After making a name for himself in Serie A with the likes of Sampdoria and now Inter, former Barcelona youth prospect Mauro Icardi admits that he would love to eventually play alongside Lionel Messi.
As a striker who finds himself among plenty of other talented Argentine forwards, the 23-year-old revealed who he admires the most among his peers during a recent interview.
“Obviously I’d like to play with Lionel Messi, the best player in the world,” Icardi told La Nacion as reported by Fcinternews.it.
“Look at Luis Suarez at Barcelona, he doesn’t have to run into space because Leo puts the ball exactly where he wants him.”
Icardi also named another attack-minded player from his hometown of Rosario that has won his respect.
“Angel Di Maria is another player I like a lot,” Icardi added. “He is extraordinary , I like him for his speed and how he manages to keep the ball. With certain players like these beside you it’s a pleasure to play.”
The player also addressed his decision to leave Barcelona’s youth team as an 18-year-old to join Sampdoria on loan, and insists that he doesn’t regret the move.
“I have never regretted this choice,” Icardi added. “It was my decision and I did it for my own good.
“I thank Barca for giving me the chance to explore different avenues and let me play regular football.”
