Hugo Rodallega established a cult hero legacy in English football – but his impact in the game pales in comparison to Lionel Messi.
Yet, almost 20 years ago, the former Wigan Athletic striker and the Argentinian icon were indeed spoken of in the same regard at the South American U20 Championship. While the expectation was that Barcelona‘s rising star Messi would make his first mark on the international stage, it was Rodallega who shone brightest, clinching the golden boot with 11 goals and leading Colombia to victory.
It was then that he was reported to have claimed he was the superior player, a comment that stuck with him across his journeyed career in Mexico, England, Turkey and Brazil. Speaking to Diario AS in 2023, Rodallega clarified it was all a misunderstanding. “I’m not better than Messi. I’m not better than anyone,” he insisted.
“That day the journalist asked: ‘Do you think you are the best in the tournament?’ And I said to him: ‘I don’t think I am the best in the tournament, but we are first with Colombia, I am a goalscorer and I feel very good. No, I am the best in the tournament, but I don’t think I am better than Messi’.”
Such was the magnitude of the discussion around the claim that Rodallega would go on to seek out Messi and speak to him face-to-face to clarify the situation. “I spoke to him, I spoke to [Pablo] Zabaleta years later, when we were in England, Zabaleta was at Manchester City and when we faced each other we stayed talking, he asked me and we talked about it,” he explained.
“I also spoke to Messi in Holland and it was clear that it never happened, but nothing. Messi asked me the same thing and then he told me, ‘don’t pay attention to the press, they’re idiots’.”
While Messi’s career soared to remarkable heights, Rodallega carved out his own path. His goalscoring prowess for Liga MX side Necaxa caught Wigan’s attention, leading to a £4.5million transfer in January 2009.
He quickly became what is now known as a ‘Barclaysman’, a term for cult heroes who shone from the mid-noughties to the early 2010s. His crucial goals, including the vital winner to beat Stoke City 1-0 on the final day of the 2010/11 season, were instrumental in keeping Wigan in the Premier League.
After leaving for Fulham in the summer of 2012, Rodallega’s impact in London wasn’t as pronounced. Like many seasoned players seeking new opportunities, he moved to Turkey, where he enjoyed three more fruitful stints.
Even at the age of 39, Rodallega continues to score goals in his home country. Last year, he netted 18 and provided eight assists in 48 appearances for Santa Fe in the Colombian top flight, and he kicked off the 2025 campaign with back-to-back 90 minutes in spite of his age.