Pedro Porro has enjoyed an outstanding FIFA World Cup campaign with Spain, with the Tottenham Hotspur defender now ranking among the tournament’s highest-rated players.
Following last season’s relegation battle, Roberto De Zerbi admitted that only 10 to 12 players had done enough to convince him they could be part of his Tottenham side moving forward, and few supporters would have had any doubts that Porro belonged in that group.
The Spaniard finished the campaign with the second-most minutes played in the squad, just 20 behind Micky van de Ven, while also contributing 7 goals from right-back.
Very few full-backs in modern football possess Porro’s attacking quality and creativity, which explains why clubs including Manchester City and Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid were credited with strong interest in him.
Tottenham, however, had no intention of entertaining offers. De Zerbi viewed Porro as untouchable, with the defender signing a new contract until 2030 earlier last month that also placed him among the club’s highest earners. Looking at his performances on the international stage, Spurs appear to have made exactly the right decision.
Pedro Porro ranks among the World Cup’s highest-rated players
Porro earned his first-ever World Cup call-up under Luis de la Fuente and has played a key role in helping Spain reach the quarter-finals, most recently starting the 1-0 victory over Portugal to set up a meeting with Belgium.
The Tottenham defender has started three matches during the tournament, scoring once in Spain’s Round of 32 victory against Austria, while building on the impressive form he showed throughout the Premier League season.
His performances have also left little room for debate over Spain’s right-back position. Despite the presence of Marcos Llorente, Porro has established himself as Luis de la Fuente’s preferred option.
According to FotMob’s latest tournament ratings, Porro is currently the fourth-highest rated player at the World Cup with an average rating of 8.27, sitting behind only the elites; Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi.
| # | Player | Country | Position | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kylian Mbappe | France | Forward | 8.92 |
| 2 | Erling Haaland | Norway | Forward | 8.71 |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Forward | 8.68 |
| 4 | Pedro Porro | Spain | Defender | 8.27 |
| 5 | Florian Wirtz | Germany | Midfielder | 8.12 |
| 6 | Marcos Llorente | Spain | Defender | 8.09 |
| 7 | Michael Olise | France | Forward | 8.08 |
| 8 | Aurelien Tchouameni | France | Midfielder | 8.07 |
| 9 | Harry Kane | England | Forward | 8.04 |
Pedro Porro is ready to step into Tottenham’s leadership group
Although Porro was not officially part of Tottenham’s leadership group last season, he wore the captain’s armband on a few occasions, including Spurs’ 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Doncaster Rovers.
With the expected departures of Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario, both of whom formed part of that leadership group, there is every chance Porro could step into it, given he has long been regarded as one of the more vocal figures in Tottenham’s dressing room and back line.
The Spain international also recently revealed that, during last season’s relegation battle, he regularly spoke to his teammates and motivated them behind the scenes during the difficult period.
Coupled with his performances on the pitch, those qualities make him a strong candidate to become one of De Zerbi’s senior voices as Spurs begin a new era alongside Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi in defence.