Daniel Ruiz – Millonarios’ instrumental playmaker

South America is known for the production of the game-altering playmaker as the next creative player on the production line is constantly compared to the last playmaker with fans and media focusing on their similarities. In this culture, as James Rodriguez’ career winds down, Colombia have already found the next playmaker in Daniel Ruiz who made his professional debut as a 17-year-old in 2018 while he is one of the most exhilarating players for one of Colombia’s bigger teams in Millonarios. He is left-footed, stout physically while being able to twist and turn out of the tightest of situations as these facets of his game are underlined by peerless vision to thread through balls into the tightest of gaps to ease transition and create opportunities for his team. Rodriguez has even lauded the 21-year-old as a move to the elder player’s old stomping ground in FC Porto has been touted.

 "He's number 10, right? Yes, I've seen him in two or three games. He's a guy who has a lot of quality. I can't watch the games here well because they're too late, but I try to see all those goals they score. He is a boy with quality and a future. I hope that he can help Colombian soccer a lot and that he can continue on that good path. I like to see players who have a good footing. I hope that Ruiz can continue on that path because Colombian soccer needs players with the same talent’” said Rodriguez in a Q&A session on his social media channels earlier this year.

He started his football career at the Club Deportivo Dinhos academy in Bogota as a youngster before he played in the Bogota Local Team where he played in a few youth tournaments. In these tournaments, he was discovered by Agustin Garizabalo, a scout from Deportivo Cali where he played for two years before deciding to return to Bogota. Ruiz then moved to Fortaleza CEIF as the Colombian Second Division club thrive in recruiting or loaning youngsters from the bigger academies in Colombia, developing them and then selling them back to the bigger clubs for a profit as Fortaleza have a relationship with Millonarios specifically. Fortaleza CEIF initially recruited him for their U20 side as he would quickly make an impression as he was promoted to the first-team side to earn a starting role as a teenager. Millonarios and Alberto Gamero would quickly come calling as the 21-year-old is now a leading player for the Colombian giants.

Ruiz has a well-built physique which allows him to barge opposition players off the ball to regain possession or shield the ball effectively as this pairs nicely with his tight space dribbling ability. The 21-year-old has immaculate close control as he can twist and turn out of tight situations, jinking past opponents to play progressive passes as his dribbling style is key when he receives possession in the central pockets, buying himself time to play penetrative passes forward. He can move into the left half-space to receive early passes in between the lines, connecting play with one-touch passing interchanges or creating a pocket of space for himself to thread through balls to runners in the channels. Ruiz constantly picks his head up as he has a phenomenal sense for runs as he can angle through balls from the wide areas to the central spaces and to runners in behind from the central areas. He can switch balls with his wonderful passing range while in the future, he will develop as a goal-scorer as he can work connections, making intelligent movements into high quality areas to generate shooting opportunities. Although he is currently deployed as a left winger, he has the potential to operate as a left sided interior in a 4-3-3 formation.

Earlier this year, away to his former club, Deportivo Cali, he would tuck into the eight space to receive possession, allowing the ball to roll across his body to his left foot as two opposition players pushed up to apply pressure on him for the 21-year-old to nonchalantly roll the ball off his left foot to his right foot to poke a pass in between the two players to the ten space. After a defensive turnover, Ruiz would tuck into the eight space to receive possession, cushioning a one-touch pass to a teammate before making a run into the channels to receive possession, cutting past a defender as he drove into the opposition half to play a through ball with the outside of his left boot which was too light as his striker had to drop deeper to lay-off the ball. One of the reasons that Ruiz could thrive in an interior role is that in the build-up phase, he is intelligent with one-touch interchanges while he can also play deep passes in between the lines to ease transition. After a turnover, he would play a deep one-touch pass to the nine-space for a teammate.

In the central spaces, Ruiz is incredibly innate with his first touches and the way he swivels away from challenges to create better passing angles for himself while he can work passing interchanges and occupy good spaces in between the lines. The 21-year-old moved into the left half-space to receive possession, working a pass into the nine-space for the striker to lay-off the ball to a deeper player as the 21-year-old moved to occupy the ten space, dropping deeper to receive possession as the ball was played to a teammate in the same vertical line as him as Ruiz received possession in a vertical body shape, allowing the ball to roll to his back-foot, swivelling away from a challenge to drive the ball forward and find a teammate with a pass in between the lines. He had another piece of savvy dribbling and ball-shielding in the central space moments later, tucking into the eight space to receive possession, allowing the ball to roll across his body to his left foot, setting his feet to spread a pass to the left flank to cut inside and skip past a marker, driving the ball forward to thread a pass to the right half-space.

Ruiz then used his combination play to win a penalty as a turnover was won in midfield for the 21-year-old to tuck into the eight space, receiving possession and spreading a pass to his overlapping fullback on the flank as he gestured for a pass while making a run into the half-space, receiving possession and shielding the ball as he was barged over from behind. He was as influential in his team’s second goal, regaining possession with an interception in the pressing phase to play the ball through to a teammate who had a 1v1 opportunity and scored. He received possession in a counter-attacking sequence before he lost possession, charging back to win a turnover, rolling the ball past one marker before rolling the ball back and threading a pass in between the lines to a teammate who played the ball back to him as Ruiz traded passes with another teammate, making a run in between the lines to receive possession as he had a heavy first touch and was tackled.

