Liverpool’s Champions League winning goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek says Reds youngster Mateusz Musialowski can be a top player in the future
Musialowski has received plenty of praise since arriving at Liverpool in 2020, but is still yet to make his first-team debut under Jurgen Klopp. However, speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Dudek claimed that his young Polish compatriot is ‘very talented.’
“I have seen a few bits of him on YouTube and he is a very talented player, very skilful. Little Messi,” said the 50-year-old. “Let’s hope he’s going to make it. He has got great potential, but he needs to stay focused and out of the media. This can always be distracting, but he has smart people around him and the club can help him too.”
Musialowski’s penchant for mazy dribbles and incredible solo goals has seen him earn the tag of the ‘Polish Messi.’ But Dudek has urged the 19-year-old to ignore the hype and make his own name in the game.
“It depends on the character of the person,” the former goalie said of Musialowski’s nickname. “Some players take this as an opportunity to be bigger and they feel better with this nickname. I don’t think they are going to take it seriously, they are going to work for their own name in the future. It is always nice if someone can say you are more or like a young Messi, this is a big compliment. It tells you everything about his talent.”
Musialowski waits for his chance
Musialowski’s lack of first-team action at Liverpool has at times been a bit of a head-scratcher. The teenager hasn’t had a single look-in while other, less talented players have been given chances.
Admittedly, injuries haven’t always helped the Poland U21 international. He was surely set to head off with the first team for the pre-season tour of Asia last summer. But a fitness issue prevented him from doing so.
As a result, Musialowski has never really managed to push himself into Klopp’s thinking. He’s scored some beautiful goals during his time at Liverpool, but they’ve never been backed up with real consistency in the youth teams.
Certainly, when you see the rise of a player like Ben Doak, you can see that it’s possible for youngsters to force their way into first team plans.
Musialowksi will have watched Doak go from the U18s to a regular in the senior side in the space of mere months. It is possible if you catch the eye significantly enough. Clearly, Musialowski is still yet to do that.
Consequently, you can’t help but feel that if the forward was going to make it into the first team at Liverpool, he would have done so to some extent by now. Still, another pre-season isn’t too far away. He’s still only nineteen. Lay down some of that Messi-like magic with Klopp around and the tide could yet turn for Musialowski on Merseyside.