A 15-year-old dubbed 'Japan's Messi' scored a Barcelona-style goal for Real Madrid's under-16 team
- Real Madrid seemingly has a young Lionel Messi in its youth ranks.
- A 15-year-old called Takuhiro "Pipi" Nakai, also known as the "Japanese Messi," is excelling in Real's under-16 team.
- Nakai got himself on the scoresheet in the team's 1-0 victory over Celta on Friday.
- The goal looked like something Messi himself would score.
- Read all of Business Insider's coverage for the 2018-2019 European soccer season right here.
Takuhiro "Pipi" Nakai scored an outrageous goal for Real Madrid under-16's on Friday, furthering his comparisons to the FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.
Nakai has been playing for Real Madrid's youth teams since he was nine years old and is renowned for a vision and intelligence that belies his age (he only turned 15 in October).
His footwork, which arguably explains why he's called the "Japanese Messi," is irresistible, and he has an uncanny ability to bamboozle defenders with a sharp turn of pace with the ball at his feet.
That is exactly how he got himself on the scoresheet on December 7. With his back to the goal, Nakai evaded two defenders with a flick of the football, saw a space to the right of the goalkeeper, and casually lifted the ball into the goal with a mature finish.
You can watch the goal right here (the first in this highlight package):
Nikai's goal was the only one scored in the game, as Real Madrid's Cadete A team beat Celta 1-0.