A Scandinavian discovery, the Pep Guardiola conspiracy and some international stat leaders
A Scandinavian discovery, the Pep Guardiola conspiracy and some international stat leaders
Monday Night SCOUTED: a 'lil international break won't stop Jake noticing...
…and this was very much a weekend of noticing, above all else.
I was away, celebrating a friend’s wedding, so my consumption of international football has been through app updates and highlights. Forgive me.
Before the first batch of games, I spent my evenings watching the modern Planet of the Apes tetralogy (I had to look that word up) with my sister.
As a result of watching fewer matches and filling the void with post-apocalyptic films, this edition of Monday Night SCOUTED includes some unhinged, unserious thoughts about football doomsday.
But first…
All stats correct as of 09/09/2024 19:00 BST unless otherwise noted.
Three’s A Crowd
Scandinavia is the composition of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. This trio have never qualified for the same edition of the FIFA Men’s World Cup. I could not believe it.
In 1992, Denmark became the first and only Scandinavian country to win a men’s major tournament. Since missing out on UEFA Euro 2016, they have gone on to establish themselves as a major tournament staple, qualifying for each of the last four.
The average age of their starting XI in their UEFA Nations League match against Serbia was 29.1 years old. Although that suggests the 2026 World Cup may be the last voyage for the old guard, the Danes have enough emerging talent to continue their conquests into the next decade. Rasmus Højlund (2003) will likely be the poster boy, but don’t forget SCOUTED50’s Patrick Dorgu (2004). The Lecce left-back looks tailor-made for the Dane’s all-action wing-back role.
That’s one down. Two to go.
Sweden have failed to qualify for each of the last two men’s major tournaments. Now managed by a Dane themselves - Jon Dahl Tomasson became the nation’s first foreign-born coach when he was appointed in February 2024 - failing to qualify for the next World Cup would be a disaster.
Why?
Put simply, Sweden have one of international football’s best strike partnerships. Viktor Gyökeres (1998) and Alexander Isak (1999) scored twice each across the UEFA Nations League fixtures against Azerbaijan and Estonia.
In the first game, Gyökeres provided the assist for each of Isak’s goals before converting a penalty won by his teammate to complete the 1-3 win.
And the teamsheet strength does not end there. Dejan Kulusevski (2000), who captained the side during this international break, operates from the right with Anthony Elanga (2002) usually deployed on the opposite flank.
In midfield, a future partnership between Yasin Ayari (2003) and SCOUTED favourite Lucas Bergvall (2006) is extremely promising. Ayari has made a positive start to 2024/25 for both club (Brighton) and country while Bergvall’s cameos have been box-office. As SCOUTED’s Llew Davies continues to highlight.
These players must make an appearance on the world stage.
Two down. One to go.
Although it was Sweden that let the side down by not reaching the 1998 World Cup, Norway have not qualified for the tournament since.
That means the last time they featured at the FIFA Men’s World Cup, current captain Martin Ødegaard (December 1998) had not yet been born, let alone soon-to-become all-time top scorer Erling Haaland (2000).
This all becomes even more absurd when you consider that both players were included on the shortlist for the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or: Norway produced as many nominees as Argentina, France and Portugal - and one more than Brazil.
And yet, the wait for a major tournament appearance will extend to 26 years. Surely the expansion of the World Cup combined with their ever-deepening national pool means that is where it will end?
Alongside Ødegaard and Haaland, Norway now have two of Europe’s most exciting young wingers: Antonio Nusa (2005) and Oscar Bobb (2003). Nusa was tracked and targeted by half of the Premier League before joining RB Leipzig while Bobb was set for a breakout season at Manchester City until a broken leg ended his 2024 early. Both will serve as excellent outlets for Ødegaard and both will provide quality service to Haaland.
It doesn’t stop there.
Sindre Egeli (2006) made his senior debut in the 0-0 draw against Kazakhstan while Sverre Nypan (2006) is reportedly attracting interest from Arsenal. Egeli has been prolific at youth international level, scoring 32 goals in 35 games for Norway’s U-15 to U-19s. Nypan is a dynamic, compact, two-footed midfielder with more than 50 senior games for Rosenborg under his belt before his 18th birthday.
Whether Ståle Solbakken is the right man to maximise the potential of this generation a question best posed to someone else (it seems like the answer is no). But what I will say is this.
In 2026, all three Scandinavian countries should compete at the same FIFA Men’s World Cup for the first time in the competition’s history. Anything else would be a disaster.
