The Sunderland midfielder whose World Cup performances will encourage Régis Le Bris

The Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra is emerging as one of the tournament’s bright spots, even as Senegal were eliminated from the World Cup on Wednesday. In the Round of 32 against Belgium, Diarra scored and was replaced in the 73rd minute with Senegal leading 2-0, seemingly on course for the last 16. However, Senegal conceded two late goals, and Belgium went through after a 120th-minute penalty. The result leaves Diarra’s performances as a key takeaway, especially following his two-goal impact including a close-range finish against Belgium. His Sunderland displays also featured intelligent runs into the box and awareness to reach loose balls first. At club level, competition with creative teammates such as Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fée contrasts with the need for more regular goals.