“It will be an honor to face Cristiano Ronaldo,” Lamine Yamal before the clash against Portugal.

Lamine Yamal approaches the upcoming clash between Spain and Portugal in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup with calmness. The young winger of La Roja, one of the key players in Spain’s qualification against Austria, expressed his honor at the prospect of crossing paths with Cristiano Ronaldo. Asked after Spain’s victory in the round of 16, the 18-year-old stated that he was not paying special attention to the identity of his future opponent. His goal, he insists, is primarily to continue the journey in the competition.

“Whether it’s Croatia or Portugal, it didn’t matter to me”, Yamal said in comments reported by DAZN. The Spanish prodigy did not hide his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, adding, “It will obviously be an honor to face Cristiano, but I am primarily focused on victory. No matter the opponent, our goal is to qualify.” Spain will ultimately meet Portugal in the next round after the Seleção’s victory over Croatia (2-1). This matchup promises a generational duel between Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest legends of world football, and Lamine Yamal, regarded as one of the most promising talents of his generation.