The rivalry as we know it took off in October 2012. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two greatest players of their generation, traded goals like punches in a heavyweight bout. There were 98,000 people in attendance at the Camp Nou. Most of them had come to show solidarity with the independence movement that was sweeping through Catalonia and to rail against a certain history of persecution. They were treated to a different kind of history instead.
Messi and Ronaldo had played against each other many times before, but not like this. Ronaldo struck in the 23rd minute, beating Victor Valdes at his near post with a ferocious strike. Eight minutes later, Messi responded with a ruthless volley from close range. Then Messi scored again. Then Ronaldo. El Clasico went as they went, ending 2-2. What was supposed to be a night of political grandstanding became a celebration of world-class talent. Messi and Ronaldo had separated themselves from the rest. “No one can keep up with them,” the Guardian’s Sid Lowe wrote at the time, “except each other.”
The rivalry intensified over the next few years, not out of animosity or hatred, but out of pure competitive drive. Every match seemed to determine the fate of the Ballon d’Or. For a decade, no one won the award but them.
It was their contrasting styles that made them such great adversaries. Messi navigated tight spaces to reach his destination; Ronaldo barged right through. Which of the two you liked better said a lot about the kind of football you appreciated.
“The only thing they have in common is goals,” former Spain coach Vicente del Bosque once said.
Their clubs mirrored their differences. Messi was made in Barcelona’s image: short and intuitive, quick and exacting, a cerebral and cunning footballer who passed as well as he shot and saw things before they happened. Ronaldo’s directness and barreling athleticism, on the other hand, made him a perfect match for Real Madrid, who built teams to win, not to entertain. Messi and Ronaldo weren’t only rivals, they were complete opposites.
It’s not the same now that Ronaldo is playing in Serie A with Juventus. The comparisons are less obvious. They spent a decade jockeying for position in La Liga, moving up and down the leaderboards, facing off regularly. Then suddenly, they lost their sparring partner.
“I miss Cristiano in Spain,” Messi said. “It was lovely having him here, even though it annoyed me seeing him win so many titles. It would be great if he was still here.”
Messi gave Ronaldo a challenge when no one else could, and vice versa. Ronaldo was older than Messi and thus took the early lead in the race to immortality. But Messi surpassed Ronaldo. He did things with the ball no one had seen since Diego Maradona. Barcelona were winning everything, including an unprecedented treble in 2009, and Messi was at the center of it all.
It may have seemed like Messi was merely a cog in a well-oiled machine. He’s faced those accusations his entire career. It’s true he found greater harmony with his teammates at Barcelona than he ever did with his countrymen, and it’s probably why he’s struggled so much in the international game with Argentina. Schooled to interpret the game as a series of sequences and to understand the geometry of the pitch, Barcelona players could understand the things he did. In reality, Messi transformed Barcelona, leading the club through its most successful period of all time.
Pep Guardiola did his part to help Messi become the tour de force he is today, teaching him how to exploit space and burst into channels with his trademark speed. It was Guardiola’s aim to get Messi on the ball as much as possible. He considered it a crime whenever Messi loitered without much to do. Messi was too good to spend his career hoping for chances. Why wait when he could create them himself?
But not much was made of what actually made Messi so great. He just was. Guardiola merely guided him in the right direction.
Ronaldo’s success was easier to measure. Stories were told of how many sit-ups he could do on a given day, about his strict diet, about the amount of sleep he’d get. Ronaldo was more human than Messi and showed more emotion because of it. He goaded the media into making the comparisons. He seemed to feel the rivalry more than Messi did.
Fans chanted “Messi” at him because they knew it would bother him. And it did. It bothered him when he was second-best, when all the hard work fell short. Ronaldo skipped award ceremonies when he found out he’d lost. He defended himself when things didn’t go according to plan, and in doing so, he came off as arrogant, self-absorbed, hostile. He was only ever building himself up because people tried to tear him down.
“Do you know what (Messi) was doing this time last year?” Ronaldo snapped after fans of Denmark heckled him during a match at Euro 2012. “He was going out of the Copa America in the quarterfinals.”
Messi had won four consecutive Ballons d’Or by the end of 2012, and when Fabio Cannavaro awarded it to him that December, Ronaldo sat there and pursed his lips. It hurt him. He’d scored 63 goals in that calendar year, a personal best and a ridiculous sum on its own. He just happened to do it the same year Messi hit 91.
It was Ronaldo who breathed life into the rivalry, giving it a sense of urgency that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. He was the one who moved to Spain to challenge himself, to go up against the very best. If his transfer is no longer the most expensive, it remains one of the most important.
