La Liga’s ‘Mexican Messi,’ 15, Gets Annoyed Whenever Compared To Barcelona Captain

Mallorca’s 15-year-old midfielder Luka Romero has said he does not like being compared to the legendary Lionel Messi. Romero, who recently made his first-team debut said, he wants to make his own name in the world of soccer.

In June, Romero was in the limelight for becoming the youngest-ever player to play in the La Liga. He was brought off the bench by Mallorca to play in the final 10 minutes of their 2-0 loss to eventual champions Real Madrid.

Before Romero’s senior-team debut, the Spanish media had nicknamed him the "Mexican Messi" for the several similarities he shares with the Barcelona captain.

Romero, who was born in Mexico where his father played soccer, hails from an Argentine family. Like Messi, even Romero moved to Spain at a very young age. The 15-year-old is left-footed and has a playing style that is extremely similar to Messi’s.

"It annoys me because there's only one Messi and I want to make my own name in football as Luka Romero," the teenage sensation told Fox Sports in an interview when he was asked about the comparisons with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.

However, Romero named Messi and Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona as his idols while growing up.

"Messi and Maradona [are my idols]. My dad used to show me videos of them both. I've never met Messi properly. I went to the [Barca] team hotel once and got a photograph with him but I don't know him. It would be a dream to meet him. He has always been my idol and I would be so happy to meet him," Romero said in the same interview, according to Goal.

The 15-year-old has multiple nationalities: Argentina, Mexico, and Spain but, Romero wishes to represent Argentina at the highest level. Romero, who has played six matches for Argentina Under-15 team, could play alongside his idol Messi for the Argentina national team in the coming years, provided he continues to improve and deliver at the club level.