Star English retired footballer Wayne Rooney has lavished Spain’s winger Nico Williams with praise over his fearless style of playing ahead of the European Championship (Euro) 2024 final, which is scheduled for Sunday between Spain and England at the Olympiastadion Berlin in Germany.

Rooney even compared Williams to Ronaldo, saying the Spainish player reminded him of his colleague, when he was young.

One of Spain’s key players in the competition, Williams helped the team reach its first Euro final since 2012, when they won the tournament for the second time in a row after defeating Italy.

The former England striker thinks Lamine Yamal and Williams, two of Spain’s talented and explosive wingers, are a huge threat to England, thus, England would have to fence their defence really well.

“England will need to defend well on the flanks against Spain, because their brilliant two young wingers provide their main threat,” Rooney told The Times.

He said Yamal would be full of confidence after his brilliant goal against France and he reminded him a bit of how he was at Euro 2004 – “a teenager having the time of his life”.

“Fear? Young lads like him, Nico Williams and Mainoo haven’t lived long enough to know it or understand what it is. On the big stage of a European Championship they’re just playing and enjoying it and having fun, and normally that’s the best way to play the game.”

The Manchester United legend exalted Williams and found similarities in his style of playing with Ronaldo, his former teammate at Man United.

“Williams, for me, is exceptional. He reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo when Cristiano was young. He’s a big lad, he’ll take the ball and sometimes tries too much but usually makes the right decisions,” he said.

Rooney said the Spanish player was an incredible threat in “one-on-one situations” and scored goals as well. “England need to be really careful with him,” he warned.