Luis Enrique reveals what makes Gavi a ‘unique’ player

The Spain midfielder became the youngest World Cup goalscorer since Pele in the 1958 final on Wednesday.

Spain manager Luis Enrique expects a bright future for Gavi, who he rates as a ‘unique’ young midfielder with the ‘personality of an experienced player’.

Aged 18 years and 110 days, Gavi became the youngest goalscorer in World Cup history since Pele (17y 249d) scored for Brazil in the 1958 final against Sweden as Spain cruised to a 7-0 win over Costa Rica on Wednesday.

18 – Aged 18 years and 110 days, Gavi is the youngest goalscorer in a World Cup match since Pelé in the 1958 final against Sweden (17y 249d). Prodigy. pic.twitter.com/68uSD6IPnq

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 23, 2022

The Barcelona youngster’s strike was La Roja’s fifth goal of the game, leading to special praise from Enrique.

“I hope he’s going and playing every time better and trying to be aggressive with and without the ball,” the Spain manager of Gavi said in a post-match press conference.

“He’s unique, very different because he’s 18 now, but he has the personality of an experienced player.

“It is a pleasure to play with the boy because he is a boy. He needs a bit of calm sometimes but we are very happy to have him on the team. I think he’s going to be one of the stars of football.”

As a result of their 7-0 success over Costa Rica, Spain sit above Japan on top of the Group E table on goal difference, with both sides level on three points after one World Cup game.

Enrique’s side return to action on Sunday to face Germany in Qatar.