In the early stages of his career, Mohamed Salah - like every insanely talented player at the start of the previous decade - was called the 'Egyptian Messi.' The comparison accompanied him during his breakthrough years in Europe, thanks to his blistering speed, exceptional dribbling ability, low center of gravity and preference for cutting inside from the wing with his left foot.

The nickname gained mainstream traction during his time at Basel and ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, where he scored in all three group stage matches. When Chelsea signed the winger in January 2014, British and international media fully embraced the 'Egyptian Messi' branding to describe the young talent. Even after a difficult spell in London, the label followed Salah to Serie A during his Fiorentina and Roma days. Even then-national team coach Hector Cuper referred to him that way.

When he moved to Liverpool in 2017 and began shattering Premier League scoring records, the comparison faded and he gradually became the 'King of Egypt.' His historic goal tallies and unique playing style allowed him to leave the 'Messi' tag completely behind.

The Egyptian is undoubtedly the most successful player among all those given the ambitious nickname. Over the past two decades, media outlets have happily attached the 'national Messi' tag to any short, crafty attacking player with a passion for dribbling. While the vast majority crumbled under the immense pressure of the comparison, a few managed to build significant careers.

When judged by career statistics, longevity and overall impact at the highest levels, their paths range dramatically from generational greats to cautionary tales for anyone tempted to slap such a title on a young star. As noted, Liverpool's player was the most successful of them all, and he may be the only one who truly broke the nickname's curse.

The next player on the nickname table is likely Martin Odegaard. The 'Norwegian Messi,' who already received crazy global buzz at age 15, initially struggled to handle the pressure at Real Madrid. He later reinvented his career during loan spells in Spain and eventually led Arsenal as captain to title challenges unseen at the club in nearly 20 years.

Perhaps as successful as Odegaard, though less known globally, was the 'Italian Messi' - Lorenzo Insigne. He was one of the few right-footed players to inherit the title due to his playing style (cutting from left to right). The winger became a legendary figure and captain at Napoli, scored over 120 goals for his boyhood club and helped lead the Azzurri to victory at Euro 2020.

Xherdan Shaqiri is probably the fourth most successful on the list. The 'Messi from the Alps,' built in a muscular and compact frame, moved from Basel to Bayern Munich then Inter, played at Liverpool and also Stoke City, but was truly significant in one place above all: the Switzerland national team. He was part of a generation that reached every major tournament and scored iconic goals for them, yet never came close to the original Argentine's achievements.

Iker Muniaín burst onto the scene as a wonderkid at Athletic Bilbao with dribbling skills and crafty tricks. The 'Basque Messi' nickname stuck due to the resemblance, however slight, to the Flea's style. The midfielder made over 560 appearances for the Basque club, led it as a beloved captain and won several domestic titles with them. He is probably the last player on the list whose career lived up to expectations.

Gerard Deulofeu, the 'Catalan Messi,' became a 'wandering talent' after failing to break into Barcelona's first team from the La Masia academy. He passed through Everton, Sevilla, Milan, Watford and Udinese and built a perfectly respectable career, yet it is clear the two players cannot be mentioned in the same breath.

Marko Marin, the 'German Messi,' began his path in Germany, was bought by Chelsea, loaned to Sevilla and finished his career at Olympiacos and Red Star Belgrade. The midfielder never fulfilled the immense potential promised by his early Bundesliga days.

Alen Halilovic, the 'Croatian Messi,' did not even match his father Sejad's success (a former Hapoel Beer Sheva star). The son was acquired by Barcelona for 2.2 million euros, but quickly began wandering across Europe in a desperate search for a club that would give him a chance. He played for several Spanish sides, Hamburg, Milan, Reading, Birmingham, his hometown Rijeka, and today plays for Dutch club Fortuna Sittard.

Was the Croatian better than the 'Greek Messi'? Sotiris Ninis still managed to star at Bloomfield Stadium for the national team, but ended his career as an unfulfilled promise after also passing through Maccabi Petah Tikva.

That said, Ninis's career was far better than that of the 'Israeli Messi.' Guy Assulin arrived from Nahariya to Barcelona and impressed so much in the academy that at age 17 he was already called up to the reserve team and signed a three-year contract with a 20 million euro release clause. Despite the promise, he never found his place in the senior squad.

The midfielder moved to Manchester City and again barely played there (meaning from 2009 to 2012 he recorded no meaningful senior minutes). A short spell at Brighton and then Racing Santander did not change his fate, and he returned to Israel, passed through Kazakhstan and finished his career in the lower leagues of Italy.