Raphael Guerreiro. Another member of the famous 23 who led Portugal to Euro 2016 glory. After strong showings at club level in France and for his country, he has become a highly-regarded figure - though injuries have ultimately held him back. The question, therefore, is whether, despite having been forced to the sidelines with great regularity over the years, he can be considered a world class footballer?
There was a brief moment between mid-2016 and the end of the year that this question would have appeared quite straight forward.
After impressing for Lorient in the 2015-16 season in Ligue 1, missing just 4 league games that campaign - including a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Angers - Guerreiro proved to be a superb attacking full back, and completed a high-profile move to Borussia Dortmund just before Euro 2016 got underway.
And his showings at the European Championships in France, the country of his birth and where he had, to that point, spent his entire playing career, did his reputation no harm at all.
Indeed, Guerreiro rapidly made the starting left back spot with Portugal his own through the course of the 2015-16 campaign; while he only played one of Portugal’s eight Euro 2016 qualifying matches, he went on to feature extensively for the national team at the tournament, including all 120 minutes of the final against France, which Portugal of course went on to win 1-0.
His attacking intent was to be admired, and his cross to Ronaldo which saw Portugal take the lead against Wales in the semi-final, as well as his free-kick which hit the crossbar versus France in the final, showed that he was a danger from set-piece situation too.
He continued his strong form heading into the new Bundesliga season too, where his versatility was a huge asset to Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, who utilised him as a central midfielder, left winger and left back at various points throughout the campaign. 35 matches across all competitions, where he chipped in with 7 goals and 9 assists, showed that Dortmund potentially had a real star on their hands.
Injuries ultimately limited his game time that campaign, and unfortunately that was repeated the following season too - but on a much larger scale. Two significant, lengthy injuries in the 2017-18 campaign meant he played just 9 Bundesliga matches in total, starting just 6 of them. A huge blow to him, the club and, inevitably, the national team. His lack of game time didn’t stop him from going to the 2018 World Cup - but he clearly wasn’t as match-ready as Portugal needed him to be to make a deeper run in the competition.
The following season was better; injuries did still affect his overall playing time - he only played 30 minutes of football across Dortmund’s first 8 league matches - but he played 32 games across all competitions and proved to still be the talented attacking wing-back/left midfielder that Dortmund knew and loved. His 4 goals in the Champions League group stage proved that, and there was hope the worst was behind him.
And this season has only gone on to be just as productive; though injuries could still come back and haunt him, he has been in tremendous form for Dortmund, his 3 goals and 3 assists from left midfield in his last 9 league outings showing as much. And he is, if he continues this consistency, proving to be a world class footballer.
What could perhaps make it a little more challenging to conclude whether he is world class, though, is that it is difficult to decipher what his best position actually is. While only ever plays at left back for Portugal, he plays across the field for his club, be it left midfield, left wing or even central midfield.
That, in many ways, is a huge plus; versatility like that only makes it clearer that he is an exceptional, well-rounded footballer. But then comparing him to others in the field is more challenging. His multifaceted ability makes him similar to German legend Lahm, but it seems uncontroversial to say that he’s just not as good as the former World Cup winner.
Is he world class? You then cannot really say with any confidence that he’s one of the great players of the current generation in any of the positions he occupies. As good as he is and as well-rounded as he’s already proven to be, he’s not a leading left back, central midfielder or left winger, and for that, it’s impossible to suggest that he’s world class. Top class, yes. World class? He still has a bit to prove. And if he stays injury free, he may well do so.