WHAT HAPPENED TO BOJAN KRKIC?

The former Barca youth sensation was dubbed as the next “Lionel Messi” is now in Japan playing for Vissel Kobe. Bojan was probably the first of many names to be likened as the next Messi, but a career that has seen Bojan become something of a journeyman is nowhere near the standard that Messi has set.

It was in 2006, that Bojan first came on to the big scene with many expecting him to have the kind of performances that Messi was having then. Messi has gone on to win SEVEN Balon D’ Or since then. Bojan joined La Masia at the age of 8, and by the time he graduated to the first team at just 16 he had scored an astonishing 850 goals for different level of youth teams at Barca.

The youngstar didn’t just play like Messi, but also spotted similar hairstyle as well as stature. Bojan continued his impressive form at a young age by being top scorer at the U17 European Championship. In the 2007/2008 season, just a year afte making his debut at Barca he scored 12 goals and provided 6 assists for Barca.

He played top footbal for Barca for three more years, scoring 41 goals and a further 19 assists in 163 appearances and that was it. He went to Roma in 2011, and that was how the downward journey started. Though he did manage to wint 3 La Liga titles, as well as 2 Champions League titles at Barca. The next 10 years that followed saw Bojan play for 7 different clubs. Although he managed to stay at Stoke for 5 years, but he was also loaned during his time there.

At 31, Bojan is slowly coming to the end of his career. Last summer he had the opportunity of linking up with former Barca players in Iniest and Vermalean who both play for Vissel Kobe.