Cesc Fabregas has made a bold statement about one England player, suggesting they're on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age.
Despite England's travails against Denmark in their second group game of Euro 2024 in which the Three Lions laboured to a 1-1 draw, Fabregas still has high expectations and belief in one particular player.
Indeed, when asked to compare himself to Jude Bellingham at the same age of 20, Fabregas highlights just how highly he regards the Real Madrid midfielder.
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"It's difficult to say [who was better at 20]," Fabregas told BBC Sport. "I started very young, I had a very big impact at Arsenal, playing a Champions League final at 19-years-old, winning the Euros at 21-years-old, FA Cups, fighting for leagues.
"I also had a strong personality, having fights at 17 with Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham, for example.
"But Jude is fantastic - [He's got] personality, courage, he wants the ball, he's hungry. I can see that the impact he has at his age is not normal, and for these reasons he's in the bracket of players like Rooney, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo at that age. For sure he's in that bracket."
Fabregas aslo clarified that the furore over the England side following that game is justified, suggesting the Spanish media is a lot harsher on their own national team than what happens in England.
When asked if the Spanish media is as tough on Spain as the English media are on England, Fabregas was assertive in his assessment.
"Even more [tough]. I think the English media is not that tough with the players, rather the opposite. When you see the way the pundits speak about the players, it's 90 per cent encouragement, hyping them up and speaking very well and positively about them.
"In Spain, we are much more critical."
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