Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 10y

Jose Angel Pozo plays down 'mini-Messi' comparison

Manchester City's teenage talent Jose Angel Pozo said it is ridiculous that he has been branded the "mini-Messi."

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The 18-year-old scored 10 minutes into his first-team career as a substitute in City's 7-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup.

The Spaniard has been compared to four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi on YouTube on the basis of some of the goals he scored for City's junior sides.

But he said: "This is crazy. Messi is the best player in the world and I only play one game for the first team."

Messi, who was named the best player in this summer's World Cup, is captain of Argentina and Barcelona's 357-goal record scorer.

Pozo said his involvement on Wednesday came as a surprise, adding: "Of course, it is a dream to make my debut and also score. I am very happy for this. I have been working with the team for two weeks. I didn't expect anything. I am just working, waiting for my opportunity."

The striker left Real Madrid for City in 2012 and said he moved from his homeland because he felt he would get more first-team chances in Manchester, partly because of the European champions' policy of signing galacticos.

He said: "Some people ask why I move from Real Madrid to here but I think City has very good plans for the future, I think I took the right decision and I am very happy here. [At] Real Madrid it is very difficult because they sign the best players every summer.

"I think Manuel [Pellegrini, the City manager] gives trust to the young players and he makes the young players feel closer to the first team."

Pozo's younger brother Iker is also on City's books and the attacker explained: "My brother plays [for the] under-14 [team]. He is very good. He plays midfield. I think he is a quality player."

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