According to Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez, he is already good enough to be compared to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. For the forward, he is already as talented as these stars from Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Sanchez has been playing for Arsenal since 2014. Before that, he was with Barcelona for three years. Given is experience as professional football star, fans would agree that he has become one of the most prominent players in the international scene.
For him though, it seems being recognized for his skills and what he can do on the field are not enough. He feels that he is now within the same level of talent as Messi and Ronaldo.
"I have reached a level where I can compete with great players," he told Goal. "I do not feel inferior to anybody. I liken [my qualities] to Messi and Ronaldo. I have the same abilities as them."
Although some fans would probably disagree with Sanchez's statements, the forward definitely has something to show for. Like Messi and Ronaldo, Sanchez has the inherent ability to lead any club. His playing style is also very diverse and adaptive, making him one of the most dangerous players in the field.
But, in terms of statistics, Sanchez is still a bit far from the football legends. As pointed out by Bleacher Report, during last term's league matches, Ronald and Messi scored an average of 35 and 26 goals respectively. Sanchez, on the other hand, only had 13. In assists, Ronaldo had 11 while Messi made 16. As for the Arsenal forward, he only had 4.
This shows that although Sanchez's playing style can be compared to that of Messi and Ronaldo, the two stars clearly surpass him in terms of consistency and productivity.
As for the Barcelona star, he and his teammates recently had a friendly match against the Spanish Paralympic Blind Team. Despite their disability, the team was able to show the Argentinian football star and his club just how good they are on the field with the help of a special ball that generates noise.