Angel Di Maria has advised young Manchester United talent Alejandro Garnacho to adopt the playing style of Lionel Messi rather than imitating Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal celebrations. The former Argentina winger, who has experience playing alongside both icons, shared this guidance during a February 2024 interview, emphasizing Garnacho’s potential and the importance of refining his skills on the international stage.
Di Maria’s Advice to Garnacho on Emulating Messi
Having seen both Messi and Ronaldo’s impact firsthand, Di Maria suggested that Garnacho steer clear of Ronaldo’s distinctive goal celebrations. Instead, he encouraged the young Argentine to celebrate goals with the simplicity typical of Messi.
“The only thing I wouldn’t do is celebrate like Cristiano. I would score the goal and I would do like Messi does. I’ll stick with that,”
Di Maria stated.
Di Maria praised Garnacho’s speed and technical ability, highlighting how exposure to the national team can greatly aid his development. He reflected on his own experience, noting how focusing on quality over quantity in gameplay was key to improvement.
“He is a very fast player. He has incredible ability. He is going to gain it with experience and coming to the national team, it is a place where you learn a lot and continue to improve. It helped me a lot to grow technically in every way, it is spectacular,”
Di Maria said.
He added,
“I think he will grow with experience as well. When I was young I wanted to make the play 30 times in the game. Over the years, you realise that if you do it 10, but you do it better, it’s worth it. He has a lot of future, a very big future. It depends on him, on his head, to be able to handle it. I don’t have much to say, there’s a reason he’s playing for Manchester United.”
Garnacho’s Unique Experience with Both Messi and Ronaldo
Alejandro Garnacho stands out as one of the few players to have shared the pitch with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Garnacho has represented Argentina alongside Messi, while also playing with Ronaldo during his time at Manchester United. Di Maria himself has had similar experience, having played with Messi for Argentina and Ronaldo during his tenure at Real Madrid.
While Garnacho continues developing at Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo departed the club by mutual agreement in December 2022 and now plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. Lionel Messi, meanwhile, currently features for Inter Miami.
Recent International Campaigns for Messi and Ronaldo in 2025
This year has seen differing fortunes for Messi and Ronaldo in international football. Cristiano Ronaldo played a significant role in Portugal’s success in the UEFA Nations League, appearing four times and scoring three goals, including key strikes in the semi-final win against Germany and the final victory over Spain.
In contrast, Lionel Messi’s international outings in 2025 have been limited. He has played only twice for Argentina in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and is yet to score. Messi missed earlier qualifiers due to an adductor injury, which contributed to his reduced appearances this year.
The Importance of Experience and Growth for Garnacho’s Career
Di Maria emphasized how vital gaining experience and maintaining the right mindset are to reaching one’s potential. His comments underline the expectation that Garnacho’s time with Manchester United and the Argentina national team will shape his future progress in football.
With Messi and Ronaldo representing contrasting examples of football superstardom, Di Maria’s counsel encourages Garnacho to focus on technical growth and measured performance rather than mimicking dazzling celebrations. This approach could help the young player establish a sustainable and successful career on both club and international levels.