Welcome to the first installment of MLS Film Room, a new series here at Backheeled where we dive into trends, tactics, teams, players, and more from around MLS. This debut edition is free for everyone. Future editions will be reserved for our paid subscribers!
Minnesota United went to work in the summer transfer window — only St. Louis City pieced together more combined incoming and outgoing moves than the Loons.
Six new players joined first-year chief soccer officer Khaled El-Ahmad’s squad, with three heading the other way before August’s deadline day. While new Designated Players Kelvin Yeobah (who’s so locked in that he’s scoring goals with his face these days) and Joaquin Pereyra have soaked up most of the spotlight, there’s another fresh face who warrants a deeper look in this week’s MLS Film Room: Jefferson Diaz.
Who? Calm down, calm down, I’ll give you the quick bio before we get to the tape.
Diaz is a 23-year-old Colombian center back who signed in Minnesota from Deportivo Cali in his native country at the tail end of July. Since arriving in MLS, he’s started five games as an outside center back in Eric Ramsay’s 3-4-2-1 and started one other game as a right back in more of a 4-2-3-1. Word has it that Diaz began his career as a forward before shifting all the way to the other end of the field.
Suffice to say, Diaz’s attacking instincts show when you comb through the guy’s early MLS minutes.
Whether he’s playing on the right or the left side of Ramsay’s back three, Diaz pops off the screen. Elite center backs don’t grow on trees, but — and, I assure you, I’m not trying to be hyperbolic here — Minnesota United may have found one. Or at least the makings of one.
Let me show you why.
Elite ball carrier
Remember earlier when I said Diaz used to play as a forward? Yeah, well it really, really shows. With his skilled right foot and unadulterated love for getting up the field from his center back spot in possession, the Colombian has tools on the ball that 99.9% of MLS center backs would die for. Let’s roll the tape.
Here’s Diaz skirting right through FC Cincinnati’s defensive structure by using his opponent’s momentum against him before kickstarting an entire attack:
The videos have neat little annotations on them.
— _ (@21LBRB) October 2, 2024
And here’s Diaz showing off his adventurous spirit, completely crushing Cincy’s shape, and creating a shot at the other end. This sequence is straight-up awesome:
— _ (@21LBRB) October 1, 2024
I mean, MLS center backs outside of Columbus don’t tend to try a ton of underlaps and overlaps. But Diaz? His skill on the ball and dynamism in the open field (and Ramsay’s steely nerves on the sidelines) allow him to do jaw-dropping things. Just imagine if Diaz had been on the side of his dominant foot here against Sporting Kansas City so he could play the final cutback with ease:
