Cristiano Ronaldo has praised Lamine Yamal as an exceptional talent destined for greatness, speaking ahead of Portugal's last-32 encounter with Spain at the 2026 World Cup. The 41-year-old made the comments during a pre-match press conference.
"Lamine is a player with a very bright future," Ronaldo said when asked about the Spanish winger.
The Portugal captain admitted he hadn't watched much of Spain's World Cup campaign so far. "I didn't see any of Spain's matches, I only saw a bit of the game against Cape Verde, but as I said, he has a very bright future," he told reporters.
However, Ronaldo stressed that individual brilliance alone wouldn't decide the tie. He emphasised Spain's collective strength and tactical discipline heading into the knockout stage.
"But I see Spain as a whole. They're very good, they play very well, and it will be very tough," the veteran forward added.
The comments reflect Ronaldo's respect for opposition quality, even as Portugal prepares for a difficult test in the tournament's elimination phase.
