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Cristiano Ronaldo has downplayed talks of Lamine Yamal winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or, calling for more patience with the 17-year-old Barcelona star ahead of their Nations League clash.
According to Diario AS, the Portuguese forward addressed the media before Sunday’s UEFA Nations League final between Spain and Portugal, where he will face Yamal for the first time.
“Lamine Yamal is doing very well, he is taking full advantage of his talent. Now let the kid grow and don’t put too much pressure on him. Let him be and let him grow well, take the pressure off him. He has no shortage of talent,” Ronaldo said.
During the press conference, Ronaldo dismissed direct comparisons between himself and Yamal, stating that such parallels are unfair due to the age difference. He suggested that Yamal should be measured against players from his own generation instead.
“It’s always been Cristiano against this or that, I’m used to it. They are different generations, one begins and the other ends. They should compare Lamine with Vitinha, who is closer (to his generation). But no problem, I’m left with the criticism. In reality, it is one selection against another. But I understand, the media heats up the game, it’s nice and normal,” he added.
Ronaldo also questioned the credibility of individual awards such as the Ballon d’Or. When asked about Yamal’s chances, he pointed to Champions League performances as a better benchmark and named Paris Saint-Germain players like Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha as more deserving.
“The individual awards have lost some consensus; I can’t say anything about who should win. In my opinion, those who stand out and win the Champions League should win. But there is no consensus. I don’t believe much in individual awards because I know what goes on behind the scenes,” he explained.
As the two nations prepare for a high-stakes encounter, Ronaldo remains focused on the team objective: securing another title for Portugal, regardless of the individual accolades in play.
This article was updated 1 hour ago