5 players who failed to live up to expectations after being dubbed as the next Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is arguably one of the best players to have graced the game. During a legendary, nearly two-decade-long career for club and country, he has scored goals and won titles galore.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner has particularly mesmerized with his ability to wriggle out of tight spaces, dribble at pace and, of course, his magical left foot. Thus, a lot of players over the years have been compared with the Argentine magician for varying reasons.
Unsurprisingly, not many have lived up to that lofty tag. On that note, here's a look at five such players (in no particular order) who have struggled to live up to expectations after they were dubbed the next Lionel Messi.
#5 Alen Halilovic
Alen Halilovic is one of umpteen players who have been compared with Lionel Messi.
He played a game for Barcelona before he was shipped off to Hamburg in the Bundesliga. He has changed a few more clubs since then. But Halilovic has not come close to emulating Messi's exploits.
Halilović: "Leo Messi is the best player in history and he is also a great person. I do not know if he's going to play, but he's a player who always wants to play and who plays a lot of games every year."
Now at Reading in the Championship, the 25-year-old attacking midfielder has scored once and assisted twice in five games.
#4 Gai Assulin
Gai Assulin is another player who has struggled to live up to comparisons with Lionel Messi.
Just like the others on the list, though, the winger failed under the weight of expectations. He was with Barcelona at the start of his career, but failed to break into their first team. Assulin admitted his struggles and comparisons with Messi in an interview a few years back.
Gai Assulin: I suffered from Messi comparisons, but now I'm primed to prove my class | @Will_Unwin itv.com/news/2016-10-3… https://t.co/6xFrjVY0Xs
In the next decade, the Israeli would bounce around several clubs, but never found a place to settle in. Now 32, he plays for AC Crema in Serie D in Italy.