World Cup 2014: Top 5 young players thus far

Ricardo Rodriguez (left) showcases one of the many aspects of his game – despite being a left back, he is brilliant in the air, amongst so many other things.

3. Ricardo Rodriguez (LB, Switzerland)

I remember a discussion I had with a friend of mine just before the tournament began.  The debate revolved around who would make it out of the group behind France – he fell on the side of Ecuador, while I had faith in the Swiss.  We bantered back and fourth about the pros and cons of each, and while his points were sound and were highlighted by the South American advantage, I argued that under-rating the Swiss actually plays perfectly into their hands – they’re a team of talented yet unheralded players who have quite a lot to prove.  Ricardo Rodriguez is one of those players.

At just 21 years old, he’s the first choice left-back for both club (Vfl Wolfsburg) and country – but the remarkable thing is, despite playing in such a popular league in the Bundesliga, so many people fall prey to the tractor-beams that are Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.  Yes David Alaba is gifted and yes Erik Durm broke through at Dortmund in telling fashion, but if you believe statistics and analysis, Rodriguez was not only the best left-back in the league this past season, but the second best player over all – his performances for the Swiss this summer have mirrored that.  His pair of assists against Ecuador were brilliant, and much like Aurier, he’s so much more than just an attack minded defender.  The Swiss may not go far this summer in the knockout stages, but his career is one that can go anywhere it wants.