Wenger praised Wilhelm: He is a bit like Messi

One of the most commendable abilities of the coach Wenger is his vision of discovering and cultivating young players. During his 22 years of coaching Arsenal, players like Henry, Vieira, and Fabregas have been carved from a piece of uncensored jade into world-class superstars under his guidance. Therefore, there must be some of the players who can get such high praise from Wenger. And in his long coaching career, there was a player who made him feel very sorry and gave him a very high evaluation. This player is Jack Wilhel.

Winger even compared him with Messi and Mbappe. Of course, when we analyze his comparison, it does not mean that their historical status or technical characteristics are exactly the same, but refers to the innate football IQ and youthfulness. Wenger said Wilshire reminded him of Mbappe because he saw the player show extraordinary talent at the age of 17, which forced him to put him on the first team to play immediately. He also said that Wilhel was "a bit like Messi", which should refer to Wilhel's ability to hold the ball, get rid of it, and push in a small space, as well as his excellent football mind and vision of passing the last pass.

To understand why Wenger gave such a review, we only need to review one game. That was the 2010/11 season, when Arsenal played against Barcelona, ​​which was at its peak in the Champions League. In that game, a young man under 20, surrounded by three midfield masters who can be recorded in history, not only did he not frighten, but he could also use his own ball holding, get rid of and passes to form an advantage in the local area. The display of self-confidence and ability allowed the whole world to see his great potential. It was also in that season that he won England's PFA Young Player of the Year Award and made his debut as the English adult national team.

However, the most helpless thing in the football world is injury. Wilshire's bright career can be said to be destroyed by continuous injuries. His high-demand ankle had problems repeatedly, making it impossible for him to remain healthy and stable for a long time. This is why Wenger praised his talent while also emphasizing his spiritual power. A player who has experienced so many severe injuries and a long recovery period can return to the arena again and again requires very strong willpower. Finally, after playing for Arsenal's first team for nearly a decade and winning two FA Cups, he left the team in 2018. Later, he went to West Ham United and the Danish League, and finally announced his retirement in 2022 at the age of 30. This decision made many people sigh. A player who was regarded by Wenger as a talent and football dealer at Messi and Mbappe should have reached a higher level, but ended his career early due to injuries. This is not only a regret for the players themselves, but also a loss for the entire football world.