Arsenal

Arsene Wenger compares Jack Wilshere to Zinedine Zidane, Bobby Moore

By Matt Cotton, Reporter | 17 September 2013

Arsene Wenger says that Jack Wilshere shares the same characteristics as Zinedine Zidane and Bobby Moore that could see him go on to become a legend of the game.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that midfielder Jack Wilshere can go on to be a legend like Zinedine Zidane, Bobby Moore and Michel Platini.

The 21-year-old is highly regarded as one of the biggest prospects in world football, but received some criticism after a below-par performance for England last week.

However, he bounced back with a good display in the 3-1 win at Sunderland on Saturday, and Wenger has every confidence that Wilshere can go on to become a great.

"National teams need a guy who absorbs this type of pressure and takes it, we had Zidane," Wenger told The Independent. "When the France team played well, it was all Zidane, but the others could play. Before, we had Platini. In the history of the French national team, the results stop when Platini stops. And they stopped when Zidane stopped. You need a good generation but you also need one player."

Wenger agreed with a reporter when asked whether Wilshere could replicate the role Moore played for England, saying: "Jack can take that, he is young, only 22. He has the characteristics to do that. But he needs to play six months without any problem.

"He is not fazed by the importance of the game. He is not inhibited. Jack has the personality to be a top, top, top player."

Arsenal face Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday.