Rio Ferdinand makes stance clear when asked if Lamine Yamal is better than what Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were at 17

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has stated that teenage sensation Lamine Yamal is better than what Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were at 17 years of age. Messi and Ronaldo are two of the greatest players to have played the game.

Despite being in the twilight of their careers, the duo have continued to strut their stuff at their respective clubs. Meanwhile, Yamal, who burst onto the scene after his heroics with Spain in Euro 2024, is proving that he has what it takes to reach the heights of Messi and Ronaldo.

At just 17 years old, Yamal has already set and broken a lot of records and is also a strong contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. In a recent episode on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Ferdinand was asked if Yamal was a better player than Ronaldo at 17, to which he responded: :

Yamal played an integral role in Barcelona’s domestic treble in the 2024-25 campaign, registering 43 goal contributions for the Catalan club in 55 appearances across competitions.

In the same interview, Ferdinand told football fans to stop comparing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Englishman admitted to being biased towards the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and urged fans appreciate both players rather than comparing them.

He said (2:32 onwards):

Ferdinand played with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, and he squared off against Lionel Messi when the Argentine was at Barcelona.

Ezekiel Olamide

Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.

An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.

Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.

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