Name: Iker Muniain
Club: Athletic Bilbao
Age: 16
Position: Attacking midfielder (right)
Secondary positions: Attacking midfielder (centre and left), Forward (right and left), Striker
Appearances 2009/2010: 8 (Primera Division & Europa League)
Goals 2
(Statistics up to October, 1, 2009)
At only 16 years of age, Iker Muniain is the rising star of Spanish football dubbed the "Spanish Messi". The diminutive attacker can play on either flank or as a supporting striker.
Armed with amazing speed and agility, high-calibre ball control and the fact that he is a truly two-footed player with excellent technique on the ball, Muniain has shown talent and maturity way beyond his years.
His maturity is clearly seen in the way he fulfils tactical orders, working hard by chasing defenders and participating in the team's defensive work, plus he has the composure in front of goal and effectiveness in the danger zone that so few players of his age boast.
Muniain, who prefers to play on the wing but who has performed this season mostly as a supporting striker or on the right, still has some way to go. Despite the impressive start to his career and his tremendous potential, Muniain is still not a strong player. With more experience and a lot of hard work he will be able to get stronger which will make it even harder to knock him off the ball.
This rising star has been on the radar of many European top clubs since he was a child. Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid have been rumoured to be tracking him since he was 12-years-old. But Muniain chose to stay with Bilbao's youth team and had the patience to wait for his chance with the senior side. He was not tempted by the big clubs as he believed it would be better for him to continue his development in a place where he feels comfortable.
The Basque club will surely have problems holding on to this gem in the future. Muniain is contracted until 2012 with Bilbao, and his release clause increases every game he plays with the senior side in the league.
With a bright future ahead of him, this little genius is surely a player to watch who has the potential to prove the ambitious comparisons with Messi to be true.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/foot...tic-Bilbao.html------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Messi is the most talented player to be produced by the Spanish football system in decades... if this kid could get anywhere near that level, it would be fantastic.
