Cruelly named Lionel Messi Nyamsi signs with French club

A handful of footballers have been given the name "Pele" since the original became a worldwide icon, so it was probably inevitable that others with the name "Lionel Messi" would start popping up sooner or later. And relegation threatened French Ligue 2 club Angers have signed perhaps the first young player to be the given the name and the unreasonable expectations that go with it.

From the AP:

Angers head of youth recruitment Axel Labatiniere said his club watched Lionel Messi Nyamsi, a 17-year-old central midfielder who was born in Cameroon, playing for Toulouse Fontaines in February and was struck by his natural ability. [...]

"I've had other offers but I think I'll end up at Angers," Messi was quoted as saying on French football website Chronofoot. "My greatest wish is to play alongside Leo Messi. I was born in Cameroon but I'm French. I would choose France."

Well, Ligue 2 clubs are in FIFA 12, so maybe he can make that dream come true there.