Florian Wirtz matched Lionel Messi's European goal tally after a stellar Champions League display against Red Bull Salzburg.

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• Bayer thrashed Salzburg 5-0
• Wirtz scored two on the night
• Matched Messi's European record

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wirtz delivered an extraordinary performance on Tuesday, steering Leverkusen to a commanding 5-0 triumph over Salzburg. The young attacking midfielder netted two goals, playing a pivotal role in his team’s success.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With his brace against Salzburg, Wirtz matched Lionel Messi’s tally of 17 European goals scored before turning 22. This rare feat places the 21-year-old German prodigy in the same league as one of football’s all-time greats.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Wirtz has never hidden his admiration for Messi. Speaking to , the midfielder shared insights into his early inspirations. “I had posters of Messi, Ousmane Dembele, and Aubameyang on my wall,” Wirtz revealed. “My first jersey, however, was Messi's Argentina jersey."When I was little, he was the best player there was at the time in the world. I watched videos of him, was a fan of his – I wanted to be as good as him."Of course, I've developed my own style in the meantime. [But] nobody can play like Messi – he has his own way of playing. Sometimes I watch more specifically how he solves situations."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WIRTZ?

  Wirtz will be back in action against Union Berlin on Saturday in a Bundesliga fixture.

Tags: Futebol
Category: News