World Football: 20 Comparisons of Current Footballers To Legends

Here is a list of footballers who are often referred to as the new or the improved version of a legend that has passed them.

While these comparisons are merely just that, comparisons, it is the fact that they are even compared to these legends in the first place is the real issue as to why people ask questions. Here is a list of a few players and their similarities.

Feel free to add your own and thanks for reading.

Blackburn recently signed young Argentine Footballer Mauro Formica, Blackburn boss dubbed the player from Newell Boys Club as the new Gabriel Batistuta.

"Formica is someone we would love to bring in during this window. He is a striker or attacking midfielder who is a bit like a young Batistuta."

"He can make goals for himself, he can finish, he can play a last pass and can certainly give a different dimension in the final third."

It will be interesting to see Formica play in the English Premier League something the great Batistuta never have the opportunity to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAVTVMSI97A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdjOo4rj66c

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has likened Theo Walcott to Arsenal hero Thierry Henry, he believes that while both men are similar in nature, they are both completely different players.

"Theo is very, very close to playing that striker role. He can be a prolific striker."

"The thing is with you in England, you are very impatient."

"Don't forget that when Thierry Henry came here, he was a winger. When I played him as a central striker, he said to me 'But I can't score goals'."

"I knew Thierry when he was 14 and at 15 knew he could score goals because he played central. Then I left Monaco and they moved him to the flank but I knew in my head he could do it."
 
"It looks to me that Theo has a calmness in front of goal. Before, he rushed his decision but now he is different in front of goal."

"It's difficult to compare the similarities. Is Thierry a replica of Theo? Is Theo a replica of Thierry? No. But they have in common tremendous pace, they are good finishers and both are intelligent."

"To go through what Theo has gone through, live it, as he has lived it, is incredible."

Former Liverpool player Ryan Babel has also often been compared to as the new Thierry Henry; however, his failure to capture his full form at Liverpool has made his believers heavily doubt his capabilities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmn2rTvIhD4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWUBFqdvggM

New Liverpool playmaker, Jonjo Shelvey, has been compared to Liverpool icon and current club captain Steven Gerrard from a host of football pundits and fans in general.

While Jonjo has the creativity and willingness to help his team win a match; he still needs to prove that with experience he can fill the boots of Gerrard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTSXgp5CuTw

While this comparison has been made a few years ago, many people still doubt whether Messi can be compared to the likes of the Great Argentine Diego Maradona.

Many in the football world believe that Messi does not have the trait as a leader or an inspiring figure due to the team that he plays with in Barcelona and Argentina for that matter. While Maradona won leagues and cups, usually single handily for the likes of Argentina and Napoli.

However, there is no denying that both players are in a league of their own, with Messi often mirroring his idol Maradona on the pitch with flurried runs through the oppositions defence. Messi has also duplicated Maradona’s Hand of God and Half Way Run while playing for Barcelona in Spain, as seen in the following videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wit6Pp7l3Lw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR0ANxAGk_0

Lukaku definitely has the physical attributes to that of Didier Drogba, however; whether he possesses the pace, brutal force and intelligence to rip through the teams defense, especially in a league that is as competitive as the English Premier League.

With speculation Lukaku wanting to join a big Team in the EPL come summer, it will be interesting to see how the big man will cope.

Nicknamed little Zizou (Little Zidane) is a French player of Algerian decent who currently plays his football for English outfit Arsenal.

Nasri was first compared to Zidane in 2004 after Nasri helped France win the under-17 Cup; however, many believe that their is only one Zidane in the world of football, just like there is only one Pele or Platini.

Wenger once hailed his young starlet as Arsenals version of Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs. Whether Wenger was joking or simply trying to make a comparison for future prospects, it certainly made a lot of peoples eye brows raise as they kept the other eye on Gibbs.

Gibbs currently plays as the left back for both Arsenal and England; however, it is known for him to adapt as a left winger similar to that of Giggs. It will be interesting to see how the boy from Croydon will be able to cope in the future, and whether he can emulate Giggs success with Arsenal.

Wenger has gone on the record again stating that another one of his players are similar to that of other Manchester United legend Paul Scholes.

Wenger said, "Jack has what you want from a midfielder. He has the side of players like Scholes. He can fight and play.”

Jack Wilshere has already proven to everyone that he is the future of England, at only 19-years-old, he has already become the focal point of England and Arsenals future plans.

The Danish star has already made shockwaves around the world after his display at the 2010 World Cup, and in the recent International Friendly against England. However, his time with Ajax has propelled his status to one of the best young guns at the moment in world football.

He has been compared to Dutch sensation Michel Laudrup; however, his time with Ajax has seen him been likened to Dennis Bergkamp.

The young Argentine playmaker has already been compared to perhaps one of Argentina’s finest products in Juan Roman Riquelme.

He has already been made offers from top clubs from around the world including Barcelona and Chelsea.  At such a young age, Pastore is able to find any player on the pitch, something which is quite hard to do in today’s modern player.                               

While only three and half years separate both men, the comparison between them is that of a South American handling the rough and competitive league of the EPL.

Carlos Tevez has already become one of the greatest players to ever grace the EPL amassing over 80 goals in his four seasons with England. In this time, he has played for West Ham, Manchester United and he is currently the club captain of Manchester City.

Luis Suarez has been compared to Tevez due to their drive and determination that they give in every match. Suarez is also an established striker; however, he has spent the majority of his career in the Dutch League for Ajax, where he scored over 100 goals for the team, thus joining an illustrious club including Bergkamp, Cruyff and Van Basten.

Usually, South American and Italian Strikers find it difficult to cope in the Premier League with only a handful of stars really making a name for them. However, on Suarez' debut for Liverpool, he had the winner against Stoke, and this past Sunday, he created the goal for Liverpool in their 3-1 defeat to West Ham.

If Suarez is able to achieve what Tevez has done for his club, then Liverpool should find no problems in winning some silverware come next season.  

The young Brazilian is often compared to the legendary football figure, Pele. Neymar currently plays his football in Brazil and is already scoring a plenty of goals at such a young age.

However, Neymar believes that these comparisons are all futile, as no one can ever do what Pele did for Brazil.

Danny Welbeck: Dwight Yorke

Javier Hernandez: Michael Owen