Ballon d'Or: 5 La Liga players that can compete with Messi and Ronaldo in the near future

#2 Marco Asensio (Real Madrid)

Spanish football's brightest talent

The new golden boy of Spanish football, Asensio is a player for whom lots of praise have been reserved. He is expected to hit heights as high as the Ballon d’Or in his career.

Blessed with an ability to go past defenders like they are not even there, the 22-year old recently signed a contract extension tying him to Los Merengues until 2023 with a reported buyout clause of €350m.

Quick-footed, deceptively strong with an eye for a pass and a scorer of spectacular long-range shots from outside the penalty area, Marco is very calm for his age and doesn’t seem to rush into taking decisions while on the field of play.

Capable of playing on both flanks or behind the main striker, this versatility made him an asset to former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane and has provided a cupboard full of highlight reels in his two seasons at the Bernabeu.

He has a unique record of scoring on his debut in every competition for Real Madrid and is certainly looking like the best €4m Real's president; Florentino Perez has ever spent.

Already being compared in terms of playing style and impact to Messi as well as being said to possess the big game mentality of Ronaldo, expect Asensio to be at the top of the queue jostling to replace the eternal duo of Messi/Ronaldo as a Ballon d'Or winner in the nearest future.