On July 1, The Athletic reported that Arsenal forward Trossard has attracted the attention of more clubs following his performances at the FIFA World Cup.

The Round of 16 at this week's FIFA World Cup has been eventful for Arsenal's players. All 15 players who traveled to the United States, Canada, and Mexico progressed from the group stage, but their fates have already begun to diverge. Gabriel and Martinelli both played crucial roles in Brazil's 2-1 comeback victory over Japan, with the former providing an assist and the latter scoring in the 96th minute. Later that day, Havertz became involved in the tournament's biggest upset, scoring Germany's only goal in their 1-1 draw with Paraguay, but missed his penalty in the shootout and eliminated his team. Sweden's Gundogan then suffered defeat to France, who also had Saliba in their squad. Ängulo subsequently received a red card for covering his mouth while speaking during play, and Ecuador lost to Mexico.

As this round approached the midpoint, attention turned to Trossard, who was not the most celebrated name in his team but often proved to be one of the most reliable performers.

The path to prominence for 31-year-old Trossard was modest. He emerged from the youth academy of Belgian powerhouse Genk, but did not establish himself as a regular in the senior team until he was 21. After spending three additional seasons at his boyhood club to win a Belgian top-flight title, he joined Premier League side Brighton in 2019. Though he earned a strong reputation on England's south coast, it still came as somewhat of a surprise when Arsenal decided to acquire Trossard in January 2023, particularly after initially pursuing the highly touted Mudryk.

Trossard joined Arsenal at age 28 and, despite initial modest expectations, quickly recorded 10 assists in 20 appearances. Since then, he has scored crucial goals in succession, becoming a "beloved player" among Arsenal fans. Most significantly, he scored the winning goal in Arsenal's away victory against West Ham in May, a result that propelled Arsenal toward the Premier League title.

Belgium will face Senegal in Seattle tonight. Though Trossard is surrounded by star players including De Bruyne, Doku, Tielemans, and Lukaku, he is the one arriving at this match in peak condition.

Trossard scored twice against New Zealand, attracting the attention of many casual viewers who only watch the World Cup. However, despite Belgium's first tournament victory, his form throughout the group stage has been consistently strong. No player in the group stage created more chances than Trossard, who generated a combined 13 opportunities from open play. The following graphic also shows he created shooting chances across the entire width of the pitch.

Trossard was initially Belgium's right wing option, with Manchester City's Doku occupying the left side. After Doku returned home to welcome a child, Trossard moved back to his more familiar left side while also gaining greater freedom to drift centrally.

He has yet to record an assist at this tournament, which is somewhat unfortunate, but the impression Trossard left during the group stage already transcends the statistics themselves. As always, seeing is believing, and the quick footwork familiar to North London fans is now being appreciated by more people across North America.

This Arsenal winger is neither the strongest nor the fastest, but his preference for feints and Cruyff turns sets him apart. For those seeing his subtle movement seriously for the first time, his ball control displayed against North London rivals Tottenham during his Arsenal tenure is probably the best example.

He frequently employs these types of movements in Belgium's number 10 role, and their effectiveness remains entirely intact. In the latter stages of last season, Arsenal, France, and New York Red Bulls legend Henry spoke about the key to a good feint. Analyzing Saka's assist to Gündoğan in Arsenal's 3-0 victory over Fulham, Henry said: "He did something important for all wingers. When he raised his arm as if to cross, the movement looked genuine."

It is the intent behind the movement that unbalances defenders, and it also draws in those watching from the stands or at home. This was evident in the congested central area during Belgium's 0-0 draw with Iran.

When he scored his second goal in the 5-1 victory over New Zealand, his initial feint caused defender Finn Surman to attempt to block a shot that never came.

At this World Cup, many strong teams have encountered stubborn defenses. Though Belgium's overall performance has not been the most convincing, having technically gifted players like Trossard is certainly helpful in breaking down opposing defenses.

One of these turns contributed to Belgium's goal in their victory over New Zealand. Trossard dribbled past a defender outside the penalty area, and after the opponent's interception, the ball fell to De Bruyne, who scored with his left foot at this World Cup.

Trossard is equally skilled with both feet, and when discussing this ability in 2025, he said: "Especially inside the box, I'm very difficult to defend against because defenders don't know which foot I'll use. It's easy to unbalance them, and that's my style of play."

On the wing, this advantage is equally evident. Against Iran, the experienced winger's consistently reliable movement troubled opposing right-back Saleh Hardani from early on.

Returning to his creativity statistics, the passes Trossard has sent to his Belgian teammates this summer still carry strong technical quality.

Whether in the center or on the wing, he is unafraid to deceive defenders with clever heel passes. Even if these moments ultimately don't lead to goals, the fluidity itself is the beauty of football. While it may not be as spectacular as the dribbling Vinícius Júnior displayed against Japan, when elegance and efficiency merge, sport rarely offers a more beautiful picture.

Over the past three and a half years, Arsenal has discovered that Trossard is not only a reliable goalscorer but also a player whose style of play is highly appealing.

For this reason, should he leave North London this summer, fan concerns would stem from more than just his World Cup performances. According to The Athletic's transfer coverage, Arsenal is willing to sell him at the right price. With Trossard turning 32 in December and one year remaining on his contract, and given the need for improvements on the left wing, it may be the best time for both parties to part ways.

Martinelli's situation is similar, with his contract including an extension option through 2028. Arsenal fans will be familiar with his stoppage-time winning goal against Brazil. They have seen him score important late goals against Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea multiple times, and he too could become part of the left wing overhaul.

Whatever happens next, it is gratifying to see this Arsenal "unconventional hero," especially Trossard, gain worldwide recognition for the qualities he has repeatedly demonstrated at the Emirates. The Senegal match will not be easy, but it represents another opportunity for this wise and versatile veteran to show the world what he can still do.

AI翻訳。

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