Anselmo García Mac Nulty, the talented player of PEC Zwolle, is having the best season of his professional career. After playing most of the minutes as a left-sided defender in the 2022-23 season, he has now settled into his natural position as a defense center, and it’s been a game-changer. With his authority and leadership on the defensive line, he has become one of the strongest defenders in the Dutch championship.
Last year, his coach, Johnny Jansen, entrusted him with an unusual role as a left side, a position that, although not entirely foreign to him, didn’t allow him to fully utilize his skills. However, his tactical discipline, game reading, and ability to gain possession made him a key piece in the club’s permanence in Eredivisie. This year, with his return to the axis of the rear, he’s showing off his full potential.
As Anselmo himself puts it, “It is where I have played all my life and where I feel most comfortable. In the end, it is where I can exploit all my virtues to the maximum, and it is being reflected this season.” The impact of the Sevillian player is not just about sensations; the numbers also back it up. He’s one of the central defenders with the most duels won in Eredivisie, with a pass success rate exceeding 85%. This season, he’s committed 30% fewer offenses, and remarkably, he hasn’t seen a single yellow card in 23 games, playing 100% of the minutes.
His strength and leadership in the defensive line have been instrumental in Zwolle’s push towards the Conference access playoffs in a tightly matched league. A notable performance was in the 3-1 victory against PSV. Anselmo is candid about the team’s possibilities of ending in European positions: “The first objective is permanence, and to continue another year in Eredivisie, but there is a large group this year, and why not give that joy to the fans? It would be a magnificent way to finish the season.”
A promising future
Anselmo’s performance has piqued the interest of major teams, making it plausible to think that opportunities for a career leap will arise in the next transfer market. Eredivisie is an ideal platform for defenders with his profile: technical, intelligent, and able to build from the back. As he says, “I can only continue working to the fullest, playing matches, being important, and something beautiful will arrive.”
With his days in Ireland’s lower categories behind him, accumulating 26 meetings and three goals between the sub-17, 19, and 21 teams, Anselmo is now waiting for a possible call from the absolute selection. “It is what I work for; I have gone through all the lower categories, and it would be a pride for me and my family if I get called. I can only continue working at the fullest, playing matches, being important, and something beautiful will come,” he expresses.
The evolution of Anselmo García Mac Nulty reflects a footballer who has adapted to different contexts, learned from each stage, and consolidated himself in the elite. Eredivisie has been the perfect setting for his confirmation, and now, the future is his to claim.
