Ex-Argentine star: "Only Messi impressed me more than Coutinho" | OneFootball

The former Argentine forward Mauro Zárate surprised many by highlighting Philippe Coutinho as one of the most impressive players he has ever shared the field with. During an appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter, Zárate stated that, excluding Lionel Messi, no athlete impacted him as much during training as the Brazilian midfielder.

“Taking Messi out of the equation, he was one of the best players I saw in training,” said the former player, emphasizing Coutinho's talent and technical ability, who currently plays for Vasco da Gama.

Zárate and Coutinho played together at Villarreal during the early stages of the Brazilian's career in Europe. The Argentine recalled the training sessions from that time and highlighted the ease with which the number 11 executed improbable plays.

+ Player's wife reassures Vasco fans and guarantees midfielder is 100% fit

Photo: Reproduction.

According to him, Coutinho stood out for his quick change of direction, precision in the final pass, and the way he “made difficult plays seem natural.”

The statement resonated among fans, especially Vasco supporters, who have been following Coutinho's comeback process after his return to Brazilian football. Zárate's words reinforce the international recognition the midfielder has accumulated throughout his career, having played for clubs like Liverpool, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich.

+ Vasco: A calm year, or not?

Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

The video of the moment was shared by the SportsCenter profile on social media, as part of the SC Shorts segment, available on Disney+ premium plan and on the ESPN Fans YouTube channel.

+ Follow Papo na Colina's social media: Thread, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and Google News

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.