Alejandro Garnacho will take two steps in the path of Cristiano Ronaldo and the statistics support the theory of Manchester United fans
Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho has big shoes to fill for club and country.
But while the Argentine striker who played three international matches may need decades to emulate him Lionel Messithe parallels with Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford they are not so far-fetched.
Teenager Garnacho has emerged as one of the few positives for United manager Erik ten Hag during a disappointing season.
The 19-year-old won both penalties in the 2-0 victory over Everton on Saturday, dancing through the Toffees defense and proving impossible to stop.
And while the Red Devils kept their slim hopes of qualifying for the Champions League alive, it was Garnacho's name that resonated around Old Trafford.
“Long live Garnacho, long live Garnacho, running down the wing, listen to United sing, long live Garnacho.”
Football chants are recycled all the time, but there's something more poignant about this one: it is, of course, intrinsically and uniquely connected to five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo.
That is one of the two steps that Garnacho is taking on the path rarely taken by one of the best players in United's history.
Ten Hag is understood to have considered giving away winger Ronaldo's vacant number 7 shirt last summer, and it looks likely to be his ahead of next season.
Are United getting carried away? Maybe not. The numbers support the hopes that Garnacho will become the heir to the throne.
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Appropriately enough, Garnacho will surpass Ronaldo's 73 appearances for United as a teenager when they host Liverpool on Sunday.
Finding the back of the net has been considered a weakness for Garnacho, but in reality he has more than the greatest goalscorer in football history at the same time.
In 39 starts, Garnacho scored 12 goals and recorded seven assists, compared to Ronaldo's ten goals and ten assists in 51 starts before the age of 20.
There are even more statistics to suggest that Garnacho is developing faster than Ronaldo did as a child.
Ronaldo never started more than eight consecutive games for the Red Devils during his teenage years, while Garnacho has been named in the starting XI for the last 23 games in all competitions, dating back to November.
It is quite possible that the Argentine will also start every game between now and the end of the season, provided he remains fit.
The parallels don't end there. Both players won a national trophy during their first season in the club's senior team.
Garnacho has also shown his versatility, playing on the left or right, something that made Ronaldo so useful during his early days under Sir Alex Ferguson.
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Like a young Ronaldo, Garnacho often gets frustrated and shows immaturity on the ball, but underneath there is always undeniable charisma and outrageous potential.
Nobody says that Garnacho will become the best player in history like Ronaldo or Messi (you decide which one).
But the statistics are a significant reminder that Garnacho, despite some perceptions, has already built an impressive platform from which to launch an elite career.
