Christian Pulisic, Fred, Eden Hazard: Players who are better for their country than their club
Christian Pulisic, Fred, Eden Hazard: Players who are better for their country than their club: There are instances when a player appears more at home with their country’s side than with their club.
The national team may only provide a few games each year.
Still, for specific players, the opportunity to try out a new playing style, formation, and teammates can be worth the sacrifice of playing time compared to the year-round grind of club football.
It’s natural to worry that a player’s prospects of making an impact at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar may suffer if he doesn’t get enough playing time or isn’t at ease with his club team.
But have no fear, since these six players tend to improve their play when they wear the national team jersey.
Christian Pulisic, 24, Chelsea / United States
Despite an impressive start to his Chelsea career (nine goals in his first season in the Premier League), the development of the USMNT captain’s club career has somewhat stalled in recent years.
New boss Graham Potter might be a second chance or the beginning of the end for him at Chelsea after being mostly overlooked by Thomas Tuchel last season (he never got a sustained period in his preferred spot on the left side of midfield).
But Pulisic has consistently done well for his country (he has 21 goals and 12 assists from 51 games, though some always anticipate more), and his recent finest hour was a hat trick against Panama in March.
While there are reasons to be concerned about his club form this season, as he has yet to play more than an hour in any competition, he should still be the leader of the U.S. team at the World Cup.
Fred, 29, Manchester United / Brazil
Fred is still an essential part of Tite’s Brazil midfield even though he was never an absolute necessity for Manchester United.
The left-footed defensive midfielder is already in his fifth season in the Premier League and has played in more than 100 games. Still, he has rarely demonstrated consistent runs of form beyond the occasional flash of his undeniable potential.
While for Brazil, he appears to play with more confidence than he does for his club side, where he often looks awkward or one-dimensional in possession and cautious while pushing.
Unlike at club level, where he often plays a supporting position alongside his new teammate Casemiro, Fred’s job for the national team is more limited: he is tasked with establishing a steady, balancing presence while also having the freedom to venture forward occasionally.
Although he never stops trying, he often looks at a loss for what to do next when he gets the ball for United. However, he did show signs of improving his attacking impact toward the end of the previous season.
Timo Werner, 26, RB Leipzig / Germany
Werner continued to play for Germany even though he was scoreless for Chelsea. Werner’s consistency in front of goal came under criticism during his unfortunate time in London, where he scored only 10 times in 56 league games despite never lacking in movement, application, or energy.
On the other hand, his 24 goals in 53 games for Germany puts him in the company of the world’s best players.
Werner has only scored once in six Bundesliga games since returning to RB Leipzig for €30 million in the summer, which raises questions about his ability to convert opportunities on the club level (though he did net a hat trick in a DFB-Pokal game.)
It’s no wonder that his Chelsea coaches were inclined to play him in a wide role (therefore further away from goal) given that he is primarily a movement-based forward who thrives on space. Still, with the German squad, he generally slots in at center-forward where he is their most constant goal threat.
Eden Hazard, 32, Real Madrid / Belgium
The former Chelsea forward is still on track to play a major role for Belgium at the World Cup, despite his diminishing playing time for Real Madrid (now 98 minutes from three games).
Despite injury concerns, Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez has played Hazard regularly when games have been coming thick and fast (he appeared in all four of Belgium’s Nations League matches in June).
Martinez seems content with fielding Hazard as one of two No. 10s, along with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
Hazard (who has 33 goals from 120 international games to his record) recently proved vital for Real Madrid when his second-half inclusion against Celtic resulted in a goal and an assist for the European champions, despite his little playing time for the club.
He still has the potential to be a game-changer for Belgium in Qatar because to his ingenuity, experience, and ball skills.
Memphis Depay, 28, Netherlands / Barcelona
Depay has not only continued his stellar form for the Netherlands despite his uncertainties at Barcelona, but he has also been his team’s best player throughout their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Depay’s nine goals in as many games in April and June helped the Netherlands qualify for the World Cup, and he was also a driving force in the Nations League.
Depay may have recently regained some confidence from Barca boss Xavi after the transfer window ended and he stayed at Camp Nou despite multiple offers elsewhere.
Still, given the club’s public willingness to let him go in the summer, most of his playing time will likely come from his country. His experience and prowess in the Dutch attack will be crucial since he is the only player on the team to have scored in double digits (a solid 42 in 80 games).
Rodrigo De Paul, 28, Atletico Madrid / Argentina
Although De Paul was widely heralded as one of the best midfielders in Serie A when playing for Udinese (34 goals and 36 assists in 184 games), his €35 million transfer to Atletico Madrid in 2021 has resulted in less attention for the player.
Despite displaying a superb blend of talent and inventiveness thus far this season, he has struggled to find a consistent role, with only one goal and one assist in eight appearances.
However, it appears that De Paul will start for Argentina (despite a court battle with his ex-wife complicating matters, as individuals entangled in legal controversies may be refused entry to Qatar.)
In Argentina’s system, he plays in a more advanced central midfield role, which allows him more room to make his trademark runs into the open territory and get into dangerous scoring opportunities.
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