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FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Joe Mewis

‘Sometimes a nickname like that becomes a burden you didn’t ask for. You just want to play football, to do what you love’ Chelsea new boy Estevao on Lionel Messi comparisons and idolising Neymar

Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with the World Cup trophy after Argentina beat France in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 on 18 December, 2022 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail, Qatar.

If you’re a talented young attacking South American footballer, it’s likely that you’ll be dubbed the next Pele/Maradona/Messi, etc, by the international media, who love to throw a big name into a headline.

Some players will relish comparisons of this nature, while others will prefer to operate more under the radar and carve out their own legacy.

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