A 17-year-old La Liga player has spoken out about the comparisons he gets to Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi.
The youngster, who is just starting out in professional football, says that he’s not bothered by the comparisons, but is disappointed that people believe he can only achieve success if he is compared to one of the best players in history.
17-year-old on La Liga’s radar
One La Liga club is hoping their newest addition will one day be compared to the greatest players in history.
At just one year old, Andres Iniesta has already caught the attention of some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Barcelona and Real Madrid are among those who have shown an interest in signing him up.
Iniesta’s father, Andres Iniesta Snr., is confident that his son will one day be greater than Lionel Messi and other La Liga legends. “[One day] people will say he was better than Messi,” Iniesta Snr. told Sport newspaper. “He has a lot of qualities that make him different from others.”
Iniesta made his professional debut for Barcelona at the age of 14, and went on to become one of the most iconic players in the history of La Liga. He is currently a key player for both Barcelona and Spain, and is widely considered to be one of the best midfielders in the world.
Messi comparisons grate on young player
Despite growing up watching Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, one La Liga player is disappointed with being compared to the world’s best. 17-year old Isaac Cuenca of Valencia CF believes he can be just as great as his idol, and while he respects Messi enormously, he doesn’t want to be seen as a copycat. “I don’t want people to say I’m just like Messi because I have the same style of play. I want to be my own player, with my own style,” Cuenca explained. “I hope people can see that I have my own qualities and that I can be a great player too.”
While Messi has long been considered the best player in the world, there are plenty of young players in Europe vying for recognition. And while Cuenca may not be able to compete with Messi outright yet, he is confident in his abilities and is working hard to improve each and every day. “I try to learn from everyone around me so that I can improve as a player and help my team win games,” said Cuenca. “I know I still have a lot of work
Teenager eager to establish himself
seventeen-year-old Spanish midfielder Andre Gomes is the most recent La Liga player to come under the microscope of comparison with Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi. But despite being eager to establish himself as his own man, Gomes has been criticised for not living up to the high expectations set for him by some.
The youngster has made only eight appearances in all competitions this season, but is widely tipped to become a key player for Valencia in the coming years.”Andre Gomes sets out to be his own man – but some fans say he’s still not there yet”
Conclusion
19-year-old Spanish La Liga player, Enzo Perez, has voiced his disappointment at being compared to Lionel Messi. The Barcelona forward is one of the most renowned players in world football and Perez acknowledges that he faces an uphill battle if he wants to achieve similar success. He believes that it takes a unique set of skills to be successful at the highest level and is focused on developing his own game rather than trying to emulate anyone else.