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Many young talents are compared to Lionel Messi but cannot suddenly become superstars.
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| Lee Seung-woo was once hailed as the “Korean Messi” due to his great potential for development. Lee trained at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, but currently plays only in the domestic league for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. At the age of 27, Lee has not been given a chance in the national team. |
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| Gai Assulin was also a “gem” at La Masia and was highly appreciated by Pep Guardiola. However, injuries and lack of confidence prevented the Israeli player from becoming a star. At the age of 33, Gai Assulin is playing in Serie D for Crema. |
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| Giovanni dos Santos had a time to shine in Barcelona’s first team but could not maintain a stable performance. He played for a series of clubs such as Tottenham, Ipswich Town, Galatasaray, Racing and Mallorca but did not make an impression. Giovani retired in 2021 and focused on business. |
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| Erik Lamela was highly regarded when he played for River Plate’s youth team. After moving to Europe, Lamela showed good technical qualities but could not become a star like Messi. He currently plays for AEK Athens with Anthony Martial in the Greek league. |
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| Alen Halilovic was signed by Barcelona at the age of 17, impressing with his innovative and creative style of play. However, the “Balkan Messi” failed to live up to expectations and wandered to several small clubs. He currently plays for Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch league. |
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| Marko Marin was once dubbed the “German Messi” because of his short stature but great technique, especially his troublesome left foot. He used to play for Chelsea but could not compete for a starting position. Marin retired in 2022 and is currently the Technical Director of Red Star Belgrade. |
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| Bojan Krkic was one of the most notable names in La Masia, and received the most expectations from Barca fans. The striker born in 1990 played more than 163 matches for the Catalan club, scoring 41 goals. He had a decent career, but was still considered a disappointing name at Barca. |
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| Takefusa Kubo is making a strong impression in La Liga for Real Sociedad. He is known as the “Japanese Messi” for his speed and skillful left foot. This season, Kubo has scored 7 goals and contributed 2 assists in 37 matches for Sociedad. |
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| Claudio Echeverri is a notable new signing of Man City, and is also the next talent to be labeled “little Messi” in Argentina. In 2 years playing for River Plate, this 19-year-old midfielder scored 5 goals in 59 appearances. |
