Argentina U17 Star Echeverri Names Messi as Reason for Wanting Barcelona Over Real Madrid

• Claudio Echeverri is lighting up the ongoing FIFA U17 World Cup in Indonesia
• The Argentina number 10 and captain scored a hat-trick against Brazil in the quarter-final
• He is already attracting interest from top European clubs but appears to have decided

Argentina U17 captain Claudio Echeverri is already catching the eye of top European clubs for his performance at the World Cup in Indonesia but appears to have decided his next destination.

Echeverri is captaining his team at the tournament and has contributed five goals, including a superb hat-trick against South American rivals Brazil in the quarter-final.

He is the joint top scorer at the tournament alongside national teammate Agustin Ruberto, both of whom have scored five goals each and are teammates at River Plate.

Per Mundo Deportivo, the 2006-born attacker is already on the radar of Real Madrid, who have been watching the player for months, even before the junior tourney began.

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Echeverri picks his next club?

South America is a hub for European clubs to sign talents, as many have emerged from there in the past, including Vinicius Jr, Endrick, and Kendry Paez, amongst others.

The U17 World Cup is also a talent-showcasing event and has produced some of the world stars, and this year's tournament would not be an exception.

Argentina captain Echeverri is already attracting interest from top clubs, including Madrid, but he had previously spoken on where his heart lies via Sportskeeda.

“As well as River, I would like to play for Barca. I’m a big fan of Messi, and I used to watch him play for Barcelona, so I’ve had this team inside me since I was very young,” he said.

Barcelona could pounce on the player's declaration to have their next Messi, as they have been trying to replicate this since he left the club in 2021 due to financial issues.

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Mbappe: Messi deserves Ballon d'Or

Sports Brief reported on Mbappe saying Messi deserves the Ballon d'Or after outrage from fans claiming Haaland should have won after winning the treble.

Mbappe acknowledged the Norwegian striker’s achievements but claimed it does not weigh much besides a player like Messi winning the FIFA World Cup.

The former Barcelona captain won the award with a margin of 105 points over the Premier League star.