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Calum Preston Kelly

'I want to build my own path' - Lamine Yamal plays down Cristiano Ronaldo comparisons after being named 'Best Forward of the Year'

L. Yamal
C. Ronaldo
Barcelona
LaLiga

Lamine Yamal has expressed his desire to build and follow his own unique path as his young career develops. Speaking after winning the Best Forward award at the Globe Soccer Awards, the 18-year-old played down comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo and stated that since the great Portuguese earnt his name in football by being unlike anyone else, he hopes to do the same thing as he comes ever closer to reaching the very top of the game.

  • Yamal keen to build own career path

    If his short career so far is anything to go by, Yamal is already well on his way to building his own unique path to the top as he continues to break records.

    The 18-year-old is viewed as amongst the greatest wonderkids in history, having achieved more before his 18th birthday than many icons before him. Both featuring and scoring in Euro 2024 aged just 16, Yamal became the youngest player ever to achieve both feats before winning the tournament with Spain mere days after his 17th birthday.

    Less than 18 months on, Yamal was recently the runner-up in the 2025 Ballon d’Or and has now been crowned as both the Best Forward and the recipient of the Diego Armando Maradona Award at this year's edition of the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. Ousmane Dembele was named Best Male Player to complete an incredible year for the PSG forward.

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    Yamal speaks after winning Best Forward award in Dubai

    Reported by Fabrizio Romano on X, Yamal said after receiving his award for Best Forward at the ceremony: “It’s best not to compare yourself to anyone”. 

    “Players like Cristiano Ronaldo did what they did because they wanted to be themselves and not compare themselves to others”. 

    “I want to build my own path”.

  • Yamal on the cusp of greatness after memorable 2025

    Yamal has been in the conversation for all of the game’s top individual prizes in 2025 and is firmly believed to be in the running to win the Ballon d’Or and Best Male Player prizes if he continues his current trajectory and achieves further major honours with Barcelona and Spain.

    La Liga leaders Barca have not won the Champions League in a decade and with the 2026 World Cup also around the corner, the next stage of Yamal’s desired unique path could prove to be another memorable one.

    The teenager wrote in a post on Instagram in September after missing out on the Ballon d’Or to Dembele: “God’s plan is perfect, you have to climb to get to the top. Happy for the Kopa trophy x2 and congratulate @o.dembele7 for the award and the great season.”

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    Yamal's unique path is only just beginning

    While it is only natural to compare Yamal to the likes of Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and those who came before them, Barca’s newest superstar has emphasised a desire to be known as his own man, forging a path to the very top like no other.

    The 18-year-old will feel that he still has much room to improve and reach new levels, and has shown in his short career thus far that his rapid rise is very difficult to compare. It is scary to consider all that he could yet achieve.