Ten Hag insists Garnacho still has much more to work on before taking on such a moniker.
He said, "You have gone very quickly.
"World-class is something where he has to go a long way. He has a high potential, 100 per cent. But last season he contributed and he can be a starting-XI player.
"To make that jump to being a world-class player, he has a long way to go. It starts with hard work.
"That has brought him to where he is now and that will bring him to being a world-class player because I agree he has the potential."
On Garnacho's chances of being a first-choice this season, Ten Hag continued: "Show it (deserving a starting spot) every day on the training pitch and, of course, in every minute you can get.
"That is not only about the starters, but also the finishers. So I was very pleased last week with the two players who came on, Zirkzee and Garnacho, making a difference.
"That is what we need throughout the whole season, as we know we do not win with just 11 players in games and in between games, you need more than 11 players to win the football games."