Antonio Rüdiger, a defender for Real Madrid and the German national team, has set aside team allegiances to praise the impressive level of play that Lamine Yamal, the young star who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. His talent suggests that if he continues on this upward trajectory, it won't be long before he becomes one of the best footballers in the world at a very young age.
During an interview on the YouTube podcast 'The Inside Scoop', the former Chelsea FC player praised the remarkable emergence of the new Barça 'gem' on the international sports scene. "Credit must be given to this guy. Being only 17 years old, what he's doing is not at all ridiculous," he remarked.
Antonio Rüdiger's Wave of Praise and Well-Wishes for Lamine Yamal
Furthermore, Antonio Rüdiger congratulated Barça for nurturing such a high-level talent and expressed his best wishes for the young Catalan forward's career. "At Barcelona, they have a player with a whole career ahead of him. I hope he stays healthy because we never wish ill on anyone. I hope he stays healthy," he commented.
Lastly, the Berlin native reiterated the qualities of Lamine Yamal, whom he will have to face in the upcoming El Clásico between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona on October 26 at the Santiago Bernabéu. "What this player has achieved for Barça at 17 years old, what he did in the Euros... It's quite scary, very scary. He has a bright future," he concluded.
The Endless Debate on Who's the Better Player Between Messi and Ronaldo
On a different note, Antonio Rüdiger was questioned about one of the most recurrent debates in football history: who is the better footballer between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The German defender tried to argue in a balanced manner without clearly choosing one over the other. "I don't like that debate. I've played against both. Against Cristiano Ronaldo when he was at Manchester United. For some reason, we didn't face each other in a match against Real Madrid. Against Messi, I played a lot in some important matches between Barcelona and Chelsea. Messi, individually due to his talent, is probably the best of all time, in my opinion," he remarked.
"But with Cristiano Ronaldo, what he's done in terms of what he's won individually and his numbers, goals, dedication, and competitive hunger even now... it means they are simply there together. I have to respect them both equally. I don't think it's fair to try to put one above the other," he concluded.