5 young players who received praise from Lionel Messi over the years
Drawing praise from a player like Lionel Messi is one of the noblest things a young footballer can attract. The Argentine ranks among the most successful players in history and it's only natural that whoever he endorses gets massive attention from the football world.
It is an established fact that Lionel Messi doesn't hesitate when it comes to giving credit to young players who impress him with their performances. Over the last couple of years, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner has, on multiple occasions, showered praise on some of the finest youngsters in the game.
Some of these players have moved forward to become popular figures in the sport, while the rest are still on the rise. That said, let's look at five young players who have received praise from the Argentine across the last couple of seasons. They are as follows:
#5 Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool
In an interview last year, Lionel Messi named 15 rising players in world football and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold featured on the list. The Argentine described the England international as 'a full-back who is impressive for the future'.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's "sublime" passing would make "world stop" if it was Lionel Messi
mirror.co.uk/sport/football… https://t.co/qnHFDJ2UQa
It comes as no surprise to see Lionel Messi naming TAA among his list of rising players. They met each other when Barcelona and Liverpool clashed in the Champions League semifinals in 2019. The 22-year-old produced a stunning performance in the second leg of the encounter as the Reds earned a dramatic triumph at Anfield.
Since earning promotion into Liverpool's senior team in 2016, the defender has made 186 appearances across all competitions, recording ten goals and 47 assists to his name.
#4 Phil Foden | Manchester City
Manchester City attacker Phil Foden also made it to Lionel Messi's list of the 15 rising talents in world football last year. The attacker has been a shining light at Etihad Stadium over the last couple of seasons and his incredible performances have apparently captured Messi's attention.
📊| Foden Stats:
Only Lionel Messi (7) has created more big chances than @PhilFoden (6) in the Champions League this season.
Foden - A big chance every 31 Minutes
Messi - A big chance every 69 minutes
#ManCity 🔵 | #Foden | #Messi
[@WhoScored] https://t.co/rYputE65tR
"He will do amazing things in football, he has huge talent," the six-time Ballon d'Or said of the Manchester City forward.
Phil Foden is one of the best young players in the Premier League at the moment. The 21-year-old had a splendid outing with the Cityzens last season, bagging 16 goals and ten assists in all competitions. He's maintained his amazing level of performance this term, having bagged two goals and two assists for Pep Guardiola's men in seven games across all fronts.