Away to Independiente Santa Fe, Ruiz illustrated that his best touches come when tucking into the eight space as while the ball was held on the right flank, he tucked into the eight space as a deeper-lying midfielder received possession to work a pass for Ruiz in between the lines as the 21-year-old took a touch and threaded a pass in between the lines, continuing a run into the box where a pass was played in behind him. Ruiz moved into the central spaces to occupy a vacated space as he received possession, connected play in between the lines and moved into a high-quality goalscoring position as the Colombian could develop into a high-level box-to-box operator. The Colombian attacking artist would receive possession on the left flank, threading a pass in between the lines to a teammate before making a run towards the box as he would receive possession again before he was barged over by defender. He received possession in the left half-space to hold possession and thread a well-weighted penetrative pass in between the lines.

He utilized his combination play and intelligent movement to create another opportunity for himself, receiving possession on the left flank and trading passes with a teammate in the half-space as he moved towards the centre, skipping out of a challenge before holding possession and poking a through ball to the nine-space with the outside of his left boot. The 21-year-old then continued his run to occupy the vacant nine-space as the ball was squared to him for what would have been a tap-in, but a glut of defenders blocked his opportunity. This sequence showed two things from the youngster as his connections in the transition phase could lead to opportunities for teammates as he is capable of playing the pass before the assist while he also has a knack for sensing the ball in the final third. In a free-kick routine, he lobbed a cross to the back-post for a teammate to have a shot saved.

Ruiz would receive possession in between the lines, playing a one-touch pass for a teammate to have a shooting opportunity from the top of the box which he allowed to roll across his body. The Colombian won an interception in front of his own box to play a line-breaking disguised pass into the centre of the pitch to start a counter-attacking situation. Away to Cortulua, he scored an amazing goal as he was on hand to volley a deflection past the keeper from the left side of the box. He then made a run to receive possession in a counter-attacking situation, cutting back on the left flank to trade passes with a teammate before rolling the ball to the deepest-lying midfielder and making a run down the flank, as he held his run to receive possession, lobbing a pass for a runner in the left channel. After a turnover in the defensive phase, he cut past a marker before playing a progressive pass to a teammate and continuing his run for a lobbed pass which was too heavy. When possession was held on the right flank, Ruiz tucked into the eight space to receive possession, backheeling a pass to a teammate before moving to occupy the ten space as the ball moved to the left flank, he gestured for his fullback to play a back-pass to the deeper-lying midfielder as a pass was played to the striker who dropped deep for Ruiz to make a run behind him to receive a flick-on.

He received possession near the touchline, trading passes with a teammate in the eight space before playing a deep line-breaking pass to the attacking line as he orchestrated a move which led to a high-quality goalscoring opportunity being created. Defensively, he made a brilliantly timed sliding tackle for his team to drive the ball forward as after a turnover, he tucked into the eight space to receive possession and lobbed a one-touch pass into the channels for a teammate. In the opposition half, he lobbed a cross for Carlos Gomez to lay-off for a teammate to have a shot blocked. He moved to the right flank to have a moment of pure artistry as a pass was played behind him for the 21-year-old to flick the ball into his stride with his heel to send a shot into the side-netting with his right foot. Away to Atletico Junior, he made an interception to cushion the ball away from an opposition player with his directional first touch, colliding with a teammate, spinning away from a tackle to trade passes with a defender to shield possession from an opposition defender, spin away from another challenge to have a pass intercepted.

 Ruiz received possession in the wide zone, driving the ball forward, skipping past a defender while driving into the opposition half to attract markers before releasing possession into the wide zone. The 21-year-old received possession on the right flank to lob a one-touch pass to the nine-space before making a run to receive possession in the wide channel as he held possession to play a penetrative pass into the centre before moving into the vacated nine-space as he did not receive the ball in this area. His runs, movement and the genius and timing with which he occupies vacant spaces are the facets of his game that could make him an efficient final third operator. The Colombian tucked into the left half-space to receive possession, controlling the ball with his right foot and lobbing a pass into the box for a teammate to have a shot at goal. Ruiz would latch onto a loose pass, driving the ball away from an opposition defender with his first touch before skipping past another defender to drive into the centre and play a back-pass for a teammate.

