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 has urged fans and media to ease pressure on 17-year-old Lamine Yamal following Portugal’s Nations League win over Spain

How seriously should we be taking the Nations League? Not an easy question to answer for the English, given our only involvement in the finals came in the distant past of 2019. This was a time when the country still basked in the warm glow of Dele Alli’s limitless promise,