Forward | Celta Vigo | Uruguay

Skinny

The heir to Luis Suarez? It has certainly been suggested.

Gomez’s style of play is definitely reminiscent, in a few respects, of his iconic compatriot. Gomez certainly boasts clinical finishing ability, but also possesses the tenacity, endeavour and battling style that typifies Suarez and the Uruguayan game generally.

‘Garra charrua’ - that uniquely Uruguayan street-fighting spirit - is something Gomez has in spades. That’s not to suggest, though, that the young striker is all brawn and bombast. There’s plenty of guile in his game too, along with a healthy dollop of technical ability and the kind of footballing intelligence that separates the best goalscorers from the rest.

The Celta Vigo starlet is able to persistently occupy space and lose his markers, all seemingly without ever moving a great deal at all. It’s an instinctive, intuitive understanding of the game that makes what Gomez does on the pitch so effective, and often even harder to explain why it works. It just does, and he knows it does.

Good with both feet and with his head, Gomez is a born goalscorer. Celta Vigo are the present beneficiaries of his prolific antics. Surely, though, his future lies somewhere much closer to the pinnacle of the domestic game.

2018 has been…

…spectacular. 18 goals and 6 assists in La Liga across the calendar year is a sensational return from a 22-year-old plying his trade for a decidedly mid-table outfit.

What’s more, Gomez has also forced his way into international reckoning. Since making his debut against Poland in late 2017, the attacker has imposed his way into Oscar Tabarez’s grander plans and was ultimately included in the Uruguay squad that ventured to the 2018 summer World Cup in Russia.

Whilst Gomez is yet to set the world stage alight - he remains without a goal in his country’s colours - the esteem he is held in in his homeland is ever-growing. With Suarez and Edinson Cavani ageing, Uruguay are holding out for a new hero. Many believe that Gomez could be it. 2018 has only fuelled the fires of their faith in the Celta Vigo No. 9.

What next?

Keep it up. Gomez’s recent progress has been fantastic. Since switching Uruguayan club Defensor Sporting for the climes of the Spanish west coast, the 22-year-old has hurdled every obstacle in his way so far.

Now it’s all about keeping that up and growing as a player. Gomez is already a good goalscorer, but he is not yet the complete player. He does not contribute enough to the build up play, or offer as much as he could in a defensive sense. His vision, passing range and hold up play can all be worked on.

It’s tempting, though, to envisage what may lay a little further down the line. It could be absolutely glorious. Goals are coming. Loads and loads of Gomez goals.

A - The heir Suarez? Probably. What a compliment that is