'The new Lionel Messi': Who is 19-year-old Boca Juniors sensation Tomas Aranda?

Tomas Aranda has been drawing all eyes at Boca Juniors. The 19-year-old made his professional debut in January this year in a match against Estudiantes in the Argentine Apertura. But it was in a 3-0 victory over Lanus on 4 March that the young player truly showed his full potential, drawing comparisons with Argentine legends including Messi.

"Aranda, 'the new Lionel Messi', his resemblance to Rojitas and what he can bring to Boca," read a headline in TyC Sports.

Aranda making his mark at Boca

Against Lanus, the player made his first start following a series of consistent performances from the bench. He was then called upon again by manager Claudio Ubeda in the match against San Lorenzo, earning praise from sections of the Argentine press.

"This boy asks for the ball, which is fundamental. He has the ability to dribble past defenders and find a teammate, he understands the game and even featured in Boca's most important attacking moves against San Lorenzo. He was involved in the most dangerous attacks, even playing as an attacking midfielder. He is a young player with every quality needed to become a top talent. It would be good if he were given the ball a little more, if he were more involved in the game, as he is an excellent support for Paredes in the final third," wrote TyC Sports, one of Argentina's leading sports outlets.

With Aranda's arrival in midfield, Boca Juniors gain another creative playmaker — a position the club had been lacking. The youngster can now operate alongside Leandro Paredes, linking play with the attackers, occupying the half-spaces and connecting with those around him.

Beyond Messi: Aranda compared to another Boca idol

TyC Sports also took the opportunity to draw a comparison with another Boca Juniors legend. Angel Clemente Rojas was one of the players developed through the Xeneize academy, making his debut in 1963 and going on to shine throughout the 1960s.

"The other day, in a light-hearted tone, I said on Libero that Tomas Aranda would be Messi's successor. It was obviously a joke — not because the boy lacks talent, but because he is only just getting started. In any case, not to compare them, but to look for coincidences and similarities, we can point out that this young man from Ciudadela made his debut two months before turning 19, while Angel Clemente Rojas was three months short of his 19th birthday when he first played for Boca Juniors," the outlet wrote.

"Rojitas came into the first team on the back of supporter pressure. He was a slight boy, physically similar to Aranda, and dazzled with his dribbling. He did all of this without even needing to touch the ball — in a style of football very different from what we see today. That was how he won over the supporters, and he was the great idol of Boca Juniors until the emergence of Riquelme," it continued.

The comparison goes further still, suggesting that Aranda has considerably more qualities than he has yet shown. The youngster demonstrates a strong understanding of the game and integrates well within the team, though he still needs to sharpen certain aspects of his play and improve his finishing.

"He is showing signs of being a very good player — provided, of course, he is given space and the chance to play several matches in succession, because otherwise he risks fading from view, as tends to happen with young players who fail to deliver after three or four games," the piece concluded.