‘I Have to Ask You’—Cristiano Ronaldo Sends Lamine Yamal Plea

Cristiano Ronaldo came to the aid of Lamine Yamal after his Portugal side defeated Spain the UEFA Nations League final, calling for people to cut the 17-year-old some slack.

In a blockbuster final with one of the game’s all-time greats taking on a burgeoning young star, Portugal won on penalties after a tense 120 minutes. Spain were leading coming into the second half, but Ronaldo’s goal in the 61st minute pushed the affair to extra time and an eventual shootout. All five Portuguese players slotted home their attempts with Álvaro Morata’s miss sinking La Roja.

After the game, Ronaldo addressed potential criticism falling at Yamal’s feet considering the amount of praise the latter’s received throughout the season for Barcelona.

“Lamine is going to win a lot of collective and individual titles. He’s a phenomenon. He’ll have a long career and he’s going to win a lot of Nations Leagues. He’s 17... please, leave him alone. I have to ask you to let him be. He has to be calm,” Ronaldo said to the media after the final.

The Portuguese icon’s comments come after Spain defeated France in the semifinals, a match that likely won’t but could have implications in the Ballon d’Or race. Les Bleus and PSG player Ousmane Dembélé is viewed the favorite by many after winning a treble including the club’s first Champions League title, but the Nations League is the only major European tournament this season on the men’s side.

After Ronaldo mentioned the Ballon d’Or winner should go to a player who’s won the Champions League that season, the flames were fanned by Spain’s semifinal victory. If they had won, discourse could’ve placed Yamal, rightly or wrongly, higher in the conversation given Barcelona claimed their own domestic treble this campaign.

The 17-year-old had no reservations about sending shots throughout the season, as apparent by his comments toward Real Madrid after beating them in all four Clasicos across multiple competitions.

Ronaldo, like the rest of the world, realizes Yamal has a bright future ahead of him and went out of his way to protect him.