Full Name: Alexis Sanchez
Club: FC Barcelona
Country: Chile
DOB: December 19, 1988 (age 25)
Height: 5' 7"
Because of his dynamic, fast paced, energetic style of play, Alexis Sanchez has been one of the top players to watch at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil so far. Playing for his native Chile, he has quickly become a fan favorite and his dazzling displays have helped lead his nation to the knockout rounds of the tournament.
With the ability to play dual roles as either a winger or pacey center forward, Sanchez is the type of player that is not shy about getting on the ball and running straight at defenders. He is very attack minded with the ability to create from all positions. You only need to look at his role alongside Messi to see how versatile he is. While the Argentinian talisman was injured this past La Liga season, Sanchez took lead role in front of goal and notched 19 goals. When Messi was in the squad, Sanchez was influential from a wider position and he became the prime creator, while also not being shy about shooting from distance.
On the ball, he is very fluid and he has the sort of running style defenders hate to play against. He can pull quick tricks and regularly finds himself knocking the ball past defenders to burst down the line. At 5’7”, he isn’t the tallest player on the pitch but he does have a stocky build. It is something that has left him challenged when facing tough, strong outside backs at times. The only real criticism that has been labelled toward him in his time at Barca has related to his ability to finish opportunities, and there are more than a few clips of him spurning half chances many other forwards would take. That is something he has worked on resolving over the past 12 months and he is now a player that looks much more confident when given a chance. From the outside, he definitely has that South American charm and swagger, so as his confidence grows so will his performances.
Then there is his future at club level. Having announced some desire of moving away from Barcelona, clubs showing interest in his services have been bountiful and news reports about his next destination continue to surface. He has played a very prominent role in Barca’s squad since his €26 million move from Italian side Udinese in July 2011. In only 88 appearances for the Catalan club, he has notched up an impressive 39 goals.
His performances thus far in Brazil have been very positive and if he continues to demonstrate his abilities on the World’s biggest stage, it will only elevate his stature into the elite level. It is worth noting that Barcelona has rejected any notion that he will be shipped from the club, but that opinion could change quickly pending the right offer. There could be a lot more Alexis Sanchez talk before the end of this summer!
Alexis Sanchez Currently Wears the Nike Mercurial Superfly
When it comes to innovative boots, Nike has the most impressive in the form of the Mercurial Superfly. This is a boot built for explosive speed with a crazy twist – the addition of a mid-cut collar. These are definitely not your typical boot, with FlyKnit used as the primary upper material. In other words, these boots have the feel of a knitted pair of boots. The breakthrough addition of Brio cables that are knitted directly into the upper and locked into the outsole allow for well supported feel. By connecting this tendon-like support to the heel, the Superfly acts like a slingshot that helps propel the player forward.
At the moment, these are seen to be the premier boot on the market for attacking players to use, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Alexis Sanchez being two key players in how the boot has been marketed. On Sanchez, they make a very complimentary weapon that allows him to control his movements and more importantly, make those important split second sprints to win the ball. They are definitely a boot that need time to adjust to, but it hasn’t taken him too long to shine while wearing them giving us a clear indication that players can get the most out of a pair.
Prior to the Superfly, Sanchez had been wearing the Mercurial Vapor series, with the most recent Vapor IX being his boot of choice through last season. It is a range that has stuck with him since his introduction to European soccer with Udinese back in 2008, when he wore the Vapor IV.
