‘That’s what I ask’… Cristiano Ronaldo defends Lamine Yamal after defeating him in UEFA Nations League final | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal has already proven his talents on the biggest of stages with his performances, both for his club side, FC Barcelona, and his national side, Spain.

However, the young winger was not able to add another trophy to his already growing cabinet as he played in the UEFA Nations League final last night against Portugal. The match ended in a 2-2 draw in normal time, and the scoreline remained the same in extra time. Ultimately, Portugal won the game on penalties.

Cristiano Ronaldo defends Lamine Yamal

While Yamal has faced some criticism for this performance, the Portuguese team captain and icon, Cristiano Ronaldo, still praised him and asked the media to give him a break, as he did ahead of the final as well.

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, when asked about the youngster after the game, the Portuguese legend believed Yamal would still be able to win the trophy in the future:

“He’s going to win many titles — both team and individual. He’s only 17… I repeat: he’s a kid with a lot of room to grow. He’s a phenomenon, but we need to let him be — that’s what I ask. He has a very long career ahead of him and will surely win the Nations League many times.”

Another impressive performance

(Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Over the last two years, the 17-year-old star has taken up a lot of responsibilities, with both his national and club teams. For the most part, he has justified the confidence of his coaches in his abilities, and last night, he was impressive as well, but was unlucky not to make a difference for his side.

The Barcelona star remained on the pitch for 105 minutes, completed 88% of his passes, had 2 shots on target, and also contributed well defensively with his 3 interceptions and 2 tackles.

Hopefully, Lamine Yamal will make a strong return as he returns to competitive action with Barcelona for next season. But till then, he should enjoy his break and get ready for another gruelling season ahead.