Alexis Sanchez moved to London in the summer of 2014 and has since established himself as one of the league's most lethal forwards. In the beginning of the 2016/17 season, the Chilean was employed as a central striker by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger for the first time. He has since excelled in this role and with 22 goals and 14 assists in all competitions, Sanchez has been the Gunners' stand-out player of the season. His contribution to the team is indisputable, but his desire to win and play every single game has seen the 28-year-old become frustrated at his team's recent slump in form.
In a video uploaded to Arsenal's official YouTube channel, Sanchez has now explained how his former teammate, Lionel Messi, has inspired him to always strive for the best.
What Sanchez learned from Messi
The current Arsenal team has often been criticised for their supposed lack of backbone and mental strength. Alexis Sanchez, however, has proven on numerous occasions that he is capable of performing under pressure. This may be partially thanks to the 28-year-old's strong mental attitude, which he apparently picked up from former teammate Lionel Messi during his time at Barcelona. Messi is, of course, known as one of history's best players and has won countless trophies and personal accolades during his remarkable career.
In the aforementioned YouTube video, Sanchez praises Messi's winning mentality, saying: "I think [Messi] has an incredible winning mentality. [...] He has such a strong mental attitude and when he steps on the pitch he declares, I'm the best and I'll prove it."
Sanchez further explained that he has adapted Messi's mental attitude to his game.
"You want to be the best because you want to show that you are the best. You have to think like that," said Sanchez.
Thierry Henry praises Sanchez's 'desire to win'
Arsenal legend and the club's record goalscorer Thierry Henry has recently acknowledged Sanchez's winning mentality. After Arsenal's draw against Manchester City, the footballer-turned-pundit said: "At times, [Sanchez] might be a bit to vocal or putting his arms in the air, but I wouldn't have seen that as a problem if I was his teammate, because I will sense that the guy wants to win games.
He's a winner."
Henry further added: "I think this guy, Alexis Sanchez, can be a leader, but the other guys need to go to his level in terms of desire. I don't think that a lot of guys can get to his level in terms of playing because he plays in a certain way, but his desire is second to none. That can be something that people should try to do and have."
Evidently, Messi's winning mentality did seem to have a positive impact on the Chilean forward.
