Manchester City Star Admits Taking Inspiration From Lionel Messi & Ronaldinho for His Playing Style

The duo of Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho is one for the history books. Though their time together on the pitch was succinct, the magic they produced left a profound effect on fans worldwide. For many, the dynamic pair served as a beacon of inspiration, a sentiment shared by today’s generational talent. Among them is a Manchester City star, who admits to having ‘watched a lot of videos’ of Messi and Ronaldinho. 

Jeremy Doku endured a fine start at Etihad. The $70 million arrival from Rennes is giving his best to fit in Pep Guardiola’s side. While he took no time to leave an indelible mark on the Cityzens with his exceptional soccer prowess, his style of playing was inspired by Barcelona legends. As compiled by the Manchester Evening News, he said, “I liked Messi, Ronaldinho – there were a lot of dribblers that I really liked. When I was little, I watched a lot of videos on YouTube then I created something of my own and played on the street, now I’m just Jeremy and my own. Dribbling just brings me joy.” Unfortunately, Doku doesn’t get as many chances to show off his amazing dribbling abilities.

This is because City is known for emphasizing control and taking an organized approach to developing attacks. The 21-year-old stands in stark contrast to players like Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva, who prefer a slower speed on the wings. Yet, the Belgian international never fell short of providing for his side. His numbers prove it all. In over 26 appearances across all competitions, Doku has bagged 5 goals and 6 assists. In fact, he has broken not one but four records in the Premier League. 

Jeremy Doku’s inspiration from Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho has paid off handsomely

On November 25, 2023, Manchester City were held by Liverpool by a 1-1 score, courtesy of goals from Erling Haaland and Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, Jeremy Doku took the limelight as he shattered records for the most successful dribbles by a single player in a match across the top five European leagues this season. Furthermore, he established a new benchmark for the most successful dribbles by a player in a single PL match in the past two seasons. But that’s not all!

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Since 2015-16, he is the first City player to have the most successful dribbles in a single PL game. In addition, since the beginning of the 2015-16 season, he has been the only member of the City team to win the most duels in a single PL game. These achievements definitely highlight the former Rennes player’s dedication to performing well for the Sky Blues and cementing his position for the long haul. 

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