Cristiano Ronaldo has hailed Lamine Yamal as a “phenomenon” while calling for the football world to “leave him alone”. Ronaldo, whose Portugal side beat Yamal’s Spain on penalties in the Nations League final on Sunday, was full of praise for the 17-year-old, who started in both the semi-final and final.

Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo sent a message to FC Barcelona ace Lamine Yamal after beating him in the UEFA Nations League final.

He said via Mundodeportivo:"Lamine Yamal is going to win a lot of titles both collective and individual. "Yamal is only 17 years old... I repeat: he's a kid with a lot of room for improvement. "He's a phenomenon,