Jhon Arias has emerged as one of the quiet standouts of Colombia's World Cup campaign, with the CIES performance list placing the 28-year-old ninth overall on an 86.6 score. For a player who has not yet recorded a goal or an assist, that is a strong reminder that influence in a tournament is not always measured in the final touch.
The ranking only includes players who have played at least 120 minutes, and Arias has done enough to sit among the best performers in the competition. His five key passes and five recoveries in the final third help explain why he is being valued so highly. He is also the third-best player in the tournament for recoveries in the final third, with Wirtz ahead of him on eight.
Arias Colombia and the value of steady influence
Before this ranking was published, Arias had already become one of Néstor Lorenzo's fixed starters for Selección Colombia. That status makes sense when you look at the balance he brings. He may not have the headlines of a goalscorer, but his work between the lines and his ability to help Colombia regain the ball higher up the pitch have clearly mattered.
That is why this kind of ranking is useful. It gives weight to the players who shape matches without dominating the score sheet. In Arias's case, the combination of creativity and defensive contribution has helped support Colombia's unbeaten run, and it has done so in a way that is easy to miss unless you look beyond goals and assists.
Colombia's tournament picture stays strong
The wider context is important too. Colombia have been among the favourites to reach the match scheduled for July 19 in Nueva Jersey, and Arias's form is part of that picture. If Colombia beat Ghana, they would move on to play Suiza in Vancouver on Tuesday, July 7 at 1:00 p.m.
There is also a broader Colombian presence in the tournament conversation. James Rodríguez, Luis Díaz, Davinson Sánchez and Gustavo Puerta were all mentioned among the Colombians in the top 100 of the CIES list, underlining that this has been a strong showing for Selección Colombia as a whole.
For Arias, though, the story is particularly telling. He is not producing noisy numbers, but the ranking suggests he is doing the kind of work coaches value most: creating chances, winning the ball back and keeping the team connected. That is often what separates a useful starter from a truly important one.
