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The Cristiano Ronaldo - Lionel Messi rivalry has overshadowed every other individual football rivalry in the recent past. Over the course of history, we have seen great players compete against each other at every level, be it for cups or for individual honors.
TCristiano Ronaldo - Lionel Messi's rivalry has definitely stolen the spotlight. But that doesn't mean that there haven't been other individual rivalries that have caught our attention. But Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won 11 out of the last 12 Ballons d'Or and that goes to show just how dominant the duo have been.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are walking into the twilight of their careers
Cristiano Ronaldo is 36-years-old and Lionel Messi turned 34 on June 24th. Their age will soon catch up with them and it won't be too long before two of the greatest footballers of all time hang their boots.
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But we have several world-class players who are now ready to take over from the iconic duo. Without further ado, let's take a look at five football rivalries that can replace the Cristiano Ronaldo - Lionel Messi one.
#5 Ansu Fati (Barcelona) - Federico Chiesa (Juventus)
Ansu Fati looked ready to tear up La Liga during the opening phase of the 2020-21 season. He was Barcelona's standout performer at the start of the season when even Lionel Messi struggled to hit his stride.
He scored five goals and provided four assists in 10 appearances across all competitions up until the time he was injured. Fati's pace, trickery and movement are already elite and he is only 18-years-old. He is tipped to take over from Lionel Messi and the early signs have been really promising.
Another winger who is quickly turning heads right now is Federico Chiesa. The 23-year-old winger was signed by Juventus on loan from Fiorentina in the summer of 2020. He showed flashes of brilliance for Juventus in an otherwise underwhelming season for the club.
Federico Chiesa and Cristiano Ronaldo were arguably two of Juventus' best attackers in the 2020-21 season.
He scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions for the Bianconeri this past term. Chiesa was also one of the stars of Euro 2020 and played a crucial role in the Azzurri's European triumph.
There is no doubting the fact that we're yet to see the best of both players. With both players being wingers with similar skillsets, this could very well become a rivalry for the ages. While Ansu Fati will be mentored by Lionel Messi, Federico Chiesa can look for guidance from Cristiano Ronaldo.
#4 Phil Foden (Manchester City) - Pedri (Barcelona)
Phil Foden and Pedri are two of the most promising midfielders in Europe at the moment. Both Foden and Pedri have had breakout seasons for their clubs. While Foden has been a creative force in the final third for Pep Guardiola's men, Barcelona might have finally found a player in the ilk of Xavi and Iniesta in Pedri.
Pedri was chosen as the Young Player of the Tournament at the recently concluded Euro 2020. Phil Foden was largely played out of position but was an important player for England at the continental tournament as well.
Both players have showcased exquisite ball control, passing range and composure that belies their years. Foden scored 16 goals and provided 10 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions in the 2020-21 season for Manchester City.
Pedri, on the other hand, plays a slightly deeper role. It's unfair to expect a central midfielder to have goals + assists numbers that match that of an attacking midfielder. Pedri scored four goals and provided six assists in 52 appearances for Barcelona across all competitions in the 2020-21 season.
#3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has been one of the most consistent attackers in Europe over the past five years or so. He has been the focal point of the Merseysiders' attack in recent times and has played a starring role in Liverpool's return to the upper echelons of football.
Neymar's contributions to Paris Saint-Germain have been similar and both players have a fighting mentality as well. They are also quite athletic, despite both being 29 years of age and it doesn't look like they will slow down any time soon.
Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot twice since joining Liverpool in 2017. Neymar has played a starring role in Paris Saint-Germain's journey to the final and the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons respectively.
When Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi eventually call it a day, Salah and Neymar will both be identified as two of football's biggest superstars. A rivalry could really take off from there.
#2 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) vs Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Bruno Fernandes vs Kevin De Bruyne is already one of the most full-fledged midfield rivalries and has only spanned one and a half seasons so far. The fact that both have been absolutely brilliant for the Manchester rivals only elevates the rivalry.
Bruno Fernandes is an excellent technician with a great eye for a pass. He is also more active in and around the box than Kevin De Bruyne. Thanks to his appetite for goals, Fernandes was able to outscore most Premier League strikers in the 2020-21 season.
He scored a total of 28 goals and provided 17 assists in 58 appearances for Manchester United across all competitions in the 2020-21 season. Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne was picked as the 2021 men's PFA Players' Player of the Year.
De Bruyne missed a bit of the 2020-21 season through injury but he was still heavily influential in Manchester City's Premier League and Carabao Cup success. The Belgian international was excellent for his national side at Euro 2020 as well.
De Bruyne is arguably the best midfielder of his generation and has been delivering consistently for the Cityzens. In the 2020-21 season, De Bruyne scored 10 goals and provided 18 assists in 40 appearances across all competitions for his club.
Both Manchester City and Manchester United are tipped to be two of the favourites to win the Premier League in the 2021-22 season. The rivalry between the two incredible midfielders is set to have many more fascinating chapters given how strong the two teams are starting to look on paper.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are so young and are already so dominant that they are now being touted as the successors to Ronaldo and Messi. Both players are nightmares to defend against for defenders thanks to their ability with the ball at their feet and incredible physical attributes.
Mbappe's blistering pace, trickery and ability to take on defenders and jink past them and score goals for fun make him a dangerous proposition to go up against. He has been one of the best attackers in the world for several years now and it's a bit remarkable that he is still only 22-years-old.
Mbappe scored 42 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain in the 2020-21 season. Erling Haaland has made a huge impact over the course of just two seasons. His numbers over the past two seasons have been at par with the very best in the business.
The Norwegian international will just turn 21 on July 21st, 2021. He is already the most sought-after striker in the world. There is no doubt that the two of them will go neck-to-neck for goalscoring records in the coming years. In the 2020-21 season, Haaland scored 41 goals and provided 12 assists from 41 appearances across all competitions for Borussia Dortmund.
While the rivalry is set to become intense in the coming years, there is another interesting thing to note. Real Madrid are interested in signing both players. If Los Blancos can pull it off, then we'll have the privilege of seeing two of the best forwards in the world playing alongside each other.
