“I see enormous potential and great talent in him. However, he needs some luck because he is very young. I hope he doesn’t face physical issues,” said Cristiano Ronaldo about Lamine Yamal, knocking on wood, during his successful YouTube channel.
Asked by Rio Ferdinand if it was “true” that the Barcelona player is doing things that neither he nor Leo Messi did at that age, the Portuguese star was firm: “Yes.” He added, “Lamine is in a context that helps him a lot; the Spanish national team is genuinely very good, and I believe he has immense potential. But let’s see how his journey unfolds. I believe he will make it.”
Foreseeing great success for Lamine Yamal, the Portuguese remarked, “I think Lamine Yamal will be one of the best players of this new generation.”
While Vinícius is the clear favorite to win the Ballon d’Or in 2024, either Cristiano Ronaldo has forgotten about him, or he doesn’t believe he will contend for the award in the coming years. For the first time since 2003, he and Leo Messi will not be in contention for the prestigious prize, as a new generation of footballers is poised to take their place. Besides Lamine Yamal, Ronaldo has pointed out several other talents.
When discussing Kylian Mbappé’s potential arrival at Real Madrid, he commented, “I believe Mbappé will do well. The club’s structure is good and solid. They have a great coach. Then there’s the president, Florentino, who has been there for a long time. I think it won’t be a significant problem due to his talent. He has already demonstrated it. Mbappé could be the next Ballon d’Or winner.”
“Mbappé could be one of the next Ballon d’Or winners in the years to come,” emphasized the Al-Nassr forward. “Him, Haaland, Bellingham, Lamine… I believe this generation has a lot of potential, and I think Mbappé will do very well,” Ronaldo added.
During his conversation with Rio Ferdinand, the Portuguese referenced Real Madrid’s Champions League success. “Madrid is the type of team that doesn’t back down under pressure. People say they are lucky in the Champions League, but it’s not luck; it’s intelligence. They are prepared for these moments. The Bernabéu has that different aura. The energy is different when big teams come there. They might score a goal, but the pressure can weigh them down. Real Madrid is the best club in football history. Now, if you say Madrid will be better or not, we don’t know. Mbappé is there now; I think Madrid will remain strong, but I don’t know if they will be better than last year. Only God knows. They have fantastic players and a great team. I believe they will be one of the best in the world,” Cristiano Ronaldo predicted.
Reflecting on his time with the white team, he commented, “I won many trophies with Madrid, I won everything. It was a pleasure to play for Real Madrid for nine seasons and win four Champions. I love Real Madrid. When I arrived, I was the most expensive player in history. There was pressure, but I believed in myself. If I won the Ballon d’Or in the Premier League, I knew I would do well because I believe in my talent. It was tough; it’s a different country, I was only 24, but I was very positive. I was clear that I would make history. It was a challenge, and I like to prove people wrong. I was very happy at Madrid.”
