Thiago Alcantara’s playing style has been likened to Brazilian football great Zico by Liverpool FC legend Graeme Souness.
In his column for the Sunday Times, Souness claimed that Thiago’s intelligence on the pitch could be comparable to Zico’s, whom the Liverpool FC great voiced to be the best player he had faced during his playing days.
“Zico was the best I played against, I don’t think I got within two yards of him in maybe eight times I played against him in the course of my career with Liverpool, Sampdoria and Scotland,” said the former Reds’ skipper.
“He was one of those rare players that always seemed to have an extra yard of space to play in, the radar to see several moves ahead, the intelligence to be perfectly positioned when he received the ball and the perfect weight of touch to open the game out rather than taking it towards an opponent.
The ex-Reds midfield icon showered praise on Jurgen Klopp’s recent Anfield recruit in the aftermath of Thiago’s brilliant second-half display against Chelsea last weekend in the 2-0 win over the Blues. The Spaniard had been a driving force for Liverpool FC in the centre of the park after coming off the bench.
Souness voiced his admiration for the ex-Bayern Munich star midfielder’s quality on the ball and backed the 29-year old to thrive in the Premier League, adding that the Spanish international was truly a ‘world-class player’ in every aspect of the modern-day game.
“I reckon Thiago should find British football a breeze because he’s that good, too. Whenever you buy a player as a manager, you’re always trying to eliminate risk. Thiago ticks all the boxes – tremendous work rate, vastly experienced, he’s a creator but doesn’t shy away from the hard yards either.
“You have to mention the money Liverpool have paid for Thiago. It’s an absolute bargain for four years from a truly world-class player.”
