At some point all of us fans out there in the soccer universe have to face facts: players age, careers end, and nobody is immune. For some time now we’ve been gifted, afforded the privilege of watching two of the best players ever to walk the earth torment backlines and dazzle us with spectacular goals. But like the Monday morning hangover blues after a weekend of top-notch soccer, some things are inevitable, and even the great Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will retire at some point. Much to our dismay, they can’t play forever.
With their pending departures closer than we think – Messi is 33, while Ronaldo is 36 – we’re left wondering who the young talents that can fill the void are? The answer is not so simple, as we have to take into account everything these two legends bring to the table. Obviously, both are prolific scorers, but they also have incredible vision, leadership abilities, and are consummate professionals.
We’re sure no one needed reminding of their brilliance, but it’s worth emphasizing their versatility, as few up and coming talents offer the same promise. Let’s consider the two black players who are most likely to achieve GOAT status.
We have 22 year old Kylian Mbappe of PSG, who is an absolute wonder kid and had scored more goals by the age of 21 (103) than Ronaldo and Messi. At the moment he appears to be a one man wrecking ball and we don’t see that stopping anytime soon. To catch the two GOATS he would need to score approximately 40+ goals a season for at the next decade which he is absolutely capable of.
Then, of course, there’s Neymar, 29, a fan favorite trickster on PSG. Like Messi, he has the ability to dribble through hordes of defenders with ease, as well as provide stellar assists, but he’s rarely a dominating presence. Neymar will have to prove that he is capable of carrying a team, however time is running out.