He compares himself to Messi: Major flop settles the score with SGE

Elye Wahi

Elye Wahi spared no criticism for his former club, Eintracht Frankfurt.

In an interview with the French newspaper L'Equipe, the 23-year-old opened up about his difficult spell at SGE and couldn't resist taking a few digs at the Frankfurt hierarchy.

Above all, he felt he lacked the necessary support at Eintracht to establish himself in the long term. "In Germany, I discovered a whole new world without speaking the language. I made four starts in a year and a few brief appearances: even if your name is Lionel Messi, you need time to show what you're capable of," said Wahi.

He also directed criticism at former SGE coach Dino Toppmöller, claiming the 23-year-old never received sufficient trust. "During pre-season I scored in friendlies, then they signed another striker [Jonathan Burkardt; Ed.] and the coach picked him."

He faced similar issues at previous club Olympique Marseille: "In Marseille I was 21 and they gave me just four months to prove myself – that's not much. At these two clubs, I never got the time or the chance," he explained, adding, "But I'll take my chance when it's given to me."

Wahi fails to impress for Eintracht Frankfurt

Wahi joined SGE from Marseille in January 2025 for a €26 million fee, yet he never secured a regular spot in the starting XI. Over the subsequent 12 months he managed only 25 appearances (one goal, three assists), mostly as a substitute.

Frankfurt finally sent him back to France on loan to OGC Nice during the recent winter transfer window, and there the youngster appears to be fulfilling his potential: despite the club's relegation fight in Ligue 1, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists in 16 competitive outings.

His loan runs until the end of the season, after which he is due back at Eintracht. Nevertheless, a long-term stay in Hesse seems unlikely, with the club reportedly ready to discuss offers starting at 20 million euros.