Plata earns praise amid Qatar's World Cup struggles

Gonzalo Plata is one of the few bright spots for Qatar at this World Cup. The winger has drawn praise as "one of those players who makes good coaches," a rare positive amid a tournament where the team has been described as terrible by Dutch analysts (1). Hans Kraay Jr. went as far as saying Excelsior, a Dutch second-tier side, would beat Qatar home and away. No result or opponent is specified for Plata's standout performance, but the Ecuadorian-born forward is clearly turning heads even as the squad struggles.