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Colombia is the breeding ground for quite a few bright football prospects. The millennial era has witnessed the rise of several Colombian prospects and El Cucho is one of the players slowly rising towards stardom.
The likes of James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado are setting the Bundesliga and the Serie A on fire and we could soon see more Colombians plying their trade in the bigger European leagues.
The competition in the top leagues across the world makes spotting raw talents before other teams snap them up much more difficult. Hernandez has managed to display stand-out performances, earning credit for all the hype surrounding his future.
Player background
Juan Camilo Hernandez, or El Cucho, is a young football prodigy signed up at the Premier League club Watford. At just 18 years of age, he has emerged as one of football's brightest prospects.
Currently on loan at SD Huesca, El Cucho is battling through the ranks and he has often been praised for his prolific skills on the ball and an excellent eye for goal.
He scored 24 goals in 57 games for Colombian side Deportivo Pereira in his first two professional seasons before moving to Spanish club Granada, who immediately loaned him out to America de Cali.
The young winger is now slowly catching the attention of spectators throughout the football world. During his current spell at SD Huesca, El Cucho has played 23 competitive games, scoring 11 times, while adding four assists.
The regular playing time is nurturing the youngster, propelling him towards a promising career. Despite not playing for the club yet, Juan Camilo Hernandez signed for Watford on 8 July 2017.
This places him in the perfect surroundings for football critics and scouts to assess his unique abilities. Besides club aspirations, El Cucho has shown off his talent on the world stage with caps for the Colombian under-20 nationals team.
Strengths
El Cucho has demonstrated enthusiastic efforts in multiple attacking positions over the past few years, displaying his versatility. Primarily a striker, Hernandez also makes a great winger with the ability to catch players out in the middle of the box.
The Colombian target man still has a long way to go before his true potential becomes everyday talk, but his versatility is undoubtedly an encouraging sign of his positive development.
Additionally, he hasn't provided much room for error. With spot-on judgment on and off the ball, his pacey dribbling is inspiring to watch. For any attacker, the ability to get past players is as essential as effortless scoring.
El Cucho's winning mentality and determination is also very impressive considering his young age. Charging into his opponent's defenses with confidence puts him in a good position for upcoming Colombian national squad selections.
Weaknesses
With his unique style of play that we've witnessed so far, Cucho upside certainly outweighs is weaknesses. However, it is clear that with professional experience his creativity and decision making can only improve.
At times, Hernandez has been criticized for not making the right passes in tight spaces, which possibly could've created promising opportunities to score goals. However, this remains a predicament that says more about his teamwork than his individual talent.
With a clever understanding of his surroundings, his passing abilities can only improve. Once the 18 year-old continuously proves his mettle for club and country the South American could become one of the stars of the future.
What's next?
Having already proved his goal-scoring abilities at home in Colombia, it's only a matter of time before the Premier League could serve as this attacking-minded virtuoso's playing field.
Watford will want to hang on to Cucho's contract for as long as they can. However, the bottom line remains, that the young player needs playing time and further exposure before taking the next step.
Racking up plenty of goals and assists, Cucho's stat sheet looks terrific. Scouts from all over the world, including Barcelona, are reportedly keeping a close eye on his progress. For the remainder of the season, the Watford starlet will remain at SD Huesca in Spain.
His exhilarating performances are sparking conversations about his future in the big leagues. Provided that Hernandez continues to develop consistently as he has done so far, the Colombian national team could be looking to select him for the senior squad in the future. For a rising star like Cucho, this would be the ultimate reward for all those hours of practice.
To sum it up
As I've closely kept tabs on a lot of the stunning young talent entering the football stage, this lad has stood out with terrific abilities. Gracing audiences with exciting energy and a special attacking prowess, the future of football is sure to amaze us all.
Juan Camilo 'El Cucho' Hernandez is a perfect example of the flourishing talent we are to witness soon. The world is waiting and El Cucho will only get bigger, stronger and better.
It's not just scouts and agents that are circling around the youngster. Managers from top tier teams are rumored to initiate negotiations with current contract lender's Watford.
Until further developments, Cucho's focus is in Spain, playing for SD Huesca, proving his stance and awaiting the day to truly break through to the heights of the world's most popular sport. In the meantime, only good things are on the horizon for Colombia's prodigal son.
