Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons, who joined PSV Eindhoven from PSG on a free transfer last season, was recently asked who the best player he has played with so far in his career is. The youngster shocked everyone with a very unique answer. 

Everyone expected him to name either Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe but the Dutchman said that Marco Veratti is his favorite player and the best player he has ever played with. 

Justifying his answer, Simons said, “I am often asked: who is the best player I have played with in Paris? So I can answer: Messi or Mbappé, but everyone already knows how good they are, and Marco Verratti, a lot of people don't. Verratti is my favorite player. He doesn't score a lot of goals or give a lot of assists, but he's so important.” 

“In Barcelona, it has already been stressed during the training of young people that it is not enough to just watch who scores the goals. They said: watch out for Xavi, Iniesta, Dani Alves. What they all do for the team. This is how I see football. And that's how I play myself,” he said. 

Xavi Simons was a part of PSG’s squad in 2020 and 2021 but he hardly managed to make his way into their playing XI due to terrific competition. However, he regularly played with the likes of Neymar, Mbappe and co. in the training sessions, and thus asking him this question is understandable. 

Simons is doing brilliantly with his current side PSV Eindhoven. He has scored 16 goals and provided 8 assists in 39 appearances for the Dutch side and is finally making a name for himself. At PSV, he is getting the platform to prove himself - something he had craved for so long. He is still just 19 years old and has a bright future ahead.