Rivaldo: Lamine Yamal reminds me of myself

Rivaldo believes the sky is the limit for Yamal, likening his youthful exuberance on the field to his own experiences in his younger days.

"The one that everyone is loving is Lamine. He is an impressive player, but you have Gavi, many good ones," he remarked.

He went on to express his admiration for the young forward: "At times, yes [he reminds me of myself], because I went onto the pitch to enjoy football, that joy. He has that joy, he plays to enjoy, he enjoys it and the fans do too. He is 17 years old and plays as if he were 26 or 27.

"He will surely be great, he already is, he is doing a great job: he is a Euro champion, he did well in Barcelona. But one day he will be the best in the world."

Rivaldo firmly believes that Yamal has the potential to clinch the Ballon d'Or, a possibility that many see as inevitable if the young Spaniard maintains his current path.

"Sure. He has to keep working because it's not easy, but if he does things right like he's doing he'll surely win," he stated.

Considering Yamal's youth and the physical demands of the game, Rivaldo called on referees and the football community to safeguard gifted players from harmful tackles.

"He must be protected because he is a talented player. Football is about going hard, there are fouls, but not with violence or injury. The referees have to be more attentive, not only for him but for everyone, also for Vinicius or Rodrygo. Football is not about kicks, it is about playing," he emphasized.

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