His relationship with Madrid was mutually beneficial. He needed Madrid to chase down Messi, and Madrid needed him to chase down Barcelona. And as Madrid became a greater threat to Barcelona, so too did Ronaldo to Messi. He was a selfish player at Manchester United, a winger who relied on stepovers and tricks to accomplish everything. But over nine years in the Spanish capital, Ronaldo evolved.
He used his speed to facilitate Madrid’s unbelievable counterattack and learned that he too could drop deep and link up play. Some of his best moments were typical Ronaldo – he seemed to levitate when he lept for the ball and he punished goalkeepers with a barrage of shots – but there was more nuance to his game than there had been before. Later, he even accepted time on the bench so he could spring to life at the business end of each competition.
When Ronaldo tied Messi with a fifth Ballon d’Or in 2017, it was personal redemption. His life’s work had built to that moment. He had won a trophy with his country – something Messi failed to do on multiple occasions – and led Madrid to the second of three consecutive Champions League titles. Entering the quarterfinals of the Champions League that season, Messi had 11 goals in the competition. Ronaldo only had two. But in a flash, Messi was out, and Ronaldo scored eight over the next two rounds against Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich. He fired two more against Juventus in the final itself. Ronaldo had roared back.
“With Messi, the fight continues,” he said after being presented the trophy. “In a good way.”
Football had never had anything like this before. Pele and Maradona played in different eras and on different continents, making it harder to judge their achievements side by side. Messi and Ronaldo were entering their prime at the same time and gunning for the same titles.
Together, they elevated El Clasico, defining it just as they came to define their clubs, partly because they faced each other so damn much. In 2011, four of those Clasicos came over an 18-day span, in three separate competitions. Madrid beat Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey, but that was all they could muster. The Blaugrana held Los Blancos in La Liga, claiming a precious point en route to the title, and edged them 3-1 on aggregate in the Champions League semifinals. Messi and Ronaldo, of course, combined for five of the seven goals in those encounters.
El Clasico was big before they arrived, rich in symbolism, politics, and rivalry. But the more Messi and Ronaldo upped the ante, the more the contest became about them and less about the politics that had shaped it in the first place. Fans traveled from around the world to watch them go at it. The crowds became less local and more diverse. Hundreds of millions tuned in across almost 200 countries. Messi and Ronaldo globalized El Clasico and turned it into a referendum on who was better.
Every match, every season was an arms race. Messi scored 369 league goals in the 2010s and collected 23 trophies; Ronaldo hit 335 and added 19. Ronaldo has more Champions League goals and assists than anyone in history. Messi has the most league goals ever. He’s two years younger, too. The statistics prove how close they were, but different stats tell different stories, liking choosing your own adventure.
They did this for the entire decade, going back and forth and topping their own records. Only they could outdo each other. If only they could do it for another 10 years.
With the January transfer window officially open, we take a look at 20 high-profile players who could be on the move this month.
Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Age: 26 | Position: Central midfielder | Estimated value: £120M+
On multiple occasions this term, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer felt compelled to defend Pogba’s professionalism while he deals with ankle issues and illness. Why would Solskjaer do that if Pogba’s absences were entirely legitimate? Perhaps the midfielder is still unsettled and eyeing a departure from Old Trafford. Pogba’s links with Real Madrid – like his injuries – are persistent.
Most likely destination: Remains at Manchester United until summer
Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Age: 27 | Position: Attacking midfielder | Estimated value: €20M
Eriksen has entered the final six months of his Tottenham deal so can ink a pre-contract agreement to join a foreign club on a free transfer. Spurs will be keen to get something for him now rather than see him leave for nothing in the summer. The Dane could be a key piece for teams chasing silverware, such as Inter, or for clubs known for rash spending, like Manchester United.
Most likely destination: Inter
Nathan Ake (Bournemouth)
Age: 24 | Position: Central defender | Estimated value: £40M
Chelsea wisely slotted a £40-million buyback option into Ake’s £20-million transfer to Bournemouth in 2017, according to The Athletic’s Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey. With his composure and slick distribution, Ake is an archetypal modern center-back who seems a neat fit for Frank Lampard and Jody Morris’ youthful revolution at Stamford Bridge.
Most likely destination: Chelsea
Granit Xhaka (Arsenal)
Age: 27 | Position: Central midfielder | Estimated value: £25M
For too long, Xhaka looked like an imposter at one of Europe’s biggest clubs. His agent’s recent claim that his client was set to join Hertha Berlin, then, made a lot of sense. But, since Mikel Arteta was hired as Arsenal boss, Xhaka has started two of three available matches and – whisper it – performed quite well. Could Arteta do the unthinkable and turn Xhaka into a serviceable midfielder?
