Cristiano Ronaldo begs for Lamine Yamal privacy as Barcelona prodigy feels the heat over reaction to trophy lift
Pleading Cristiano Ronaldo has begged for Lamine Yamal to be spared the uncompromising glare which has followed him only minutes after the prodigy was derided on social media.
Spain star Yamal was filmed walking away from Portugal 's trophy lift and appeared not to be clapping with the rest of his team-mates before making a sharp bee line for the tunnel inside Munich's Allianz Arena.
But the 40-year-old – who netted the equaliser to make it 2-2 and secure a penalty shoot-out – has emotionally pleaded for the collective lens to go away and allow a talent he regards as generational to truly develop.
The 17-year-old Barcelona superstar wasn't at his sizzling best in the Nations League Final as Ronaldo and Portugal survived some early blows before they came on strong.
Ronaldo, speaking after his third international title win with Portugal in Munich, said: 'Lamine is going to win a lot of collective and individual titles. He's a phenomenon.
"He'll have a long career and he's going to win a lot of Nations Leagues.
"He's 17… Please, leave him alone. I have to ask you to let him be. He has to be calm'
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