Cristiano Ronaldo Jr says dad favourite footballer but feels Yamal is better 'right now'

Dubai: Cristiano Ronaldo Jr recently named his father, Cristiano Ronaldo Sr, as his favorite footballer during a Twitch stream with American content creator 2xRaKai.

While traveling in a car during the stream, the 15-year-old was asked to name his favorite player, and without hesitation, he replied, “My dad.”

However, the streamer challenged his answer, suggesting that Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal is currently better than Ronaldo Sr. Ronaldo Jr agreed — at least in terms of current form — but was quick to point out that Yamal still has a long way to go to match his father's legendary career.

“Right now? Yes,” Ronaldo Jr responded, “but Lamine hasn’t won anything yet. He’s very good, but he still hasn’t won anything.”

Ronaldo Sr, now 40, recently extended his contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr for two more years. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, his career has spanned elite clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. He is currently on the verge of becoming the first player in football history to reach 1,000 officially registered professional goals.

Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal has emerged as one of the most electrifying young talents in the sport. The Barcelona winger has impressed in both domestic and international competitions, including La Liga, the Champions League, and Euro 2024. Recently celebrating his 18th birthday, Yamal is now among the frontrunners for this year’s Ballon d’Or — an award Ronaldo Sr has won five times.

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Despite being past his prime, Ronaldo Sr showed he still has plenty to offer when Portugal met Spain in the 2025 Nations League final last month. He scored in a thrilling 2-2 draw, with Portugal eventually winning on penalties.

Yamal, much closer in age to Ronaldo Jr than the elder Ronaldo, could potentially share the pitch with the young Portuguese in the future.

Ronaldo Jr is following in his father’s footsteps, currently playing in Al Nassr’s youth academy. He has previously trained with top academies at Juventus, Manchester United, and Real Madrid during his father's stints at those clubs.

Born in the United States, Ronaldo Jr was eligible to represent both Spain and the US but opted to play for Portugal, just like his father. He made his debut for Portugal’s U15 team in May against Japan and scored twice against Croatia shortly afterward.