Lionel Messi knows a thing or two about football after winning almost everything in the game and once tipped a promising Chelsea youngster to achieve big things
If Lionel Messi thinks you’re good at football, you must be half decent.
Back in 2020, the Argentine superstar – who was still tearing up La Liga with Barcelona at the time – backed a Chelsea youngster to become “one of the best” players in the world. However, this emerging talent, now 25, is still waiting to fulfill his potential.
His name? Mount Mason.
That might seem hard to believe considering the England international’s current form, but Messi really believed in him. The four-time Champions League winner said of Mount: “Having watched him play, he has the potential to be one of the best.”
To be fair to Messi, Mount was quite the player at the time. He joined Chelsea’s academy aged six in 2005 and went on to graduate to the first team following two impressive loan spells at Vitesse in the Netherlands and Derby in the Championship.
Mount was named Vitesse’s Player of the Year and Eredivisie Team of the Year during his loan spell abroad. These accolades came after a glittering academy career which saw him win the U19 Euros, the UEFA Youth League and two FA Youth Cups.
During his time at Derby, Mount helped them reach the play-off final – which they lost to Aston Villa – and was called up to the England squad as a Champions League player. Although he didn’t make his debut for another year, it was an impressive achievement.
Mount then produced a magical first season in the Premier League at Chelsea, which is why Messi wanted to praise him in 2020. Frank Lampard, who was Chelsea manager at the time and coached him at Derby, also spoke highly of Mount.
Ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, Lampard said: “The players recognize the quality straight away, but they also recognize the work-rate and the character. Mason has all that and he gave me a (selection) problem… I couldn’t ask for more than Mason did.”
Mount took Messi’s praise in his stride. The attacking midfielder was named Chelsea’s player of the year in 2021 – a season in which he defeated Manchester City in the Champions League final – and defended that individual honor next term.
He also won the European Super Cup and Club World Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge and helped them reach three consecutive FA Cup finals. Unfortunately for the Blues, they lost to Arsenal, Leicester and Liverpool at Wembley in back-to-back seasons.
Additionally, Mount became an international star. He played a vital role in England’s Euro 2020 campaign – which saw them lose in the final to Italy – and featured at the 2022 World Cup. However, he is not the same player from the last tournament.
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Mount struggled with injuries towards the end of last season and looked destined to leave Chelsea due to a contract dispute. The Blues sold him to Manchester United in July but he has since failed to impress at Old Trafford due to a lack of fitness.
Mund hasn’t played in the Premier League since November and is yet to register an assist or a goal in the division for United. He is expected to return to fitness soon and that is good news for United manager Erik ten Haag. The Red Devils are seventh in the table.
There is still plenty of time for Mount to reignite his career, but he has not played for England since the World Cup in Qatar and looks unlikely to make Gareth Southgate’s squad for this summer’s Euros in Germany. At the moment, Messi’s prediction looks very wrong.
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