Portugal’s football captain Cristiano Ronaldo says the upcoming Nations League final against Spain is not just about him and young Spanish star Lamine Yamal.
The big match in Munich is being seen as a face-off between two generations — 40-year-old Ronaldo, one of football’s greatest, and 17-year-old Yamal, one of the brightest young talents today.
Ronaldo helped Portugal reach the final by scoring the winning goal against Germany. Yamal was named player of the match after scoring twice in Spain’s thrilling 5-4 win over France.
But Ronaldo played down the hype, saying:
“It’s not Cristiano vs. Yamal — it’s Portugal vs. Spain. The media loves to make it dramatic, but it’s really about the teams.”
He praised Spain, calling them “maybe the best national team in the world,” and also praised their other young stars like Nico Williams and Pedri, as well as coach Luis de la Fuente.
Ronaldo also said people should not put too much pressure on Yamal, who is still very young.
“He’s only three years older than my son,” Ronaldo said, asking the media to let the teen grow and enjoy football.
Ronaldo knows what it’s like to be a rising star. At 18, he impressed Manchester United so much in a match that they signed him right away. Similarly, Yamal has had an amazing year, winning both the Spanish league and cup with Barcelona, and helping Spain win Euro 2024.
Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, said Yamal is very mature for his age and handles pressure well.
“He’s calm, smart, and acts like everything is normal,” said the coach.
He also praised Ronaldo, calling him a football legend and a role model for hard work, discipline, and constant improvement.
Both Spain and Portugal have won the Nations League before. Spain are the current champions from 2023, while Portugal won the first edition in 2019.
Spain is currently in top form — they haven’t lost a competitive match since March 2023 and have won 16 of their last 18 games.
Spanish forward Mikel Oyarzabal said:
“We don’t think we’re better than anyone, but we believe in ourselves and know we can compete at the highest level.”
