Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs says Daniel James reminds him of a young Cristiano Ronaldo for the way he takes physical punishment.
The pacey James has a tendency to be fouled by defenders due to his trickery and dribbling.
The Welshman, who turns 22 today, has still impressed early on in his Old Trafford career and shown his willingness to get on with it amid some tough tackling.
And international boss Giggs says he sees similarities with the attitude shown by superstar Cristiano Ronaldo when he first arrived at the club as a fresh-faced teenager.
Giggs said: “Dan takes a lot of knocks but gets up, gets on with it and demands the ball back.
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“Ronaldo, especially earlier on in his career, took a lot of knocks and would still demand the ball. It shows huge bravery.
“Dan’s a fantastic character and great professional.
“It was a physical game. You’ve got to stand up for yourself. You’ve got to trust in the referee as well that he protects the players.
“Over the years forwards have been more and more protected. But we have a few players who receive nasty treatment because of the quality they possess.”
James will celebrate his birthday by taking on Brighton today (Sunday) before linking up with Giggs’ Wales squad ahead of their Euro 2020 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Hungary.
(Image: REUTERS)
He will head to international duty in fine form with Giggs finding it easy to see why he has become a favourite with fans.
“United fans like players who like to attack, who gets the fans off their feet — and he’s somebody who does that.
“With the form he’s in, he has been outstanding and a constant threat. He’s added goals and assists, which is a wingers’ game. He will get better and better — and I’m pleased for him.”
