Paul Merson believes that in today’s game, the player most similar to Gianfranco Zola is Bernardo Silva.
The popular pundit was speaking to Jeff Stelling on Football’s Greatest in an episode where the best-ever foreign players in the Premier League were being discussed.
The Manchester City maestro’s name eventually came up as he was likened to the Chelsea legend.
Paul Merson says Bernardo Silva is a “similar” player to Gianfranco Zola
The Italian continues to be hailed as one of the most entertaining players to have ever graced English football.
From 1996 to 2003, the silky technician wreaked havoc for Chelsea, despite them not being the powerhouse they ended up becoming soon after.
Now, Paul Merson has likened Bernardo Silva to Gianfranco Zola.
“A bit like a Silva, a bit like a Silva, Bernardo Silva but Silva plays sort of out wide. [Gianfranco] Zola was sort of in the thick of it”, he said on Football’s Greatest.
“But that kind of player, you know, not the lightning quickest player in the world but very clever upstairs and great movement, low centre of gravity. I keep on going back to that, it’s so important. You look at people like [Lionel] Messi and people like that, they have that where they can just go past big players.”
“And I would probably say Silva, similar to that but he’s playing on the right at the moment.”
High praise for Bernardo Silva
Bernardo Silva would perhaps feel flattered to be compared to a great of the game like Gianfranco Zola, as Paul Merson has done.
In a clip posted by the Sky Sports Retro YouTube channel, Sir Alex Ferguson described the retired attacker as a “fantastic player” with “beautiful balance.”
Ferguson went on to admit that he respected Zola to the extent that when Manchester United faced Chelsea in the FA Cup in the 1997/1998 season, he had instructed one of his players to man-mark him.
Such was the brilliance of Gianfranco Zola and the fact that Bernardo Silva has been likened to him by Paul Merson emphasised the calibre of player he is as well.
Players who have locked horns with the Portuguese wizard, be it in the middle of the park or out wide would also perhaps admit that it was a nightmare facing him.
Bernardo Silva has been a joy to watch since his time at AS Monaco and at Manchester City, he has played at a standard that justifies him being regarded as a Premier League legend like Gianfranco Zola is.
