In Maradona’s footsteps, the new Messi-ah

Andy Mitten meets Barcelona wonder kid Lionel Messi.

JUAN Riquelme, Pablo Aimar, Ariel Ortega, Andres D'Alessandro and Carlos Tevez. All are top level Argentinian footballers who have been labelled the 'new Maradona' usually by El Diego himself, yet none have touched Maradona's iconic status.

Lionel Messi, however, may provide a more enduring challenge. Comparisons between Barcelona's 18-year-old man of the moment and his idol abound, most from a slimmed down Maradona. Giving the equivalent of a papal blessing if you are an Argentinian footballer, Maradona told viewers of his TV show in which he has played head-tennis with Pele and danced with a world champion Flamenco performer: "I've seen the guy who is going to inherit my place and his name is Messi. This great football talent has appeared in Argentina and it is beautiful to watch my kind of player filling our blue and white jersey once again. He's got something different to any other player in the world right now, he's a leader and he's offering classes in beautiful football."

"It's an honour to be compared to Maradona, but I've never enjoyed those kind of comparisons," says Messi when we meet the in the bowels of the Camp Nou, "there's only one Maradona." Comparisons between the two will persist though. Physically, both would attract a second glance off any roller coaster attendants before being let on their ride. And the similarities in the way the pair play are staggering: the low centre of gravity, lethal acceleration with the ball, the ability to dribble past players as though they are training ground dummies.

One player who trained with him was Arnau, his captain in Barcelona's B team last season. "Leo (Messi's preferred nickname) had just joined the B team and we were split into two to train. My team was losing against his and I was angry at the way we were playing this kid Messi was running the game. He was so quick, stopping and starting quickly and the ball stuck to his feet like a magnet. We couldn't get the ball from him, so I wanted to show him that he was now playing with men and not boys. Messi had the ball in the corner, so I ran from a distance and hit him hard. He flew into the air like a fly. I was wrong and apologised."

Chelsea's Asier Del Horno was equally frustrated in the first leg of Barca's Champions League clash against at Stamford Bridge and was sent off for his reckless tackle.

Messi's rise has been meteoric. A year ago, he played for Argentina's U20s and with Arnau et al for Barcelona's 'B' team in front of 2,000. Although he featured in seven first team league games last season and became, at 17, the youngest player ever to score for Barcelona, Messi accumulated just 77 first team minutes.

Then he travelled to the U20 World Cup in Holland last July and was the stand-out player, top-scoring with six goals in seven games as Argentina triumphed. Barça had always known that they had a potential star in their cantera, but maybe the speed with which President Joan Laporta hot-footed to Holland to improve Messi's contract illustrates that maybe they didn't realise just how good he was. With Real Madrid, Internazionale, Rangers and Milan showing interest, Messi's reserve player contract of around £100,000 a year was upgraded to one worth up to £3 million. The deal runs until 2014 and contains an improbable £100 million buy out clause the same amount as Ronaldinho's.

Messi started training with the first team in August 2004. He cut a different figure to the other players. For one, he walks to training, his eyes partially hidden behind a mop that wouldn't look lost in a Beatles tribute band. As he sheepishly made his way to work one morning he heard, "Che, boludo" (hey, mate) in an Argentinian accent. He turned to see a smiling Ronaldinho, wanting to introduce himself. Their close relationship endures. The World Player of the Year invited him to play with Barça's other computer game obsessed stars. "He's good, but I beat him often," says Messi cheekily. "That's a total lie. He's not that bad, but he hasn't got a chance with me," counters Ronaldinho, "but Lionel is a brilliant kid and he amazes me with his quality and his growth. I have no doubts that he will be a key player for Barca and Argentina."

"I get on really well with the Brazilians at Barcelona," ventures Messi. "Ronaldinho is a phenomenon. He gives me a lot of advice and praises me permanently. We have fun in every training session. He says I'm his little brother."

Mentally, Messi's lifestyle shares few of the indulgences which blemished and ultimately curtailed Maradona's career, their two personalities contrasting acutely.

"Despite being young, I don't go out much," he says. "I enjoy being alone at home. I listen to music like Argentinian cumbia. I watch TV; I use the internet, sleep some good siestas or play PS2 on the sofa. Perhaps I can start an English course; I want to learn English because it's useful and to use some of my spare time."

"When Pro Evolution Soccer 4 first came out, I would play the entire day against my brother. I played as Barcelona and put myself in the First XI. I tried to go past everyone without passing the ball. It gave me some confidence by playing in the first XI, even though it was a computer game. But if the games became difficult, I took myself off. I still can't believe that I'm in a computer game alongside Ronaldinho or Eto'o."