The conversation on many social media platforms has been the comparison between Cristiano Ronaldo and Yamal Lamine using what Lamine has achieved at the age of 17yrs and what Ronaldo had achieved at same age.

The dawn of a new era many had it when Portugal qualified to the UEFA Nations league final to face Spain. Spain have been superb in the UEFA Nations league with their young players causing lost of troubles for many world class defenders.

Dimarco of Italy suffered in the hands of Lamine and Niko Williams and many feared the Portuguese team were going to suffer same.

Portugal are equally star studded with a couple of young folks who had just won the UEFA Champions league and came into the game with the same confidence they had during the champions league.

Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Conceicao and others were in their stride and ready for action. Spain started the game similar to who they started with France. The only difference is that, they were playing with a team that knew how to regroup and fight back.

In the 21′ minute, Martin Zubimendi opened the score after a flick from Oyarzabal who was scuffling in a tussle. The goal was subjected to a VAR review as Portugal protested Diaz was unable to defend the ball following a Spaniard in an offside position but was ruled a goal.

The joy of the Spanish fans and their hopes of repeating same scoreline as that against France was far from reach. Nuno Mendes, the left back of Portugal who has been sensational after facing two of the best wingers currently in Mohammed Salah and Saka had to take issues into his own hand.

Nuno Mendes needed five minute after Portugal conceded to bring them to parity. The tempo of the game changed all of a sudden, the fans chanting changed, it was as though they had already lost. In the bring of half time, a brief lose in concentration at the defence of Portugal saw Mikel Oyarbazal give Spain the lead.

They went into the half with a 2-1 lead against Portugal and their hopes of maintaining same was positive until ‘finished’ Cristiano Ronaldo paired up with Nuno Mendes who had been giving Yamal a though time in the game to equalise for Portugal.

Nuno Mendes’s pre-assist found Cristiano Ronaldo in a perfect position and he calmly lifted it past Unai Simon. Spain were stunned, they had no answers to Nuno Mendes, he was defending and creating chances at the same time.

The game went into extra time and proceeded to penalties where Portugal won in a 5-4 shootout.

Yamal Lamine was devastated and couldn’t hold his emotions as 40yrs old Cristiano Ronaldo lifted the UEFA Nations league title. The young enterprising football walked into the tunnel in despair while Nuno Mendes received accolade’s from his teammates.