Cristiano Ronaldo has made his feelings clear on Lamine Yamal taking his and Lionel Messi’s place

Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has shared his thoughts on Lamine Yamal and whether the young star can match the heights of players like himself and Lionel Messi.

Yamal emerged as one of the breakout stars during the summer, playing a key role in Spain’s triumph at the 2024 European Championships.

At just 17, Yamal is already considered one of the most promising talents in football.

Now, one of the game’s greatest has weighed in on Yamal’s future, as Ronaldo offered his opinion on whether the forward can reach the same level as him or long-time rival Messi.

When asked about Yamal by former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand on the Cristiano YouTube channel, Ronaldo said: “I see huge potential, great talent.

“He’ll need luck because he is very young, I hope he does not have any problems.

“He was in a contest that helped him a lot, he was in the Spain national team which is really, really good and I think he has huge potential.

“But let’s see during his way what’s going to happen, but I believe he is going to be one of the best players in this generation.”

Yamal has become a household name in football after making a global impact at Euro 2024.

The young forward scored what many consider the best goal of the tournament against France and was named the Young Player of the Tournament.

He featured in all but one of Spain’s matches during the tournament, scoring once and assisting four more across seven appearances.

For Barcelona, Yamal has netted 10 goals and provided 13 assists in 56 games, and last year, he signed a new contract with the club, extending his stay until 2026. His deal includes a staggering €1 billion release clause.

However, Yamal still has a long journey ahead if he aims to reach the legendary status of Messi and Ronaldo, who are widely regarded as the greatest footballers in history.

Over their illustrious careers, Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Ors, while Ronaldo closely follows with five.