Most likely destination: Hertha Berlin
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Age: 27 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: £80M
Roy Hodgson indicated it was Zaha’s “big heart for the club” that allowed him to play at Norwich City on Wednesday despite lacking match fitness. However, Zaha asked to leave last summer, and Hodgson admitted before the Norwich game that a big bid would need to be taken seriously by Eagles directors. Pedro and Willian are nearing the end of their respective deals, so Chelsea are unsurprisingly linked.
Most likely destination: Remains at Crystal Palace until summer
Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)
Age: 33 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: £5M
The World Cup-winning frontman will be subject of numerous transfer reports this January. He’s started just two top-flight matches under Lampard, and his vast experience and 78 Premier League goals will tempt numerous clubs. Will a rival English side meet Giroud’s wage demands? Will an MLS outfit make him its marquee player? Will he return to France or join the Scudetto race in Italy?
Most likely destination: West Ham United
David Silva (Manchester City)
Age: 33 | Position: Central midfielder | Estimated value: Free
We already know the magician will suit up for a club other than Manchester City next season, but his destination is up in the air. The midfielder, who turns 34 on Wednesday, has previously stated his intention to play for Las Palmas, who hail from his native island of Gran Canaria, but there are rumors that he will instead be a headline act for Inter Miami, the David Beckham-owned MLS franchise.
Most likely destination: Las Palmas (in summer via pre-contract agreement)
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Age: 30 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: Too much
Bale’s age, injury record, and questionable dedication to Real Madrid in recent years make it unlikely that a club will stump up the fee and wages required to trigger the Welshman’s move. Tottenham are linked with Bale, but a more cost-effective and long-term option would be someone like Eberechi Eze, the young virtuoso lighting up the Championship with Queens Park Rangers.
Most likely destination: Remains at Real Madrid until summer
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona)
Age: 31 | Position: Central midfielder | Estimated value: €25M
No longer an automatic choice in midfield thanks to Arthur’s emergence and the signing of Dutch stud Frenkie de Jong, Rakitic has started just five league matches this season for Barcelona. He’s stated his desire to remain at the Camp Nou, deeming it the “perfect place” for him in December, but sitting on the bench has a funny way of changing those feelings.
Most likely destination: Inter
Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid)
Age: 24 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: €60M
It would be difficult for Atletico Madrid to recoup the €72 million that they paid for Lemar in 2018, but Marca’s David Garcia Medina understands Los Colchoneros could cut their losses to free up funds for a striker. Lemar hasn’t scored or assisted for his club since April and has always appeared out of sync with manager Diego Simeone’s conservative approach.
Most likely destination: Arsenal
Emre Can (Juventus)
Age: 25 | Position: Central midfielder | Estimated value: €30M
Already furious over his exclusion from Juventus’ Champions League squad, Emre Can has largely been stapled to the bench this season, making just seven appearances – two starts – in Serie A. The feisty German was a key member of Max Allegri’s side but is rightfully looking elsewhere given his lack of chances under Maurizio Sarri, with Manchester United potentially offering an escape route.
Most likely destination: Manchester United
Dries Mertens (Napoli)
Age: 32 | Position: Forward | Estimated value: €15M
Out of contract at the end of the campaign, it seems unlikely that the pint-sized Belgian will still be plying his trade with Napoli next season. Reborn as a center-forward during Sarri’s tenure at the club, Mertens has now been surpassed on the depth chart by Arkadiusz Milik. While a club in need of an immediate scoring punch could do worse than make a play for the 32-year-old, the opportunity to wait six months and get him for free is too good to pass up.
Most likely destination: Remains at Napoli until summer
Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Age: 19 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: £100M+
One day, Borussia Dortmund will make a lot of money on Sancho. But, even after Erling Braut Haaland’s recent arrival, it’s unlikely the club will offload until the summer. The club hierarchy will be reluctant to hinder the team’s push for domestic honors, and Sancho’s asking price could reach untold levels with a strong showing for England at Euro 2020.
Most likely destination: Remains at Borussia Dortmund until summer
Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
Age: 23 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €80M
Were it not for the absurd scoring exploits of Robert Lewandowski, we’d all be salivating over the season that Werner is putting together; the Stuttgart-born forward has 18 Bundesliga tallies thus far, just one behind his Polish counterpart. RB Leipzig have a legitimate chance at capturing the German crown – they sit atop the table, after all – and would be mad to sell their most prolific player prior to the summer window. In June, though, all bets are off.
Most likely destination: Remains at RB Leipzig until summer
Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)
Age: 21 | Position: Central defender | Estimated value: €55M
It seemed as though a day couldn’t go by this past summer without a new rumor linking Upamecano to one of Europe’s top clubs. Naturally, that trail has gone somewhat cold during the season. But with the window open once more, expect to hear about all the heavy hitters making inquiries over the young French defender, who has been tipped as a future superstar.
