Spanish football has built a reputation for bringing a number of superstars to the forefront. The contributions of several mid-table clubs in making Spanish football possess one of the largest pool of talented youngsters cannot go unnoticed.
The likes of Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal, Valencia and Real Sociedad continue to churn out talented players year after year. Real Betis is another club that has developed a habit of promoting young Spanish talent and in this segment, we take a look at their latest prospect, the 20-year-old midfielder Dani Ceballos who continues to impress at the heart of the Betis’ midfield.
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Background
Daniel Ceballos Fernandez was born in Utrera on 7th August 1996 and joined Sevilla’s academy at the age of 8. However, despite rising through the ranks at the club’s academy, the player was in for a shock when the club let go of him in 2009 due to a chronic Bronchitis problem. It was his hometown club CD Utrera that recognised his abilities and signed him subsequently, offering him the opportunity to continue his development as a footballer.
Soon, his performances with the Spanish Segunda division side’s youth teams proved to be enough to attract the attention of Real Betis and the player made his move to Estadio Benito Villamarín in February 2014 and has thereafter, gone from strength to strength to establish himself as a critical part of the Betis’ unit.
Since joining the side in 2014, he has already raked in an impressive 80 caps in less than 3 years and his credentials as one of the top young midfielders in the League continue to grow by every match day.
Style of play and Strengths
A central midfielder by trade, Ceballos has also shown an ability to line up deeper when needed. However, it needs to be mentioned that it is at the heart of his side’s midfield that he has flourished and has already recognised his most optimal position on the pitch despite being only 20 years of age.
The Spaniard is a persistent presence in the midfield and has the ability to maintain the tempo of his side with his incessant running on and off the ball as well as his tidy passing ability. He loves to take on the opposition and beat them with his pace and skill on the ball and it should come as no surprise to find that he has managed to beat his man 65% of the times this season in the La Liga.
His acceleration on the ball is perhaps his strongest trait as a player and one that has brought him to the forefront of Spanish football over the last couple of years.
Another aspect of his game that deserves a mention is his ability to contribute to his side’s attack. Ceballos is amongst the leading creators at the club, having created 16 chances goal scoring opportunities for his teammates in the current season.
Defensively, the player might not be very effective going into duels but he does not shy away from challenges and is more than willing to fly into a tackle when needed by his team. His primary contribution defensively is in the form of vital interceptions he makes and Ceballos is vital to Real Betis’ chances of retaining their status as a La Liga team for the upcoming season.
Weaknesses
While the player remains vital to his side’s attack, especially with his ability to create space and time for himself and his teammates, he has a poor finishing record thus far and would do well to improve on it to help his side improve their attacking record going forward.
Not exactly a player who would be termed a man mountain, the player can prove to be an easy opponent to dispossess and his tendency to lose more tackles than he wins does not necessarily make for good readings thus far in the season (he has won just 34% of his duels on the ground and in the air).
However, at just 20 years of age, Ceballos is still in the developmental stage and we believe that the coaching staff at Betis will be providing him with the requisite feedback to improve his game and become one of the top midfielders in the League.
What’s next?
The midfielder was in the spotlight for an extended period during the last 12 months as the Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid were believed to be keen to acquire his services. While Ceballos did eventually commit his future with Betis until the end of the 2019-20 season, it might not dissuade Los Blancos from making a move for one of the brightest Spanish players in the League in the near future.
On a personal note for Ceballos, he will be keen to establish himself as a player with the Spanish national team. He was a part of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship-winning Spanish side in 2015 and was also selected in the team of the tournament. His performances with the Betis unit continue to impress fans and critics alike and should he continue with them, he could soon form a part of the famed Spanish midfield.
Despite their dominance at the international as well as club level over the last decade, the Spanish football seems to be stagnating and some in the mould of Cabellos would provide the side with the required impetus and freshness to remain relevant on various levels.
