‘I’m not Messi’ – Amad Diallo responds to comparisons with Argentine legend

Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo shuns comparisons with Lionel Messi.

Manchester United’s young sensation Amad Diallo has openly dismissed comparisons with the legendary Lionel Messi, despite being labelled as the “Ivorian Messi” since his early days on the pitch.

Amad has been the subject of immense praise, especially from his former Atalanta teammate and 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina, Papu Gomez. Gomez famously remarked, “He is a future star; trust me. During our training, he seemed like Lionel Messi! You can’t stop him.”

This comparison has undoubtedly flattered Amad, but he remains grounded. Speaking to United’s official website, he said, “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 [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.”

After recovering from a severe knee injury, Amad is all set to prove his mettle at Old Trafford this season. His journey, however, might take a new turn as there are rumblings about a potential move in the January transfer window. Manchester United is reportedly considering a move to ensure Amad gets the regular game time he needs to fully unleash his potential.

The young forward’s trajectory seems promising, and fans are eager to see if he can live up to the high expectations set by his early career comparisons to a football icon like Messi.