Three years ago, Lionel Messi identified four Premier League players he believed would achieve greatness, showcasing a diverse range of talents.
Despite being a young prospect himself years ago, Messi has consistently displayed a sharp eye for emerging stars.
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In 2020, he participated in an activation with Topps, creating his own Champions League cards.
These cards highlighted the ‘Greatest Moments’ of his career, as well as acknowledging ‘Top Talents’ and ‘Youth on the Rise.’
Messi handpicked 15 promising youngsters, offering a brief description of each player’s strengths. Notable mentions included Ousmane Dembele, Frenkie De Jong, Kylian Mbappe, and Joao Felix.
From the Premier League, Messi lauded Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Christian Pulisic, and Mason Mount.
Having faced Alexander-Arnold in the 2018/19 Champions League semi-final, Messi praised his impressive attacking prowess, dubbing him “the future.”
Alexander-Arnold remains a key creative force for Liverpool and has extended his impact to the England national team.
Foden, flourishing under the management of Pep Guardiola, garnered Messi’s prediction of achieving remarkable feats. True to Messi’s foresight, Foden has become a crucial player for the highly successful Manchester City side.
Messi commended Pulisic’s agility and identified Mount’s potential to become one of the best. Both were at Chelsea during Messi’s selections and went on to win the Champions League a year later.
However, in the subsequent summer, Pulisic moved to AC Milan for £18 million, while Mount joined Manchester United for £55 million.
Pulisic has since found the net six times in Serie A, while Mount, facing injury challenges, is yet to open his goal account for United.
