Rubin Colwill: Cardiff City vice-captain targets League One title

Rubin Colwill can sometimes seem like a player who is destined to forever be talked about as a star of the future, a talent of huge – if unfulfilled – potential.

At 23 years old, he is hardly a grizzled old veteran but, with more than 150 Cardiff City appearances to his name, Colwill is no novice either.

Great expectations have followed the attacking midfielder since he first broke into the Bluebirds’ first team as an 18-year-old in 2021 and the hype only intensified when he was named in Wales’ squad for the European Championship later that year.

It was easy to see why there was such excitement. Here was a physically imposing teenager who could dribble past an opponent, play an incisive pass or pick out the top corner with a long-range missile.

Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool side he scored against during an FA Cup tie at Anfield, was among those to express their admiration for Colwill.

But his progress has been frustratingly stop-start since then.

There have been growing pains – literally, with a late growth spurt causing injury – and losses of confidence or form which have seen him drop in and out of Cardiff teams and Wales squads.

Now, Colwill is at something of a crossroads in his career and looks primed to grasp his opportunity.

Following Cardiff’s relegation from the Championship last season, Colwill was named vice-captain to new skipper Calum Chambers, as voted by their team-mates.

As Chambers was suspended for Saturday’s League One opener at home to Peterborough United, Colwill led his boyhood club for the first time – and rose to the challenge.

He scored a stunning 20-yard free-kick to bring the Bluebirds level in a 2-1 win, the highlight of a man-of-the-match performance in which he backed up his usual creativity and flair in attack with energy and grit out of possession.

“It was a great day. I think not just personally but I think for everybody involved,” said Colwill.

“We all want to play exciting football, play attacking football, be on the front foot, win the ball back. We’re all buying into that.”

On wearing the armband, he added: “It was nice, it was a big responsibility.

“I thought through what I needed to do, what was required of me but yeah once you almost accept that responsibility I think it’s almost freeing to have that on your shoulders and to try and help everybody get through the game.

“I think that responsibility, maturity is something that comes naturally when you’re around it long enough. I’m probably one of the more experienced players in the squad now. So it almost comes naturally with time, experience, and I think it’s just something that I like to do.”