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Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz matched one of Lionel Messi's many incredible goal-scoring records in his side's UEFA Champions League win over Salzburg on Tuesday, November 26. The German giants recorded a 5-0 win over RB Salzburg with Wirtz finding the net twice (8' and 30').
Following his brace against RB Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League, Florian Wirtz matched Lionel Messi's record of scoring 17 European goals before turning 22. The German midfielder has recorded 12 goals in 33 appearances in the UEFA Europa League and five goals in five outings in the UEFA Champions League.
Wirtz has experienced a meteoric rise at Bayer Leverkusen over the last two seasons. The 21-year-old made his first-team debut for Leverkusen in May 2020 after spending one season with their under-17 team (2020-21).
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In 171 outings for the German club across competitions, Wirtz has contributed 50 goals and 54 assists. He has also won one Bundesliga title, one DFB-Pokal title, and one DFL Supercup with the club.
Lionel Messi had an incredible UEFA Champions League career, winning four titles with Barcelona (2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015). The Argentine legend is also the second-highest goal-scorer in the tournament's history with 129 goals, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo (140 goals). Messi has also been the highest scorer in the competition six times.
"Nobody can play like Messi" - When Florian Wirtz revealed his admiration for Lionel Messi
In an interview with Sky Sports Germany, Florian Wirtz opened up about his admiration for Lionel Messi, saying (via GOAL):
“I had posters of Messi, Ousmane Dembele, and Aubameyang on my wall. My first jersey, however, was Messi's Argentina jersey. When I was little, he was the best player there was at the time in the world. I watched videos of him, was a fan of his - I wanted to be as good as him."
Wirtz continued:
"Of course, I've developed my own style in the meantime. [But] nobody can play like Messi - he has his own way of playing. Sometimes I watch more specifically how he solves situations."
Florian Wirtz's gameplay is reminiscent of that of Lionel Messi in many ways, especially during the latter's time under Guardiola's guidance at Barcelona. Much like Messi in Guardiola's Barca, Wirtz has played as an attacking midfielder at Leverkusen.
Moreover, both have had a free role in their respective team's attack and combined creatively with the frontline and the midfield. Apart from their lethal goal-scoring abilities, they also prove fruitful to their respective teams while creating big chances.
In a 2023 interview (via GOAL), Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso also compared Wirtz's style of play to that of Lionel Messi. The coach believed both players had a penchant for delivering smart passes at the right time on the pitch.
