Sergio Aguero has listed five players he looked up to as a youngster, including one star who featured for Manchester City’s rivals Manchester United and Liverpool.
The Argentine will depart the Etihad at the expiry of his contract this summer, with his legacy as one of the all-time great Premier League strikers secured thanks to his astonishing tally of 181 top-flight goals for City.
Before joining the Sky Blues in 2011, Aguero came through the ranks with Argentinian club Independiente then lit up La Liga with Atletico Madrid.
As such, it is no surprise to see Aguero name a number of South American players in his list of five icons who inspired him.
“When I was very, very young I used to focus a lot on [Javier] Saviola that used to play for River Plate," Aguero told Manchester City sponsor Etisalat.
“Later I focused on [Carlos] Tevez, [Juan Roman] Riquelme, then Ronaldo from Brazil.”
Argentines Tevez and Aguero played alongside each other at City during the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons, while Aguero’s final pick is a much more surprising one.
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The 32-year-old added: “I also liked Michael Owen. Mainly, I used to focus on the players that I liked and tried to play like they did. When I was young, obviously.”
Owen burst onto the scene with Liverpool in the late '90s, becoming the youngest player to score 100 Premier League goals and winning the Ballon d’Or in 2001, and there are clear parallels between his and Aguero’s lightning speed and clinical finishing.
Owen also went on to have a spell with City’s local rivals Manchester United between 2009 and 2012 but retains his spot in Aguero’s top five inspirations.
Meanwhile, Aguero has seen limited involvement this season due to hamstring and knee injuries, as well as a bout of coronavirus, but will be desparate to improve on his tally of three goals as the clock winds down on his City career.
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