The football World has witnessed a fierce battle between these two behemoths for more than a decade ago. It will be recalled that the last Player who last bagged the FIFA Ballon D’or Award was Milan’s Kaka in 2007.
Since then, the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly began until recently when Luka Modrić entered the mix to claim the UEFA Best, FIFA Best and the Ballon D’or awards. His blissful 2017/2018 season broke the jinx for at least a year; While Messi and Ronaldo had to wait for any of the awards.
These two brilliant players have collectively produced one thousand plus goals as the two cannot just stop scoring every weekend. Sadly, the domination of these two is gradually coming to an end and the world is itching to see who or which player or players that will take over the baton from the two legends.
With critical analysis, some players are likely fit to take the center stage when the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly eventually ends. Below are the names of some youngsters that fit the bill.
5. Samuel Chukwueze
This name might come as a surprise to many everyone and might bring about some arguments. The massive and rapid growth of the Nigerian youngster cannot be underemphasized.
Since their Under-17 World Cup triumph in 2015, Nigerian supporters have maintained a keen interest in the development of their latest crop of talented footballers. Four years on, the only Nigerian player that comes close to Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze when it comes to dominating the dailies, is his teammate from the 2015 U17 World Cup Victor Osimhen.
Samuel’s dribbling ability and tendency to shoot from the range have brought about comparisons with Arjen Robben, and reports have him linked with another of Europe’s elite sides.
Naturally left-footed, the super eagle almost always plays on the right-wing, looking to cut infield at every opportunity. Chukwueze’s ability to carry the ball beyond defenders means that his teams often look to isolate him on the right flank. By building the play on the opposite side, they draw the opposition defensive shape over, leaving space on the right for the youngster to exploit.
4. Vinicius Junior
Another Brazilian wonderkid that has settled down in Europe pretty well; a Player The Los Blancos had to wait till he’s 18 before getting him down to the Spanish Capital.
It served as an indication that the club was not insane to have invested around £40 million in him a couple of years ago – and that Real have been bringing him on nicely since he made the move across the Atlantic in the summer. He caught the eye in a junior tournament at the start of 2017 and soon afterward was the breakout star of the South American Under-17 Championships.
The Brazilian has been showered lots of praise from football enthusiasts around the world – some have likened him to Robinho with the way he dribbles and put up many amazing skills.
Although, the young man still has many years but his efforts so far haven’t gone unnoticed as he held on to number 12th position on the FIFA Golden Boy awards.
3. Joao Felix
This young Portuguese was so instrumental during his days at Benfica. The 20-year-old made a record-breaking move to Athletico Madrid this summer and since then has gone on to record high numbers as he became the youngest player to score in the champions league.
READ ALSO: Top World-Class Football Stars Who Threw Away Their Careers
At his age, as some in Portugal have lately been arguing, Felix seems to be even more developed than Cristiano Ronaldo was when he was still settling into life at Manchester United after arriving from Sporting CP.
Devastatingly effective when running at defenders, the teen star is capable of playing in every position across the forward line. With a vast skill set that will probably only get better as he develops more, he already possesses an elegance and self-confidence with the ball comparable to the best talents in the game.
2. Jadon Sancho
While the above candidates have shone and mesmerized in equal measure, only one player has been devastating, lethal and explosive than Sancho.
The incisive winger combined his innate close control with break-neck speed and a refined end product to produce a staggering 13 goals and 19 assists last term.
And that form has spilled over to this season, and even for England, as the fledgling talent continues to produce at key moments while also enhancing his burgeoning reputation.
The young man is the third English player to score in the Bundesliga after Kevin Keegan and Tony Woodcock. Sancho has directly contributed to more Bundesliga goals than any other Borussia Dortmund player this season (10)
It’s pertinent to give Jadon a mention in the list of players who are likely to take over from Ronaldo and Messi as his blistering form has attracted interests from big clubs in Europe.
1. Kylian Mbappe
At 20, France’s Kylian Mbappe has been deemed the next great player of his generation, the Messi or Ronaldo for an entirely new era of fans.
“He is part of the group of five or six top players that will soon dominate the world,” – Arsene Wenger, the legendary French football manager who led Arsenal for over two decades, said in June 2018
But Mbappe is more than the future. He’s an international star right now. He’s the catalyst for France, the dynamic superstar who succeeded where both Messi and Ronaldo have failed: bring home a World Cup. He may be young, but his arrival on the international stage has been nothing short of a superstar’s coming-out party.
That he has blossomed so quickly shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s followed him since his days at Monaco.
The greatness and grace he has displayed are part of why Mbappe already has 14 million-plus followers on Instagram. It’s also why he is being pushed commercially as one of the next global faces of soccer.
