Winger, second striker or No 9? Argentine reporter on Colidio at Vasco

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Papo na Colina

·7 August 2026

Winger, second striker or No 9? Argentine reporter on Colidio at Vasco

Vasco has officially announced the signing of Facundo Colidio and confirmed that the Argentine forward will wear the No. 9 shirt in the 2026 season. The choice of number reflects the high expectations of the coaching staff and football department regarding the 26-year-old player’s performances in the second-half competitions. To detail the tactical profile, strengths, and background of the new signing in his home country, the Papo na Colina report consulted journalist Maxi Benozzi from the newspaper Clarín, who offered an in-depth assessment of the player’s track record:

“Facundo Colidio is a player who, at River Plate, did not quite deliver what was expected. He spent three years at the club and never fully broke through or showed everything he had hinted at, or all the good things he had done at other clubs, such as Tigre, for example, where he had an outstanding spell. Much more was expected of him. At times he had some good runs, but he struggled to become a decisive player, which was what people expected given the quality he had shown before arriving at River — a young player with a future, room to develop, and from whom a lot was expected, especially because it was said he could be a River player due to his finesse on the ball.”

Despite his inconsistent spell in Argentine football, the Clarín specialist stressed that a move to Brazilian football and a change of environment could be the fuel the player needs to fully develop his technical potential on the pitch:

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“He is a good player, that is clear. But at River he perhaps did not fully turn everything he promised into reality. I believe a change of scenery will do him good so he can develop, and I think that in Brazilian football he can be a very interesting player.”

+ “I know the size of the club”: Facundo Colidio arrives in Rio and sets his sights on success at Vasco

Tactical positioning and his standout partnership with Retegui at Tigre

Regarding how he fits in and his positioning in attack, Maxi Benozzi explained in detail the role in which Vasco’s new No. 9 reached his highest technical level. The journalist highlighted the player’s time at Tigre, when he operated freely through the middle:

“His best moment, it seems to me, was playing as a second striker, behind the number nine. That was how he stood out at Tigre, in that strike partnership he formed with Mateo Retegui. Here at River he did not have many moments like that. He generally played as a winger, either wider or more tucked in, and at times he also played as a nine. But in the moments when they used him as a second striker, he performed. In the last half of the season they played with him a lot in that second-striker role and he had some good matches at the end of the season, in the playoffs that took River to the final. Colidio had a good finish there.”

Facundo Colidio and Mateo Retegui – Photo: JUAN MABROMATA – AFP

Difficulties in decisive matches

Despite the improvement he showed at the end of last season, his lack of prominence in the highest-pressure fixtures on the Argentine calendar ended up counting against the player during his time in Buenos Aires. The Clarín journalist analyzed the player’s relationship with the stands:

“He never quite won over the River fans because he perhaps failed to show up in the biggest games, the derbies, the heated matches. Well, that is what I can say about Colidio’s time at River, but I believe that elsewhere he may be able to unleash all of his strengths.”

Facundo Colidio will wear Vasco’s No. 9 shirt – Photo: Matheus Lima / Vasco

Alternatives and fit in Vasco’s system

The speed, ball-carrying, and one-on-one dribbling shown by Facundo Colidio give Vasco head coach Pedro Emanuel a wide range of tactical options. His ability to play centrally, form part of a front two, or attack from the flanks allows the coach to change the team’s shape without using substitutions during matches.

The coaching staff is awaiting the completion of medical testing to integrate the Argentine into training with the rest of the squad at CT Moacyr Barbosa. At the same time, the board is working behind the scenes to speed up the bureaucratic procedures with the CBF and ensure the forward is registered in the federation’s official bulletin.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.