Premier League coach predicts who will be "the next Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo"

For almost two decades, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have given us unique moments, becoming two solid idols for soccer fans.

New stars are often emerging, and a former midfielder and current Premier League coach in England has declared two young players who will be responsible for continuing the legacy of both legends.

Former soccer player defines who will be the next Messi and CR7

On Tuesday, November 25, Barcelona faced Chelsea, losing 3-0 at Stamford Bridge. After the match, Enzo Maresca, coach of the English club since 2024, said that two young players had stood out in the game: Lamine Yamal of Barça and Estevao Willian, who scored one of the goals.

At a press conference, the Chelsea coach did not hesitate to praise them and declare that they will be the ones to continue shining in soccer like Lionel and Cristiano:

As Raphinha said, Estevao and Lamine Yamal will be the next Messi and Ronaldo.

Referring to his club's player, Maresca highlighted Willian's unique skills: "Estevao is a special player. He's old school: he doesn't use social media and focuses only on soccer," he revealed, 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 a comparison of such caliber as the Argentine captain and the Portuguese star can generate a lot of pressure: "They are so young at 18 that if you start talking about Messi and Ronaldo, I think it's too much pressure for young guys like them."

Lamine made his debut for Barcelona on April 29, 2023, at the age of 15. He has scored a total of 31 goals and this season, 2025-2026, he has scored 7 goals in total. Willian, for his part, has played 17 games and scored five goals for Chelsea since his debut on August 17, 2025, at the age of 18.

Meanwhile, Yamal and Barcelona recovered from their 3-0 defeat to Chelsea and are coming off a 3-1 win over Alavés, with a goal from Lamine and two from Dani Olmo. Now, they will play at home against Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, December 2, at Spotify Camp Nou.

For their part, Estevao and Chelsea drew 1-1 with Arsenal on Sunday, November 30, and will face Leeds away on Wednesday, December 3, at Elland Road.