Ruiz received possession by the right touchline, rolling the ball from his left foot to his right to roll a pass to a teammate in the channels. He then made an interception to regain possession on the right flank before turning to lob a pass to a runner on the opposite flank as the goalkeeper had to leave his box to deflect the opportunity from goal. Ruiz tucked into the eight space once more, receiving possession and lobbing a pass to the left flank before making a movement to occupy the ten space as he received possession to hold possession and thread a line-breaking pass through three defenders before making a run to receive possession in the nine-space as his first touch was heavy and he was tackled. He moved back to the left flank to receive possession, cut inside and thread a line-breaking pass in between the lines which led to a direct ball for an attacker to make a run in behind for a high-quality opportunity. The 21-year-old had another of these moments, tucking into the left half-space, receiving possession to swivel and thread a pass into the box for a lay-off as he skipped past a marker, holding possession to poke another line-breaking pass to a teammate as he made a run into the box to receive a lay-off as he was tackled before he could get a shot away.

At home to America de Cali, he had a tough start to the game, having a through ball intercepted before receiving a cut-back in the box to take a touch and hammer a shot over the bar. He then moved into the left half-space to work connections as he moved into the box to get on the end of another delivery, sending a header over the bar. Ruiz should be playing in a more central position as the passing angles in the centre favour his skillset and vision as this was the main reason the playmaker struggled to have an impact on the game. However, he did manage to play a vertical pass from the flank to the ten space before losing possession after a lay-off from Gomez as he lost possession on the flank once more despite having a good first touch. The 21-year-old would receive possession in the left half-space to back-heel a through ball into the channels while when he received possession and cut inside, he did not have the opportunity to lob passes for runners as teammates were not making runs off the ball. Ruiz would lob a pass to the nine-space before tucking into the ten space and moving into the right half-space as his struggles would continue until he was taken off.

Ruiz leads Colombia in expected assists with 10.35 number while he only has 5 assists as he is greatly underperforming his expected assist value. He ranks just outside the top 30 in expected goals with a 5.73 expected goal number for 6 goals as he is second in Colombia in combined expected goals and assists with a 16.09 number. He has 2 second assists which are passes before the assist as well as 2 third assists which are passes to set up the player who eventually plays the pass before the assist. He ranks in the top 15 in shots with a 44.4% shot accuracy as 62% of his shots are from outside the penalty area. With his combination play and movement in the box, this number could see a drastic improvement in the future as 47% of his shots are from open play. He ranks 2nd in dribbling with a 44% dribble success rate while he also ranks second for touches in the penalty area. He ranks third for through balls with a 34% accuracy which is in the top 5 in Colombia while he also leads Colombia in key passes. He ranks in the top 10 in passes to the final third with a 70% accuracy as he also ranks in the top 15 in progressive runs.

Ruiz’ metrics are outstanding, especially in playing the ball forward and creating opportunities for himself and his teammates in the final third. However, there are some things that he would need to improve on as it is integral to understand that his best position is as an attacking midfielder or a left-sided interior, preferably in a 4-3-3. He gets into good goalscoring positions, mainly through intelligent and incisive combination play as he would be a more proficient goal scorer if he was drilled with taking shots on his first touch from a variety of body angles and shapes. He regularly gets into the box and takes one-touch too many which denies him the shooting opportunity. It is also important to recognize that Ruiz’ ball-carrying translates into a central position rather than a wide position as it is based on close control in tight situations as the Colombian is phenomenal at buying time before playing a progressive pass. He also thrives in the centre as it allows him to work combinations before moving into space to receive possession or buying himself time to play the progressive pass. Like most intelligent deeper-lying creative midfielders, Ruiz is intelligent at slowing the pace down on games to buy time to roll the perfect pass in between the lines.

Defensively, he is astute at pressing to make interceptions while he has the physique to barge opposition players off the ball while if he regains possession in the defensive phase, he is clever at playing the first penetrative pass to usher his team into a counter-attacking situation. It is fascinating that Ruiz particularly thrives in a system with a fluid striking presence as he can consistently make runs off his striker while if his striker drops deep, Ruiz can play line-breaking passes to him before gradually moving to occupy the nine-space to receive possession. Ruiz seems like a player who was born to operate in a fluid 4-3-3 system as he thrives in tucking into space, receiving possession and connecting play to push his team forward at pace and tempo. Ruiz would be an intelligent acquisition for Vincent Kompany’s Burnley who operate in a 4-3-3 with fluidity in the nine-space as well as in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal as he makes similar movements to Granit Xhaka in that system.

The 21-year-old currently has a contract that lasts until 2024 as he has already been subject of interest from Botafogo in Brazil and FC Porto in Portugal. Other teams that would be a good fit for the youngster are Eintracht Frankfurt if they lose Jesper Lindstrom and Daichi Kamada in the next two windows. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brentford and Celtic are other teams in the United Kingdom that could utilize the young attacker while he would thrive in Brighton’s system under Roberto De Zerbi. Ajax under Alfred Schreuder would also be a good system for him as would Lyon, Nice, Monaco and Brest. Serie A is a league that suits his particular skillset as he would thrive at Lazio, Fiorentina, Atalanta and Udinese. In Spain, Real Sociedad, Real Betis, Celta Vigo, Girona and Almeria would also be good landing spots for him. Ruiz seems like a player who will certainly make a move in one of the next two windows as he has world class potential but would just need a move to a team that plays him in his best position to flourish.