Tottenham icon was tougher than Ronaldo and Messi, says Arsenal graduate Alex Iwobi
Former Arsenal man Alex Iwobi has now named an ex-Tottenham star ahead of Messi and Ronaldo as the best player he has ever faced.
In recent years, Tottenham Hotspur has been blessed with world-class players who have left their mark on the Premier League.
One could easily point to Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Gareth Bale, and Dele Alli as examples of such talent – players who not only delivered on the pitch but became symbols of Tottenham’s modern era.
However, while fans are often quick to celebrate those who score goals or provide assists, those who have played the game tend to appreciate the unseen work, the technical brilliance, and the control that others often overlook.
Alex Iwobi names Mousa Dembele as toughest opponent despite facing Ronaldo and Messi
Former Tottenham forward Vincent Janssen named Mousa Dembele as the best player he ever played with during his time at Spurs, despite having shared a dressing room with Harry Kane.
Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest has also heaped praise on the Belgian midfielder, describing him as one of those players “the streets will never forget.”
Now, former Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi has joined the growing chorus of admiration, naming the former Tottenham man as the best player he has faced in his career.
When asked to name the toughest opponent he had come up against, Iwobi told The Inside Scoop: “Obviously, played against Messi, played against Ronaldo, but for me I hate to say it because he did play for Tottenham. Mousa Dembele.”
He continued: “We spoke about this in the changing room the other day – Mousa Dembele gives you this arm… Bro, he was a joke.”
Asked to explain why Dembele stood out so much, Iwobi added: “When you play against him, you understand – you cannot get the ball off him.
“He is technically sound and he does not really use his right foot like that – he is one-footed. Left foot is insane, he finds a pass, like he is just eating up any man. He was insane, he could control the midfield by himself.”
Mousa Dembele praise shows Tottenham have never replaced him
Dembele has since retired from club football, but his name still echoes fondly among those who played with and against him.
Just a few weeks ago, Mousa Dembele was part of the group of players who came to bid farewell to Jan Vertonghen, another Tottenham cult hero, during his retirement event.
It was also revealed that between March and August 2016, not a single player managed to tackle Mousa Dembele – a statistic that underlines his ridiculous ball retention and physical strength.
Another former Tottenham player, Dele Alli was clearly impressed by the stat and reacted with a simple yet telling response: “Damn???????? my goat.”
The sentiment continues to be echoed by many, and the truth is that since he left N17, Tottenham Hotspur have never truly found a replacement capable of replicating his midfield dominance.
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