The former England captain has warned his compatriots to pay special attention to the Spanish winger
Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has asked England to be careful with Spain youngster Nico Williams when they play in the final of the European Championship.
Luis De la Fuente confident of Williams and Yamal impact
Spain is set to face England in tomorrow’s Euro 2024 final, with Nico Williams expected to start for La Roja in Berlin. Coach Luis de la Fuente is likely to stick with an unchanged midfield and attack, having started Williams in five of Spain’s six games at the tournament.
The Spanish head coach has expressed confidence in Williams and fellow winger Lamine Yamal, despite their limited experience in finals.
![Yamal and Nico Williams for Spain | Imago](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/22062024/b376bc6f-43be-46f5-ac3f-e434454e3f6d.jpg?operations=fit(480:))
Luis de la Fuente’s faith in his young players appears well-placed, as both Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal have drawn significant attention throughout the tournament.
Rooney compares Williams to Cristiano Ronaldo
Despite receiving less attention than Yamal, Williams has been identified as a key threat for Spain by former England captain Wayne Rooney.
Wayne Rooney, writing in his column for The Times, compared Nico Williams to a young Cristiano Ronaldo, emphasizing his exceptional abilities.
![Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal at Euro 2024 (Credit: nicolas_williams9/Instagram)](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/06072024/df6f4625-a23b-4083-9b2e-1b6ab9ef8e37.jpg?operations=fit(480:))
"Williams is exceptional. He reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo when he was young," Rooney remarked. "He’s a big lad, he’ll take the ball and sometimes he tries too much but usually makes the right decision. He’s an incredible threat in one-on-ones and scores goals. England need to be really careful with him."
Williams has proven his worth in the tournament, scoring his first goal in Spain’s 4-1 last-16 win over Georgia and netting three goals in 19 senior international appearances. As the Euro 2024 final approaches, England will need to heed Rooney’s warning and prepare for the significant threat posed by Nico Williams.
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