fellow Cotia product, Gabriel Sara as both are exceptional at receiving the ball in between the lines and establishing connections to create opportunities. Away to Internacional, Igor Gomes worked some brilliant one-touch passing connections in tight spaces for Igor Vinicius to lob a ball to Pablo who had his header blocked. Igor Gomes also worked another one-two in between the lines to release Tche Tche who switched the ball. Another facet of his game which is integral but cannot be measured statistically, is his ability to utilize deft dummies around the opposition box to allow his strikers to receive the ball in space to have shooting opportunities.
He is also so slight, delicate and quick-witted with his movements that he has the ability to draw fouls in the deeper areas or in the opposition half. At home to Goias he started out wide as an interior as he tucked in to hit Luciano in stride with a wonderful through ball that the striker mis controlled. He then worked a connection with Juanfran before back-heeling a pass for the fullback to play the ball back to him in the half-space, the ball then progressed to Gabriel Sara who played a switch ball back to Igor Gomes who pulled a shot wide. However, he never missed his next opportunity as he chested down a deflected delivery and volleyed a shot past the keeper from range to put his side in the lead.
The midfielder maintains a consistent level of high performances as against Goias, he chested down a long ball to swivel and play a through ball to Igor Vinicius to have a crossing opportunity. Igor Gomes was consistently connecting with Gabriel Sara as in build-up, Igor Gomes would move into a right centre-back role with Gabriel Sara moving into a defensive midfield role while the duo interchanged in the wide area and half-space in the attacking phase. Igor Gomes received a pass from young defensive midfielder, Luan for the 21-year-old to turn past two men and lay-off for Dani Alves in the six-space.
The 21-year-old then had a strike from range to put his side in the lead as important goals from outside the box are becoming his trademark. Sao Paulo would switch to a 3-2-5 shape as Igor Gomes would drop into space to create passing angles for his teammates while showing his immense ability as a dribbler when he received the ball in space. One of his favoured manoeuvres in the croqueta to shimmy out of tight spaces as he also possesses the strength to shield the ball from opponents. His ability in build-up combinations was impressive as the timing of his movements was precise as Luan once laid off a pass to the goalkeeper before dropping in between the centre-backs for Igor Gomes to drop into the six-space to receive possession, work a one-two with Dani Alves in the right-back position to beat pressure.
In another short goal-kick move, the goalkeeper Tiago Volpi played a pass to Luan who moved in front of him in the box to work a chip for Igor Gomes in the six-space as the midfielder turned to work a pass for the deeper-lying striker Luciano to burst forward. Igor Gomes would nonchalantly evade pressure by rolling the ball off one foot to flick a pass past a marker with the other as he rarely ever concedes possession. In a top of the table match against Atletico Mineiro, Igor Gomes would prove integral in beating the press in the early stages of the game. Sao Paulo would switch to a back-three with right sided centre-back, Roberto Arboleda moving wider with Luan dropping in between the centre-backs. Dani Alves dropped to receive the ball in the centre to receive the ball and work a pass to Gabriel Sara who worked a connection and dummy for Igor Gomes to play him through as Gabriel had a cross blocked.
Igor Gomes would then continue his goalscoring run as he would open the scoring by receiving the ball in the central pockets to weave his way to the top of the box and strike past the keeper from range. Igor Gomes evaded pressure again when he worked a one-touch pass to Brenner before receiving the ball and switching it to Tche Tche as he received the ball again in between the lines. Igor Gomes would be involved in the second goal as well when he chipped a pass to Vitor Bueno who crossed for Gabriel Sara to make a run to the near post, open his body and finish. Sao Paulo would open a seven-point gap ahead Atletico Mineiro with a 3-0 victory as Igor Gomes and Gabriel Sara were key.
“Football is collective. The coach (Diniz) talks a lot with me and (Gabriel) Sara about our role in the team, and we have a lot of this tactical function of assisting in scoring, in creating and helping to score. And that within the game is exhausting. But we have the conscience and the stamina to do all of that. And this is a team,” said Igor Gomes to Globoesporte after the Atletico Mineiro game.
Igor Gomes has the potential to be a world-class free eight or creative box-to-box midfield conduit as his press resistance and creative passing abilities would translate to the higher levels of European football. His experience playing on the wing and in a central striking role have developed his sense of efficient ball usage in the attacking third as his sense of space and decision making allow him to be an effective midfielder. He knows when to dummy passes for teammates and move into space while he has the body control to receive passes in the channels, reset his feet and thread reverse passes into teammates in positions to create opportunities. He is exceptional and creating the space or playing the pass that is crucial to an assist while he has recently added goals to his repertoire.
At 21-years-old, Igor Gomes is a highly developed midfielder as it is interesting to see which club he would move to as he is the perfect mold for the interior position in a 4-3-3 formation. Sao Paulo are currently trying to sign him to a new contract as his current contract expires in 2023 as his side would like to reward him with a raise for his improved performances while tying him down to command a higher fee in a COVID-19 affected market. Teams with Brazilian Directors like Lyon, with Juninho who has already added a few Brazilians to their playing staff and could be looking for a replacement for Houssem Aouar in the future should be interested. As should Arsenal with Edu and Mikel Arteta’s rebuild as Igor Gomes would provide creative foil and press resistance to a side lacking inspiration. At his current club, Igor Gomes is on the cusp of winning the Brasiliero with a squad bursting with young homegrown talent.
