"I say no one can play like Messi" - Manchester United star gives straightforward response to Lionel Messi comparisons
Manchester United forward Amad Diallo has responded to being compared with Barcelona legend and current Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi in the past.
A piece published by TalkSPORT in January 2020 carried Alejandro Gomez's quotes, where he said that Diallo seemed like Messi in training sessions. Gomez was, of course, the Ivorian's teammate at Atalanta during that time.
The Argentine said:
"He’s [Amad Diallo] a future star, trust me. During our training, he seems like [Lionel] Messi! You can’t stop him."
Diallo joined the Red Devils in January 2021 for a fee of £37 million after spending five and a half years on Atalanta's books. He has since found it hard to get playing time, making just 10 senior appearances for Manchester United.
The 21-year-old recently spoke about being compared with Messi and said (h/t @centredevils on X):
"I know they said this [that I was like Lionel Messi in training] but no-one plays like Messi. No-one plays like Messi. I am proud he [Papu Gomez] says I play like Messi but I say no-one plays like Messi! In training, I was like the same here, with a little bit of dribbling and scoring, so they say my football is more like Messi but, today, I say no-one can play like Messi."
Diallo only recently returned from a long-term injury, making his first appearance this season in a 2-1 league loss against Nottingham Forest on 30 December. This was also his first game under Erik ten Hag, considering he was loaned out to Sunderland last season.
Manchester United star has already said he wants to play alongside Lionel Messi
Amad Diallo's admiration of Lionel Messi is nothing new. In fact, last season, the Ivorian said that he wished to play alongside the 36-year-old Argentine legend in the future.
In a quick Q&A session with the PFA (h/t @UtdPlug on X) in January this year, Diallo was asked who he would love to play with. He replied with Messi's name without hesitation.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's rivalry is perpetual, with both boasting dedicated fan bases. Those who support Manchester United often side with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in the 'GOAT' debate because of his association with the club.
Diallo was teammates with the former Real Madrid and Juventus superstar during the latter's second stint at Old Trafford for the first half of the 2021-22 season. However, the two never shared the pitch together in a competitive game.