DONGOU HAILED AS BETTER THAN LEONEL MESSI AT SAME AGE AT "LA MASIA"

16 year-old striker Jean Marie Dongou who recently starred for Barcelona at the Next Gen Series, described as the Champions League of youth football has been described as better than Lionel Messi at the same age. An amazing talent with limitless potential, Dongou is one of La Masia's latest stars to emerge. Many believe he will make his first team breakthrough within the next year.

Described by some as Africa’s answer to Lionel Messi, 16 year striker Jean-Marie Dongou is the first player since the Argentine to play and score for three age groups in one season at Barcelona’s youth academy. Now competing with players three years his senior, Dongou who can also operate as an attacking midfielder is strong, fast and has a natural eye for goal. Currently playing in the Canteria Division at La Masia, he has already featured for Barcelona B in the Segunda division. Some have stated that Dongou is better than Messi at his age.

Pep Guardiola is already an admirer of his talents and many believe he could feature in the first team within next year. Dongou played in the Samuel Eto’o foundation before moving to Barcelona to set up home at La Masia, at the age of 13 years-old, the same as Messi. While the Cameroonian is not similar in style to Messi, standing at 6 ft and being right-footed many people have drawn similarities to Didier Drogba and Romelu Lukaku. 
Since joining Barcelona,  Dongou has regularly surpassed the 30-goal mark in each of his seasons at the club. During his first season with ‘Infantil A’, in 2007/08, he scored over 70 goals in all competitions and scored 35 goals with Cadet A. Former youth coach Oscar Garcia has described Dongou as “His potential is limitless.” The prolific Dongou who turns 17 next month will be eligble to play for Spain by his 18th birthday, having lived there for five years.
In Dongou, Barcelona have uncovered a talent so rare that the Messi comparisons will be inevitable, despite the two playing styles bearing little if any resemblance. What should be noted is that over the next few years, Dongou will strike fear into defenders and looks to become a force at the very top of the game.

Samuel Eto’o seems to have started a long love story between Catalan giants F.C Barcelone and Cameroonian footballers. After bringing glory and leaving the club ,other Cameroonian players are already making fans and pundits excited. One of those Cameroonian players is 16 year old Jean Marie Dongou Tsafack- born on April 20,1995 . The fast -paced striker arrived La Masia- F.C Barcelone’s youth academy- at the tender age of 13 and with hardwork and drive immediatedly went into goal- scoring overdrive.
During the 2007/2008 season, he wowed; scoring 58 goals excluding those netted during friendlies. The following season, he found himself playing in three different categories and despite his opponents being older than him, he found the back of the net 35 times.In recent times, he has been leading his team to easy wins.

His performances have earned not only praises from his teammates and coaches they have also triggered  a steady avalanche of comparisons with greats like Samuel Eto’o and Argentinian whizkid Lionel Messi. Rumours are even rife that if there isn’t space for him rightaway in the senior team, he may be heading for Arsenal.
Despite the cascades of accolades,the budding serial goalscorer remains level-headed and keeps his eyes on the ball which is presently enriching his bag of football tricks so that the day he steps unto the pitch as a member of the senior team fans can quickly chant his name in the stands. Young Dongou is one of the players from Eto’o's sports academy.