The Cure
In 74 minutes against Israel, Jérémy Doku created 8 chances - that’s the most any player has managed in a 2024/25 UEFA Nations League game. Perhaps this perception has been warped by years working in social media, but I feel like the 22-year-old is not rated as highly as he should be.
Personally, I believe Doku is one of the most destructive shot-generators in world football. Granted, you could expect a greater return of goal contributions, but a winger that can teleport to the byline for cut-back opportunities is as much a forward’s dream as it is a full-back’s nightmare.
In Jérémy Doku, Dodi Lukébakio, Johan Bakayoko and Julian Duranville, Belgium have a decade-worth of game-breaking wide talent. In Loïs Openda, they have the perfect penalty-box presence to succeed Romelu Lukaku and maximise their effectiveness.
Unfortunately for Doku, one of the few U23 players I would not hesitate to pick ahead of him was in full flow a day later.
70 touches. 7 chances created. 4 Big Chances created. 3 assists. 1 goal. Jamal Musiala was magic against Hungary.
He is the second-coming of Kaká: a balletic, ball-carrying marvel in central positions, capable of turning a game on its head through a series of broken ankles in a blink of an eye.
Rather serendipitously, both Doku and Musiala dropped these game-breaking displays at a time when rumours emerged that Manchester City are preparing a move for the latter. I can’t speak to the legitimacy of these reports, but they do substantiate my Pep Guardiola conspiracy theory. He’s an evil genius.
Guardiola has spent more than a decade establishing a football meta centred on structure, perfect distances and precise passing patterns, only to have been perfecting the ‘cure’ alongside it the entire time. The signs have been there. If you didn’t notice Adama Traoré’s uncharacteristic consistency against City, be sure that Pep did.
Just as his philosophy becomes a pandemic, officially ‘ruining’ football at every level - as the reaction to this viral clip confirmed - he reveals the antidote to save it.
Just as Pep rescued the sport from 739-clearance seasons, he will emerge as the hero once again, replacing death by 1,000 cuts passes with the art of dribbling.
Signing Mateo Kovačić, Matheus Nunes and Jérémy Doku in one window was the Dawn of this new era. Adding Savinho will accelerate the Rise. If Musiala does make the move to Manchester in 2025, prepare for a football culture War.
SCOUTED Stats
Unfortunately, FBref do not have Nations League data available so I cannot provide 2024/25 UEFA Nations League leaders for my favourite metrics like Shot-Creating Actions and Carries. Fortunately, SofaScore has a decent suite of stats available.
You already know about Jamal Musiala and Jérémy Doku. Their aforementioned key pass tallies (7 and 8 respectively) were single-game records, for players of any age, across the first round of fixtures. Musiala also ranked first for Big Chances created (4).
It’s worth noting that Joshua Zirkzee served up three Big Chances for the Netherlands in the 5-2 win against Bosnia & Herzegovina, also attempting four shots himself, and finished the match with a goal and assist.
In the same game, Xavi Simons cracked off seven shots, more than any player born in 2001 or later has managed in a single match. But that still fell four short of Alexander Isak’s 11 attempts against Azerbaijan (you can see why I had to mention Sweden earlier).
In lieu of carries, I will happily fall back on successful take-ons and it is Belgium-born Belarus winger Maxim Kireev that takes top spot. The 20-year-old completed 7/11 attempted dribbles against Luxembourg despite playing just 48 minutes. In fact, the only player that completed more successful dribbles in a Round 1 was Martin Ødegaard (8/13 vs. Kazakhstan). Kireev spent nine years at Anderlecht’s academy before being released ahead of the 2023/24 season. He now plays for Lierse in Belgium’s second tier.
And finally, Amadou Onana continues to be a force of nature. The 23-year-old made four interceptions in Belgium’s win against Israel, the joint-most by a player born in 2001-or-later.
The only player that could match him? Andrea Contadini. The 22-year-old also made four interceptions in San Marino’s historic win against Liechtenstein, their first-ever competitive victory.
Well done, lads.
That’s it from me. Next week’s edition of Monday Night SCOUTED will coincide with the return of club football. Until then, enjoy the rest of the international fixtures and let me know if I have missed anything else. Jake.
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Loving this format. Insightful and broad. Great work as ever
Don't forget Hugo Larsson in that Swedish midfield! Good first season at Eintracht Frankfurt, already established as a starter in a Top 5 League at 20 yo. Could make a really promising pairing with Bergvall.