French club Dijon FCO have made world football headlines by announcing the signing of a striker named Messi. That’s 12-year-old striker Rayane Messi, who already has fans wondering if he can live up to his famous namesake.

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The youngster, who was born in 2007, joined up with the club on Monday from the youth ranks of FC Versailles 78, and was pictured with his parents and Dijon coaches Sébastien Degrange and Michaël Isabey, with the pint-sized attacker proudly holding up his new number 9 shirt and famous name emblazoned on the back. 

Unsurprisingly, the news of a player named Messi pricked the ears of the football world who wondered if Rayane could go on to emulate Argentine namesake Lionel, who many reckon to be the greatest player of all time, going as far as to already call him the ‘GOAT’.

It remains to be seen whether Rayane will become as successful as Barcelona’s all-time top scorer and five-time Ballon d’Or winner, but for the time being, Dijon fans can rest safe in the knowledge that a player called Messi will play in their club’s colors in the near future.