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- Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain 鈥渕aybe the best national team in the world鈥�
- 鈥淭here are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that鈥檚 OK鈥�
MUNICH: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged he was 鈥渁nother generation鈥� to Spain starlet Lamine Yamal but said Sunday鈥檚 Nations League final was more than just a battle between the duo.
The final in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game鈥檚 biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football.
Ronaldo scored the winner to send Portugal past Germany into the final and Yamal was named man-of-the-match after bagging a brace in Spain鈥檚 wild 5-4 semifinal win over France.
Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain 鈥渕aybe the best national team in the world.鈥�
鈥淭here are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that鈥檚 OK.
鈥淲hen you talk about a clash between Cristiano and someone else, that鈥檚 not how it works. The media always try to hype things up, which is a normal thing, but it鈥檚 one team versus another team.鈥�
鈥淵ou鈥檝e been talking about Lamine a lot and you鈥檙e right to do so because he鈥檚 very good,鈥� Ronaldo told journalists, adding 鈥渂ut I鈥檇 like to talk about the team.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e got Nico Williams, great midfielders like Pedri and their coach (Luis) de la Fuente is very good, very strong, very disciplined.鈥�
Portugal last beat their Iberian neighbors in a competitive fixture in 21 years ago at Euro 2024, a match which Ronaldo started.
Like Yamal, Ronaldo burst onto the scene at a young age.
Aged just 18, Ronaldo impressed so much for boyhood side Sporting in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly in Lisbon that the English club decided to buy him, bringing him to Old Trafford less than a week later.
Like a young Ronaldo, Yamal has consistently impressed since bursting onto the scene, winning a league and cup double with Barcelona this season after lifting the Euro 2024 title in Germany last summer.
The Portuguese veteran asked media to allow the teenager to grow and improve without pressure, reminding them the Spanish star 鈥渨ith funny hair鈥� was just 鈥渢hree years older than my son.鈥�
鈥淭he kid has been doing very well, but what I ask is for you to let him grow, not put him under pressure. For the good of football, we need to let him grow in his own way and enjoy the talent he has.鈥�
Both Spain and Portugal have already won the Nations League. Spain are the current champions from their win in 2023, while Portugal won the inaugural tournament back in 2019.