Featured Image Credit: Chelsea
Topics: Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, Endrick
Chris Byfield
Chelsea fans believe they have an academy starlet that matches the talent of Lamine Yamal and Endrick.
The Blues’ Cobham academy has produced a star studded spate of players in recent years, including Reece James, Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Fikayo Tamori, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham.
But a section of Chelsea supporters are clamouring over the potential of a 15-year-old currently starring in their academy.
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A video of Ibrahim Rabbaj, an attacker with a gait and hair style reminiscent of a young Lionel Messi, has gone viral on social media.
As per Rising Ballers, the 15-year-old was called up for England U16s squad last month having previously represented Morocco.
Indeed, he has netted some 52 goals and registered 60 assists in just 40 games.
In response to the highlights reel, loaded with nutmegs and lethal strikes from distance, one Chelsea fan said on Reddit: “Don’t think Messi was putting up these numbers at this age. Hopefully they have him on a diet now to help him grow into his body.
“If this guy has a decent growth spurt then he could be something special, nothing against the smaller players it’s just with the increase in games it would be beneficial to have a bigger frame than Messi.”
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Another added: “Wow! He looks ridiculously good! God, I hope he is able to continue his development and then join the first team in a couple of years. The movement and finishing is wild, especially for a 15 year old.”
A third added: “So what’s stopping this kid from getting call ups to train with first team or even an appearance in stoppage time against a freebie conf league game the same way Lamine Yamal did with Barca at the age of 15?
“Or was Yamal already a highly touted prospect from when he was way younger?”
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One fan, who was clearly propelled into existential panic, said: “This kid wasn’t even 10 years old last time we were in a title race.”