“A mix between Maradona and Messi” - Manchester City bound star receives high praise from club chief who discovered him
Former River Plate director Daniel Brizuela has said that Manchester City-bound Claudio Echeverri is a mix between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.
The 18-year-old attacking midfielder plays for River Plate and is set to join Manchester City at the start of the 2024-25 season. Brizuela, the man who discovered the gem, told Pagina 12 about Echeverri (via AS):
"We are facing a totally differentlplayer, a child prodigy. He is a mix between Maradona and Messi."
He added:
“The first time I saw him play was in a test in Resistencia, Chaco. When I watched him move, I was excited with the first oriented check, as I knew I had found a different footballer.
"In these situations is when you meet a child prodigy. Without a doubt, Echeverri is a child prodigy . I have been doing this job for more than 15 years and I am a specialist as a talent seeker. That's why I say it's a case in a million.”
He continued about Claudio, drawing parallels between Maradona and Messi:
"Claudio is a footballer who has a mix between Maradona and Messi. Because he has the personality that Diego had . He has a strong character and grabs the ball to go forward. In that characteristic he is very similar to Maradona."
Brizeura added:
"And the other part is football, and in that he looks a lot like Messi , with his dribble that starts lying on a sideline to move towards the middle.
"He starts dribbling, reaches the goal and scores a goal. He is a very good scorer, even though he is not a natural striker. Bridging the gap, it is a mix between both.”
He added that Barcelona wanted to sign Echeverri when the player was only 12, but the Argentina youth international is now headed to Manchester City.
Manchester City's Jack Grealish names Lionel Messi as toughest opponent
Manchester City superstar Jack Grealish is one of the most popular players in English football at the moment. The winger was recently asked about his toughest opponent.
Throughout his career, Grealish has come up against world-class players in top competitions across Europe. He named Argentina captain Lionel Messi as his toughest opponent (via Barca Universal):
"The best player I have played against is Leo Messi."
The little magician has haunted the best defenders across the globe with his dazzling skills. Hence, Manchester City star Grealish's choice isn't a surprising one.