Maresca says Chelsea teen can be the next ‘Messi or Ronaldo’ | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has backed Estevao Willian to become one of the world’s best and says the Chelsea teenager can be ‘the next Messi or Ronaldo’.

Estevao starred as Chelsea thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League this week, scoring a sublime second goal at Stamford Bridge. The 18-year-old’s performances this season have garnered excitement and Maresca has tipped the teenager for the top.

Having outshone Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal, widely regarded as the best young talent in the game, Maresca lavished praise on Estevao. He said the winger and Yamal could eventually have a rivalry to match Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Speaking to BeIN Sports, he said: “As Raphinha said, probably in the next 10, 15 years, Estevao and Lamine Yamal are probably going to be the next Messi and Ronaldo.

“But for both, they are 18. They need to enjoy, try to improve every day. This the most important thing for them.

“The goal Estevao scored reminded me of the one he scored against us in the Club World Cup. It’s very similar, the same action.

“He needs to relax. He needs to enjoy his football, he needs to play football. Him and Lamine [Yamal] are such young boys at 18, if you start to talk about Ronaldo and Messi, that’s too much pressure for young boys like them.

“They need to arrive at the training ground happy for sessions, but when you start to compare them with those two, it’s too much for them.”

Read – Chelsea told to ‘start believing the hype’ with Estevao

See more – Chilwell out to ‘prove Chelsea wrong’ and make World Cup squad

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