Evan Ferguson is similar in style to legendary Italian striker Christian Vieri, according to the Irish teenager's Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Ferguson provided one of the main talking points of the Premier League weekend, by scoring a historic hat-trick in a 3-1 victory for the Seagulls over Newcastle United at the Amex Stadium.
In doing so, the 18-year-old became the fourth-youngest player to score a hat-trick in in Premier League history after Michael Owen, who did it three times before he turned 19, Robbie Fowler, and the late Chris Bart-Williams.
READ HERE: Evan Ferguson Showed Why He Is So Special During Interview After First Hat-Trick
Evan Ferguson compared to Christian Vieri
That's some legendary company for the Bettystown native to be in, but De Zerbi sees him more as a Vieri-type, as he explained at his press conference after the game on Saturday.
"Christian Vieri," said the Italian. "Bobo Vieri was left-footed, Evan is right. But their characteristics are very close. I have an Italian colleague here in the room, please explain to everyone, they are very similar, because I'm very tired!
"Vieri was great. He scored 200 goals, and he worked in the defensive space, a generous player, like Evan."
The Italian icon can now be added to the list of players to whom Ferguson has been compared, which already includes the likes of Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.
Only the fourth player to score a #PL hat-trick before their 19th birthday... 🎩💫 pic.twitter.com/9bzQYdaUHH
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) September 4, 2023
Christian Vieri
Vieri won 49 caps for Italy between 1997 until 2005, with his 23 goals placing him joint-ninth in the all-time scoring list for the Azzurri.
Alongside Paulo Rossi and Roberto Baggio, the ex-Inter Milan star is also the joint-top scorer for Italy at World Cups, having scored nine goals across the 1998 and 2002 editions of the tournament.
If Ferguson can help Ireland to World Cups over the coming decade or so, while putting those kinds of numbers, then comparisons to such legends of the game will be entirely justified.
22 years ago today Christian Vieri scores the winner vs Norway, then sits down for a nice chinwag with Alessandro Del Piero to celebrate...pic.twitter.com/19YMC9z7fV
— A Funny Old Game (@sid_lambert) June 27, 2020
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