Lamine Yamal says facing Ronaldo would be an honour, focuses on beating Portugal
Spain winger Lamine Yamal said facing Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo in the World Cup Round of 16 would be an honour, but his focus remains on winning the match. Speaking after Spain’s Round of 32 win over Austria on Thursday, the 18‑year‑old told DAZN he does not care whether Spain’s opponent is Croatia or Portugal, adding that an encounter with Ronaldo would be honourable. Portugal advanced to the Round of 16 by defeating Croatia 2‑1, setting up the Spain‑Portugal clash scheduled for Monday.
For Nigerian fans following the tournament, Yamal’s confidence highlights the mindset Spain brings into a high‑stakes knockout game against a star‑laden Portugal side. Knowing that a young star views the prospect of playing Ronaldo as an honour rather than a distraction may shape expectations about how Spain approaches the match — prioritising team performance over individual rivalries.
Will you tune in to see if Yamal’s confidence translates into a performance that helps Spain advance, or do you expect Ronaldo’s experience to tip the balance in Portugal’s favour?