Cristiano Ronaldo has cast his verdict on Lamine Yamal after facing him for the first time in the Nations League final, where Portugal overcame Spain on penalties at the Allianz Arena on Sunday night. Although La Roja were the favourites going into the showdown after having won last year's European Championship, a young Portuguese side took the lead twice before ultimately sealing a deserved victory, thanks to Alvaro Morata’s missed penalty in the shootout.
One of the main talking points heading into the final was the "master vs apprentice" narrative between Ronaldo and Yamal. And while it was the 40-year-old who ultimately had the bigger influence on the night, scoring his side's second, he remained very positive about the Barcelona teenager, who struggled to catch a breather from his opposite number Nuno Mendes.
Back at the start of the 2024/25 season, Ronaldo had predicted that Yamal would become the best player of the new generation. Now, with the 17-year-old firmly in the conversation for this year's Ballon d'Or, Ronaldo’s words seem more prophetic than ever - and following Portugal’s Nations League triumph, he has doubled down on his belief in the youngster’s potential.
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Cristiano Ronaldo's Verdict on Lamine Yamal
He was full of praise for the 'phenomenon'
Lamine Yamal
While many were quick to criticise Yamal's performance in Munich - where the La Masia product appeared out of his comfort zone for perhaps the first time since breaking into first-team football two seasons ago - Ronaldo urged the media to go easy on him, reaffirming his belief that Yamal is destined for a long and successful career. According to Sempre Barca, he told reporters after the final whistle (watch the interview below):
“He’s going to win many titles - both team and individual. He’s only 17. I repeat: he’s a kid with a lot of room to grow. He’s a phenomenon, but we need to let him be - that’s what I ask. He has a very long career ahead of him and will surely win the Nations League many times.”
In the 2024/25 season, Yamal scored 18 goals and provided 25 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions, helping Barcelona win La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. Questions have been raised about whether his famed predecessor, Lionel Messi, was ever this good at the same age. And, sadly, the greater the player, the greater the scrutiny when things don't go as well as usual.
But as Ronaldo says, Yamal has plenty of years in the tank to win a gluttony of trophies. While next season's ambitions will revolve around winning the Champions League - after missing out on a place in the final last term following a goalfest loss to Inter Milan - his target with Spain will focus on adding to his Euro 2024 triumph by winning the World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada next summer, with Luis de la Fuente's side among the favourites to go all the way.