Jarzinho Malanga, an exceptionally talented 18-year-old forward, is turning heads with his performances for VfB Stuttgart II in the 2024/25 3. Liga season. Despite being eligible for U19 football, Malanga has seamlessly transitioned to the senior game, making 13 appearances (12 starts) for Stuttgart’s U23 side in Germany’s third tier.

As both a goalscorer and a playmaker, Malanga has showcased remarkable quality, contributing six goals and assists — more than any other player under 21 in the league this season. His standout performances have earned him recognition from first-team coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who handed Malanga his senior debut in November during a narrow 1–0 loss to Atalanta Bergamo in the UEFA Champions League. At just 18 years, 3 months, and 27 days old, he became the second-youngest player in VfB Stuttgart’s history to feature in a Champions League match.

Injury History

No notable injuries that should have an impact on his value or future potential.

Player Style

Jarzinho Malanga is an Inside Forward. He is a wing player who is at his best when trying to cut inside and enter the penalty area whenever possible to shoot or make quick combinations with his teammates. He has the potential to develop into a skillful striker of the ball with a high goal & assist output.

Player Model: Serge Gnabry

Strengths

Very Engaged Pressing

Jarzinho Malanga is a very engaged & purposeful presser. He has a keen sense for pressing cues, often aggressively pressing to win back possession high up the pitch or, at the very least, forcing his opponent into an erratic long-range clearance that leads to a contested loose ball duel.

Finds Extremely Impactful Half-space Pockets to Receive Possession

One of Malanga’s best qualities is his highly varied positioning. He can effectively receive in wide channels, but he has a superb perception and timing for entering and receiving in half-spaces. He has a very intelligent and intuitive perception for when to move into new spaces to provide a progressive outlet for high-impact ball receptions. 

Impactful On & Off-ball Accelerator

Malanga has excellent accelerations from a stand-still or low velocity position. He can pick up top speed extremely quickly, and he excels at sustaining his peak velocity while maintaining tight control of the ball.

Excellent body shifts & feints

Malanga is not just able to reach top speeds very quickly, but he is also able to implement highly effective directional shifts & changes to unbalance an opposition defender and seamlessly shift his weight with precision.

Clean & Deliberate Finishing Technique

Malanga is a very clean ball striker who appears to be quite thoughtful and deliberate in the shooting technique he selects in various positions and situations on the pitch. One of his most impactful finishing techniques is undoubtedly a curled far-post finish when inverting into the center of the pitch on his stronger right foot (seen below). 

Effective & Highly Complete Ball Carrier 

Malanga is a highly effective ball carrier with the ability to translate his skills to a wide range of situations on the field. For instance, he excels at making long, vertical runs to exploit transition moments, but he is also highly skilled at more intricate dribbles that allow him to progress from wide areas into crowded central zones.

Unselfish Instincts & Smart Final Third Decision-making Processes 

Malanga still needs to refine his consistency and timing when releasing the ball in the final third—an area further explored in the weakness section—but his overall decision-making processes and instincts are often impressive and well-developed for his age. Furthermore, Malanga generally retains an upright stature and vision while carrying possession, allowing him to adequately assess better-placed teammates and limit the moments where he carelessly carries possession into highly congested zones. There is a clear basis of decision-making quality that Malanga must now refine with more technical finesse to adequately thrive in senior football. 

Very Athletic and Mature Physical Frame

Malanga’s well-developed and highly athletic frame are a key reason why he has managed to adequately adapt to senior football at such a young age. Malanga's upper-body strength is particularly impressive, as he combines pace and power to effectively navigate expansive wide spaces and confront more physical duels in central areas.

⭐Excellent Follow-up Movements After Making a Decision

Malanga’s standout quality is his quick, decisive movement and his ability to immediately exploit new spaces following an on-ball action. As soon as he makes a pass, he instantly moves to either receive the ball again or draw an opponent away from a teammate in possession. This immediate, intelligent follow-up movement makes him an exceptionally effective winger for teams that prioritize fluid positional rotations and rely heavily on generating wall passes and give-and-go scenarios.

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Weaknesses

Too Eager, Overzealous & Unconcentrated in Possession Phases

Malanga doesn't exhibit significant technical flaws in his passing, but he often lacks focus and can be too hasty in his decisions. He frequently attempts one-touch passes that miss their target, and while his instincts in creative areas are sound, he struggles to consistently connect with line-breaking passes.

Lacks Purpose & Struggles to Create Separation with his First-touch 

Malanga's first touch can often be careless, lacking both directional intent and the ability to create separation. As a result, he tends to slow the tempo when receiving the ball, and his second touch is often used to correct the first, rather than seamlessly advancing him into the attack in a deliberate manner.

Prefers to Receive the Ball to Feet at all Times

One of the limiting factors in Malanga’s game is his desire to receive the ball to feet at all times. Malanga rarely implements highly penetrative off-ball runs or direct movements beyond the opposition's backline. 

This is particularly problematic because Malanga clearly possesses the physical attributes to incorporate this into his game, which would significantly enhance his versatility and make him a more dynamic attacking threat (as highlighted below).

⭐Poor Scanning, Orientation, & Back-side Awareness

Potentially Malanga’s biggest weakness at the moment is his poor scanning and back-side awareness. Malanga often struggles with poor body orientation when receiving the ball to feet, positioning himself in a closed shape that hampers his ability to turn or progress the play effectively. This issue is further compounded by subpar scanning and awareness of his surroundings. He frequently fails to sense the pressure behind him, receiving the ball without bracing for impact, which leads to turnovers due to inadequate prior orientation and lack of scanning.

GRADING

Current Ability

A club/level of club where the player has the qualities to play at least 70% of available minutes right now

3/10 - A Starting Player in an ambitious 3. Liga roster

• Erzgebirge Aue

• Dynamo Dresden

• Arminia Bielefeld

Potential Ability

A club/level of club where the player has the qualities to play at least 70% of available minutes at his career peak

8/10 - A Club With a Competitive Track Record in Elite European Competition

• RB Leipzig

• AS Roma

• AS Monaco

OVERVIEW

Jarzinho Malanga is one of the most exciting prospects in the 2024/25 3. Liga, shining in his debut season as one of the youngest players in the division. With an exceptional understanding of space, a physically impressive frame, superb ball-carrying ability, and elite instincts for combination play, Malanga stands out as a dynamic inside forward who has the potential to produce significant goals and assist numbers at the international level in the future.

That said, Malanga is still far from a finished product. His overzealous and sometimes unfocused approach in possession, along with his inability to create separation with his first touch, pose short-term limitations to his development. He also has several long-term areas for improvement, including his one-dimensional preference for receiving the ball to feet and poor scanning and body orientation when receiving.

Given his age, however, it’s entirely understandable that these areas need refinement. Malanga remains one of the most intriguing and promising talents in Germany's highly impressive 2006 generation.

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