Talksport host Andy Gray has insisted that Wilfried Zaha is too old to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, despite admitting he is under a lot of pressure having not even played in the Premier League yet.

The ex-Scotland striker was adamant that it was more important for the Palace striker to focus upon his own game and development rather than trying to emulate others.

Zaha has been the centre of several football conversations following his call-up to the England squad for England’s friendly against Sweden on Wednesday.

However, Gray believes it may be a case of the player believing his own hype by suggesting that only the sensational La Liga pair are better than him.

Gray told Talksport: “If we were talking about a 17-year-old then I might be saying ‘maybe he’s got a chance to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi’, but he’s 20.

“There is a lot of pressure on the kid now to produce week in and week out. He’s playing well in a league where you don’t have to be the best player in the world to shine, but if he steps up to Premier League, European and international level, then he will have to shine and be one of the best.

“From what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen, the boy has talent, huge talent. But I’ve seen, over the last 40 years, players with more talent than Zaha not fulfil their potential.”

England will face Sweden in a new 50,000-seater national stadium, the Friends Arena, located in the Solna district of the Swedish capital.

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