41-year-old superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is set to face off against the young global football sensation Lamin Yamal at the FIFA World Cup 2026. On 19 Ashar in Kathmandu, two European neighbors, Portugal and Spain, have secured their spots to meet in the Round of 16.
In a match held on Friday morning, Portugal came from behind to defeat Croatia 2-1, sealing their encounter with Spain. Portugal equalized through Ronaldo’s penalty after falling behind by one goal, and the super sub Goncalo Ramos scored the decisive goal during injury time of the second half to clinch the victory.
Spain also confirmed their progression to the Round of 16 on Friday morning by defeating Austria 3-0. Both European neighbors are considered strong contenders for the World Cup title, though only one will advance beyond this knockout stage.
Many had viewed the Ronaldo versus Yamal matchup as a potential alternative to the dream duel between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, with Portugal finishing as runners-up in their group, a possible encounter between Argentina and Portugal was ruled out, meaning Messi and Ronaldo could have only faced each other in the final.
Now, before any such final duel, football fans are assured of witnessing the match between the 41-year-old Ronaldo and the young global star Lamin Yamal at the World Cup. When Ronaldo debuted in the 2006 World Cup, Yamal was not yet born. This time, Yamal will compete against Ronaldo, who is more than twice his age. Yamal has also made his World Cup debut in this tournament and scored his first goal against Saudi Arabia.
