FFor almost 20 years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have given us unique moments and become solid idols for football fans.
New stars are emerging frequently and one former England midfielder and current Premier League coach has declared two young players responsible for carrying on the legacy of both legends.
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On Tuesday 25th November, Barcelona faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and lost 3-0. After the match, Enzo Maresca, who will be the English club’s manager from 2024, said that two young players stood out in the game: Bara’s Lamine Yamal and Estevao Willian, who scored one of the goals.
At the press conference, the Chelsea manager did not hesitate to praise them and declared that they will continue to shine in the football world like Lionel and Cristiano.
As Rafinha said, Estebao and Lamine Yamal will be the next Messi and Ronaldo.
Speaking about his club’s players, Maresca highlighted Willian’s unique skills, revealing: “Estevao is a special player. He’s old-school, he doesn’t use social media, he just concentrates on football,” adding: “He’s a simple 18-year-old with a great future for the club.”
However, the 45-year-old Italian coach did not overlook the fact that comparisons between talents such as the Argentine captain and the Portuguese star could create huge pressure. “They are very young at 18 years old, so when you start talking about Messi and Ronaldo, I think it’s too much pressure for young players like them.”
Lamine made his debut for Barcelona on April 29, 2023, at the age of 15, and scored a total of 31 goals, taking his total to seven goals this season 2025-2026. Willian, on the other hand, has scored five goals in 17 appearances for Chelsea since making his debut on August 17, 2025 at the age of 18.
Meanwhile, Yamal and Barcelona bounced back from a 3-0 loss to Chelsea with a 3-1 win against the Arabs, with a goal from Lamine and a brace from Dani Olmo. They will now face Atltico Madrid at home on Tuesday, December 2nd at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Meanwhile, Estevao and Chelsea drew 1-1 with Arsenal on Sunday, November 30th, and will face Leeds away at Elland Road on Wednesday, December 3rd.
