Barcelona's Yamal grabbed Cristiano Ronaldo's attention with his mention in award speech
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Barcelona's Yamal grabbed Cristiano Ronaldo's attention with his mention in award speech")
Barcelona's Yamal grabbed Cristiano Ronaldo's attention with his mention in award speech Photograph: (Others)
Even though Ronaldo and Barcelona have a history together, with it more to do with his former football foe Lionel Messi, he appreciating an emerging superstar from his rival club had everyone applauding the legend’s gesture.
Barcelona winger and prodigy Lamine Yamal won two prizes at the 2025 Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Sunday (Dec 28), including the Best Forward and Best U23 Men's Player; however, what made headlines was not his list of achievements at this tender age, but his mentioning of Real Madrid and football legend Cristiano Ronaldo in his award speech, with CR7’s expression winning the internet. Even though Ronaldo and Barcelona have a history together, with it more to do with his former football foe Lionel Messi, he appreciating an emerging superstar from his rival club had everyone applauding the legend’s gesture.
Yamal, 18, enjoyed a thoroughly successful year with Barcelona, winning several titles, including the coveted La Liga trophy. He also came close to winning his first major with Spain (Nations League) at the international level, only for Ronaldo’s Portugal to stand tall in the end on penalties.
Often compared to his club’s great Messi, when asked who he would like to be equated to, his answer brought a smile to Ronaldo’s face.
"In the end, it's best not to compare yourself to anyone," the 18-year-old replied. "Players like Cristiano Ronaldo did what they did because they wanted to be themselves and not compare themselves to others. I want to build my own path."
As he said this, the camera panned towards Ronaldo sitting in the front row with his fiancée, Georgina Rodriguez, who couldn’t help but smile at this comment and even gave him his approval.
Meanwhile, the Al-Nassr striker also had a successful night, picking up an award for himself – the Best Middle Eastern player and Top goalscorer of all time.
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When Ronaldo lauded Yamal
Earlier this year, ahead of the Nations League Final, Ronaldo lent his thoughts on the Barcelona superstar, urging people to ‘leave him alone’ and that the attacking winger is vowed to win many Ballon d’Or awards.
"He's only 17 years old... I repeat: he's a kid with a lot of room for improvement. He's a phenomenon, but we have to leave him alone; that's what I ask. He has a very long career ahead of him and will surely win the Nations League many times,” Ronaldo said of Yamal in June this year.
