The fate of the 'little Messis'

Many young talents have been compared to Lionel Messi but have failed to rise to superstardom.

Lee Seung-woo was once hailed as the "Korean Messi" due to his immense potential. Lee trained at Barcelona's La Masia academy, but currently only plays in the domestic league for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. At 27 years old, Lee has also not been given an opportunity to play for the national team.

Gai Assulin was once a promising talent at La Masia and highly regarded by Pep Guardiola. However, injuries and a lack of confidence prevented the Israeli player from reaching stardom. At 33 years old, Gai Assulin is currently playing in Serie D for Crema.

Giovanni dos Santos had a period of brilliance in Barcelona's first team but failed to maintain consistent form. He played for a number of clubs including Tottenham, Ipswich Town, Galatasaray, Racing, and Mallorca, but without making a significant impact. Giovani retired in 2021 and focused on his business ventures.

Erik Lamela was highly regarded during his time in the River Plate youth team. After moving to Europe, Lamela displayed good technical skills but failed to achieve the same level of stardom as Messi. He currently plays for AEK Athens alongside Anthony Martial in the Greek league.

Alen Halilovic was signed by Barcelona at the age of 17, impressing with his dynamic and creative playing style. However, the "Messi of the Balkans" failed to live up to expectations and moved to several smaller clubs. He currently plays for Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch Eredivision.

Marko Marin was once dubbed the "German Messi" due to his small stature but exceptional technical skills, particularly his formidable left foot. He previously played for Chelsea but was unable to secure a regular starting place. Marin retired in 2022 and is currently the Technical Director of Red Star Belgrade.

Bojan Krkic was one of the most talked-about names at La Masia, and received the highest expectations from Barca fans. The striker, born in 1990, played over 163 matches for the Catalan club, scoring 41 goals. He had a decent career, but is still considered a disappointment at Barca.

Takefusa Kubo is making a strong impression in La Liga playing for Real Sociedad. He's been dubbed the "Japanese Messi" for his speed and skillful left foot. This season, Kubo has scored 7 goals and provided 2 assists in 37 matches for Sociedad.

Claudio Echeverri is a notable new signing for Man City, and also the next talent to be labeled "the little Messi" in Argentina. In two years playing for River Plate, the 19-year-old midfielder scored 5 goals in 59 appearances.

Messi steals the ball and scores a wonder goal. On the morning of March 17th ( Hanoi time), Lionel Messi skillfully stole the ball, then executed a classy solo run before scoring a stunning goal, helping Inter Miami defeat Atlanta United 2-1 in Round 4 of the 2025 MLS season.

Source: https://znews.vn/so-phan-cua-nhung-tieu-messi-post1541214.html