Pele has been keeping an eye on the 22 year old who has played more than his part in helping United into the position they are in now by scoring 13 goals in 26 Premier League appearances.
"There is no doubt that Hernandez is a promising player. He is excellent, I have seen some games of his on television and he is a fantastic footballer," Pele told reporters.
''He could be the next Messi because he has great talent; he is a big surprise just as Hugo Sanchez was because he is another that scores a lot of goals.
"We should wait a little, because we still don't know how he will play in the Mexican team... but without doubt, he has huge potential."