Yamal once again became the focus of attention after Spain's 4-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia in the FIFA World Cup group stage. However, England legend Rooney, in an interview, reminded the Spanish prodigy that becoming a world-class star too early also means immense pressure.
In this match, the Spanish team rediscovered their best form. De la Fuente's team easily defeated Saudi Arabia with faster passing and more efficient offense. Yamal scored the opener, helping Spain end a 299-minute goal drought in the FIFA World Cup finals. Oyarzabal then scored twice, and Tambakti netted an own goal, with Spain ultimately winning 4-0.
The 18-year-old Yamal once again proved with his outstanding performance why he is considered one of the brightest rising stars in world football. However, on the BBC show, Danish coach Thomas Frank posed a question: "How does he stay humble when everyone is talking about him being a future superstar, the next Messi, the next Ronaldo, or the next Mbappé?"
Rooney offered his perspective: "He's already a world-class superstar. You go to the stadiums and people are wearing shirts with his name on them everywhere. That kind of pressure at such a young age is very difficult to handle."
Rooney stated that he experienced similar situations in his youth and therefore understood the difficulties: "I also struggled with these things in my early twenties. Both on and off the field, I found it difficult to cope with external pressure and constant attention."
Rooney made his senior debut for Everton before he was 17, then joined Manchester United and became the club's all-time leading scorer. He also carried huge expectations for a long time with the England national team, so he deeply understands the plight of young players.
He believes that Yamal's continued growth largely depends on the help of those around him: "You just hope he has the right people around him to help him."
"I'm sure his parents, Barcelona, and the Spanish national team will take care of him, focus on his development and mental well-being, because it's really difficult to deal with all of this."
When discussing how to face a long-term high-pressure environment, Rooney also mentioned Messi and Ronaldo: "The two best examples of the last two decades are Ronaldo and Messi. We've all seen how they've handled that pressure throughout their careers."
Therefore, Rooney suggested that Yamal learn from the two legendary players: "If he has the opportunity to speak with them, to understand how they dealt with such situations back then, how they maintained the highest level for so many years, and how they are still able to participate in the FIFA World Cup at their current age, that would be incredibly valuable."
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