Those who only saw him play are shared. Those who really rubbed shoulders are unanimous. “Hatem Ben Arfa, it's Messi's level”said Karim Benzema, one of his acolytes of generation 87, on the set of Canal Football Club In 2017. He is not the only one to think so.
Djibril Cissé, Souleymane Diawara, Marvin Martin, Claude Puel: many football actors to put “HBA” at the same table as the ocuple Argentine Golden Ball. In terms of pure talent, in any case. Because their career and record are obviously comparable.
“People take me for a madman when I say that Hatem at his 'bonus', he looks at Messi in the eyes. I saw him do things, he's a patient ”recently testified “Djib”, who evolved with the former Lyon prodigy at OM, in the program Off zone Hosted by Gaël Fickou.
With Hatem Ben Arfa, “France has lost its Messi (e)”
An opinion shared by Bafétimbi Gomis, who only shared 32 minutes in the French team with Hatem Ben Arfa, against Ecuador in 2008 (2-0). What was enough for him to receive a decisive pass from him. For him too, the former Niçois was to be stored in another category.
“It's sad not to have known how to manage it because I think France has lost its messi (e)he confides in the media Captured. We are not about to see this talent again. He had everything. He knew how to mark, he knew how to hit, he knew how to dribble, he could eliminate five or six players on his own. »»
“It was the only one who had the talent to finish Ballon d'Or. It was indecentcontinues “Bafé”.
It was a bit of his fault, it's his story. I think he has also been impatient, a little less perseverance, with a strong character. »» A great waste from French football.
