Johnny Cardoso

Presenting Johnny Cardoso: 22 years old, born on 20th September 2001, and proudly representing the USA, Johnny Cardoso is a rising talent making his mark in the world of soccer. Currently with Internacional, Johnny plays in their midfield, while standing at 182cm (5'9). With his right-foot, he possesses the potential to be a key player in the future of the sport. In this scouting report, we’ll provide an in-depth analysis of his skills and attributes, shedding light on his journey to stardom.

Internacional’s 3–2 base during their settled build-up phase.

1. I will show another picture to highlight the same stuff, though in a different way, though the things we can understand from this are as followed: the distances are poor, two zones unoccupied (you’ll see which ones below), and this also teaches about a certain aspect of JC’s mental profile.. I will go into more detail below.

Internacional’s 4–1 / 4–2 base, within a 4–3–3 structure.

2. Again, the structure may be different, but we can still see the same problems, oh and btw, JC was playing as the recognised six in this game. The zones that are unoccupied, can you see now? zone-5 and zone-8, literally destructive for your control, what about his mental-profile? What can we learn from this? Well, you can see a deep eight dropping to ease the physiological controlling pressures of JC, and, JC isn’t even central here, you wouldn’t see him as the six if I (a man of vast knowledge, experience and perspicacity) hadn’t of told you that this is where he played.

JC’s touches in the thirds.

You can see what this graph is showing via the caption, hopefully you can understand what your looking at too. In his defensive third, he is in the 53rd percentile for touches, with 12.54 per90. In his middle third, he is in the 60th percentile for touches, with 36.08 per90. So, it is clear that (in open play) most of his touches occur in the middle third, and, honestly, this doesn't surprise me.. Despite the distances between his backline and his midfield, I can also say that these wide zones in the centre (wide zone-8, etc) are his most active zones, doesn't join his backline for shorter distances, although diagonal movements into zone-4 / zone-6 cannot work (you’ll understand why) and he’s rarely in zone-5 for his teams build-up.

If I were to throw around ‘mis-profiled’ allegations, I would do it now, JC is best as an abrupt dropping eight in a Postecoglou style 2–3 base with double inverted fullbacks. Though he can also be a wide player within a diagonal pivot.

Internacional’s 4–1–3–2 press that they use when OOP.

Couple of things about JC’s OOP profile that I want to cover first: he is right-footed, 5'9, and has long legs.. He CANNOT be used to follow the opposition's 5th / 6th attacker, his diagonal movements + recovery runs are chaotic and it only takes dynamism to manipulate him situationally into 50–50s within his own last-line. His tackles are firm, in settled play, more than you’d believe, his strides would also be quick, if given a pressing role higher up. He is in the 76th percentile for tackles in the defensive third (1.09 per90), in comparison with being in the 22nd percentile for tackles in the middle third (0.72 per90)… This confirms how deep he is used during the pressing phase, though, like I said, that comes with risks.

Internacional are pressing in a 4–4–2 +2 for increased density with wingers jumping into their first line.

JC wins possession within two seconds from his initial starting position.

What did I say about his long legs? ‘oh but I’m told that long legs are most suitable for the six role’ well maybe that isn’t the only way.. What did I say about his strides? quick, correct. Do you believe what I said about his OOP profile now?

JC receiving with three players around him.

JC used his back-foot (twice) to bounce the ball in-front of him on two separate occasions in this small moment.

JC remains calm and creates the angle for the pass.

JC waits until the last moment to play the PERFECTLY weighted pass.

What can we analyse from this situation? If he is a six he is best as a double six, Yves Bissouma would be the suitable reference player, he carries diagonally showing an elite sense of pausa and upper-body strength to ease pass the rushing defenders / pressers. Though this isn’t the most impressive factor that I am about to tell you, if you accept that this section of his report is dedicated towards sharing his strengths, then I will tell you, do you accept that? His biggest strength, in my opinion, is how well he understands the situations that his passes would create for his teammates and how well his on-ball actions look in accordance to this. He basically acts like a controller when he’s the ball-handler, though he does not think like one, that is probably the best way to describe him.

Johnny Cardoso has a contract with his current club that was signed on February 15th 2023, that same contract expires on December 31st 2026, three years from now.. and with a TM (transfermarket) valuation of only $5M then their is certainly a bargain to be had for the right club… Wolves, Tottenham, anyway… JC has had two injuries in his career, missing nine games as a result, no re-occurring issues as of right now: only a hip-flexor problem and an ankle sprain.

In conclusion, Johnny Cardoso is a highly promising talent in the world of soccer. His exceptional skills, versatility, and dedication make him a valuable asset for any team fortunate enough to have him. His ability to adapt to different positions on the field, coupled with his impressive work ethic and commitment to improving, indicates a bright future ahead. As he continues to develop and gain experience, there’s no doubt that Johnny Cardoso has the potential to become a star player and a household name in the soccer world. With the right guidance and opportunities, he could undoubtedly reach the pinnacle of the sport. Clubs and fans alike should keep a close eye on this young talent as he continues to make strides in his career. Johnny Cardoso’s scouting report leaves no doubt that he is a player with immense potential and a future filled with exciting possibilities.