Cristiano Ronaldo has backed the next crop of Manchester United youngsters to be given a chance in the first-team by new boss Erik ten Hag.
United have some exciting youngsters coming through the academy and the Under-18s won the FA Youth Cup this season, beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 in the final in front of more than 67,000 people at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo sent a video message to the players in Travis Binnion's team before the final and he helped inspire those players to victory.
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The 37-year-old has also helped mentor exciting winger Alejandro Garnacho, 17, while he has also encouraged Anthony Elanga during his own ascent to the first-team picture this season.
Ronaldo is set to remain at United next season, despite the club missing out on the Champions League, and Ten Hag has already made his admiration for the forward clear.
The Dutchman built around a youthful core at Ajax but he also valued experience so could rely on Ronaldo as an elder statesman and the Portugal international wants to see some of those young players be given an opportunity.
"The new generation will be the new future for the club, I'm in favour that we should give opportunities to the young generation, of course, because they will be the future," he said.
"But you have to help them as well to put it in the right spot, because the pressure is a lot to play in the Premier League, which I believe is the most difficult league in the world by far.
"And you have to give them time, give them the opportunity, and let them grow in a normal way without pressure, but I think we should give opportunities to the young generation."
Ronaldo believes the academy stars in the United system understand what it takes to make the grade, but he is happy to pass on advice when he's asked.
"They understand to achieve success you have to [make] sacrifices, hard work, ethic of work, dedication, but of course if the kids ask my advice I will give my opinion and advice because I want to help."
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