Football Wyscout Performance Analysis

Néiser Villarreal - Colombia’s U20 Sudamericano Star

10 Mar, 2025

6 min Read

By Golazo

In our new scouting report, we break down the latest exciting forward prospect from Colombia using Wyscout data.

Looking to the previous names of those players who shone at the CONMEBOL under-20 Sudamericano, it’s clear to see that it is a tournament where stars are born - Neymar, Lautaro Martínez, Edinson Cavani, the list goes on of South Americans who would go on to perform at the very highest level after stellar showings at the prestigious youth competition.

This year will likely prove no different. While the traditional powerhouses of Brazil and Argentina ultimately battled it out for the title, both boasting a number of young talents expected to be in Europe soon, it was a far less well known Colombian who was arguably player of the tournament.

The Tricolor finished third, booking their place at the World Cup later this year, thanks in large part to the exploits of forward Néiser Villarreal.

U20 Sudamericano 2025 Goal Involvements - Wyscout Rankings

As part of an exciting attacking trident with Strasbourg’s Oscar Perea and Houston Dynamo’s Andy Batioja, it was Villarreal who truly stood out as the tournament golden boot with 8 goals. However, what Villarreal shared with his teammates was a positional versatility which allowed them to play across the front three, interchanging positions, running wide and complimenting one another.

This flexibility could not only prove incredibly potent for Colombia in the future around a more natural number nine like Al-Nassr striker Jhon Durán for example, but evidently makes Villarreal incredibly desirable for so many top European clubs who play in some form of a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

Villarreal’s heat map highlighting that positional versatility

What is arguably all the more impressive is that Villarreal was regarded as more of a wide player going into the Sudamericano. The boy from Tumaco hadn’t featured for Colombia at either under-15 or under-17 level and had made only 11 first team appearances for Millonarios without a goal, yet Colombia under-20 coach César Torres had clearly seen something.

Not only did Torres call up Villarreal but crucially he played him centrally. The last six months played a key part in this development, with the youngster elevated to the Millonarios first team and working closely with Colombia’s all-time highest scorer, Radamel Falcao. "In every training session he corrects my mistakes and is always there to give me advice,” Villarreal said of his iconic mentor.

Villarreal's shot map - Wyscout Player Report

Whether it was the advice of Falcao or the coaching of Torres, Villarreal looked like a natural. His pace and movement finding space, whether it be inside the penalty area or through defensive gaps to run in behind, made him a constant threat.

With so much appearing to be instinctive and, aided by his physical and technical attributes, Villarreal’s explosiveness gives him the rapid acceleration required to get away from defenders and create the half yard needed inside the box, while also providing the young forward with incredible striking ability, best illustrated in his thunderous hat-trick sealing goal against Paraguay.

Villarreal's performance versus Paraguay U20 - Wyscout Player Match Report

No player fired off more shots at this Sudamericano (2.83 per 90) and that ball striking allowed for a wide variety of efforts, from close range poachers’ touches to long range howitzers. The Paraguay hat-trick proved just how clinical Villarreal can be too, though the Sudamericano in isolation providing a small sample size needs to be taken into consideration.

Regardless, Villarreal’s understanding and involvement as a central striker was clear, indicating a young player with the ability to learn and take on instructions. With the most touches inside the penalty area (5.1 per 90), the Colombian showed intelligent positioning and in combination with his excellent touch and quick feet he was able to operate in those tight spaces.

Villarreal's dribbles - Wyscout Player Report

These technical qualities combined with his pace obviously blend well with the ability to play wide and before any talk of Falcao, Villarreal made no secret who his inspiration was. With his shirt at the Sudamericano displaying ‘Neyser’, rather than the correct spelling of Néiser, the 19-year-old paid homage to Brazilian star, Neymar. The former Barcelona and PSG forward scored 9 goals at the 2011 Sudamericano, one more than Villarreal this year, and the Colombian will now be looking to have a similar impact in Europe before too long.

3.74 dribbles per 90 lags well behind tournament leaders and Colombia teammates John Montaño and Andy Batioja but they were playing wide and looking to beat the full-back while Villarreal was so often central. Despite this, the confident ball-carrier with the skills to escape defenders was evident.

Villarreal's Penalty Area Deliveries - Wyscout Player Report

And when out wide or dropping deeper, Villarreal could turn provider rather than goalscorer. 4 assists was second only to Brazil’s Pedrinho and no other player surpassed his 8 key passes at the Sudamericano.

Now of course the exuberance of youth, particularly once the confidence of scoring began to flow, meant decision-making was at times suspect. Combined with Villarreal’s desire to force things in an effort to create, it naturally saw the youngster misplace passes and lose the ball in areas of the pitch where caution would have been better applied but stifling this confidence would be far more damaging.

Villarreal's passing in key areas - Wyscout Player Report

On the whole Villarreal’s passing is good, his 73.5% accuracy owing much to the fact that so many are forward and aiming to be incisive rather than sideways or backwards with the aim solely of keeping possession.

And underneath all this eye-catching work in the final third there is also a strong work ethic. A good engine capable of sustaining a high-intensity, pressing high, Villarreal registered 2.83 recoveries per 90 in the opposition half. His tall, athletic build aids him in duels and gives him a physical edge which, with further coaching, could be another real asset.

Villarreal's Recoveries - Wyscout Player Report

Amid reported interest from Liverpool, Barcelona, Newcastle, Atlético de Madrid, and the big spending Brazilian clubs, the 19-year-old has been in a contract standoff with Millonarios and Porto look to be in pole position, at the time of writing. He won’t be able to move until December but he will now be aiming to follow in the footsteps of all those South American standouts who came before him at the Sudamericano but must proceed with caution.

Colombia know all too well of the failure to live up to the hype. Hugo Rodallega’s 11-goal haul in 2005 is still a tournament record but the striker’s career never quite fulfilled that vast early promise.

Nevertheless, Villarreal’s emergence is yet another sign of the interesting profile of multi-faceted attacking players, blessed with both the skills of traditional wingers, playmaking abilities, and a keen eye for goal, that Colombia is readily producing. The likes of Luis Díaz, Yáser Asprilla, and Óscar Cortés are all other recent examples. Whereas in the past they would have been positionally defined by a standout talent, now there are more combining of qualities, producing versatile, flexible players.

A fertile environment for young players with the technical and physical attributes to thrive in leagues around the world, there is great potential and value in scouting Colombia. And, with players being snapped up at an increasingly young age, being across youth tournaments like the Sudamericano is crucial.