Jorge Mendes challenges Lamine Yamal to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi off the pitch | OneFootball

Jorge Mendes has thrown down a marker to Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal and his peers, arguing that greatness hinges on lifestyle and discipline as much as talent. "Normally, I talk to my players and say to them: 'Do you want to be like Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi off the field too, or do you want to be…?'. I won't name names, but that's the difference," he said.

He was speaking to A Bola, with the comments coming after a recent injury scare for the 18-year-old winger.

Mendes set Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only benchmarks for rising players, stressing that technical ability is just one piece of sustained success. Early lifestyle choices, he warned, determine whether talent reaches its ceiling.

"I consider myself very privileged. Cristiano is the best player in the history of world football and, at the same time, the best example off the field. This is the model we should transmit to children."

He argued that development depends on the appropriate context, not a badge, and that consistent minutes can matter more than prestige. "Many times we don't choose the biggest club, but the place where they would play and grow," he added.

Mendes urged youngsters to prioritise stability over vanity projects, cautioning against opening restaurants before they reach the game's altar. "Manage your assets, buy a house, help your family," he said, adding that only Cristiano is on a pedestal, already a professor on and off the field.

Yamal is currently focused on rehabilitation after his setback and remains central to the club's long-term plan under Hansi Flick, who has praised his work ethic.

Source: Goal.com