Most likely destination: Remains at RB Leipzig until summer
Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain)
Age: 32 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €10M
Cavani has never done anything wrong at Paris Saint-Germain, but he’s often been the odd one out. The club’s all-time top scorer hasn’t dipped below 16 goals in a Ligue 1 season, and it’s that kind of ruthlessness that has attracted Atletico Madrid. His advancing years and PSG’s desire to get rid of him – they have far too many attackers – make Cavani an affordable proposition.
Most likely destination: Atletico Madrid
Moussa Dembele (Lyon)
Age: 23 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €45M
The limited options behind Tammy Abraham in Chelsea’s strikeforce – Lampard clearly doesn’t think much of Giroud and Michy Batshuayi – could prompt a pricey swoop for Dembele, the former Fulham and Celtic marksman. The Frenchman is currently with underachieving Lyon, where he has netted 10 times in 16 Ligue 1 appearances this campaign.
Most likely destination: Chelsea
Donny van de Beek (Ajax)
Age: 22 | Position: Central midfielder | Estimated value: €55M
Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt were already drawing attention before Ajax’s 2018-19 Champions League run but, by the time of the club’s semifinal elimination, Van de Beek had also established himself as one of the continent’s preeminent prodigies. The midfielder says he intends to stay at Ajax this January, but it could be a very different story if Real Madrid come calling.
Most likely destination: Remains at Ajax until summer
Hwang Hee-chan (Red Bull Salzburg)
Age: 23 | Position: Forward | Estimated value: €15M
Amid high-profile deals that saw Haaland and Takumi Minamino join Dortmund and Liverpool, respectively, Hwang Hee-chan has largely flown under the radar at Salzburg. But the South Korean showcased his explosive skill set in the Champions League and should become the focal point of the attack for the remainder of the season, meaning any move will likely have to wait until June.
Most likely destination: Remains at Red Bull Salzburg until summer
Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa (Inter)
Age: 23 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €20M
Gabigol’s move to Europe didn’t go well. Following his €30-million switch from Santos to Inter, Gabigol mustered only 113 minutes and one goal in the 2016-17 Serie A term and was even worse during his subsequent loan stay with Benfica. But he’s rekindled his love for football back in Brazil, where, in 2019, he scored 43 goals and won the Copa Libertadores with Flamengo. The Brazilian giants are desperate to turn his loan paperwork into a permanent deal.
Most likely destination: Flamengo
Over the next 12 months, a new wave of exciting footballers will make their mark on the game. Here, theScore takes a look at some talented youngsters who are set to enjoy breakout years in 2020.
Club: Rennes | Age: 17 | Position: Central midfielder
As if France needs more incredible young talent. Eduardo Camavinga, a silky smooth Angolan-born midfielder, is already attracting interest from nearly every mammoth European club, with Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane said to be keen on bringing him to the Bernabeu.
Camavinga is a do-everything midfielder who is equally adept at gliding past opponents when he has the ball and bullying them off it when he doesn’t. He opened everyone’s eyes earlier this season when he bossed Paris Saint-Germain, running circles around Marco Verratti and Marquinhos. “Technically and physically, he is a monster,” former Rennes teammate Hatem Ben Arfa said of the teenage star. “Everything he does is perfect. For me, he is the modern midfielder by definition. There is nothing he can’t do.” High praise.
Club: Inter | Age: 17 | Position: Striker
It’s not easy to earn the confidence and trust of Antonio Conte – the Inter bench boss is one of world football’s most demanding managers. But that’s exactly what 17-year-old striker Sebastiano Esposito appears to be doing.
Already dubbed a future star with the Italian national team, Esposito has made seven appearances so far this season – six coming off the bench – between Serie A and the Champions League, notching his first senior goal on his full debut when he slotted home from the penalty spot against Genoa in December. Physically imposing, tenacious, and clever inside the area, the Naples-born forward figures to earn more playing time going forward in relief of star duo Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez.
Club: Bayern Munich | Age: 19 | Position: Left-back, winger
Alphonso Davies is already making his mark at Bayern Munich. A rash of defensive injuries forced the Bavarians to shuffle things around, with David Alaba slotting into the heart of the backline. That paved the way for the explosive teenager, who’s been a regular at left-back since Hansi Flick replaced Niko Kovac on the bench, as the Canadian has made 17 appearances across all competitions so far this season.
The former Vancouver Whitecaps star has been open about his desire to eventually play in a more natural attacking role, but if last month’s jaw-dropping assist against Freiburg was any indication, he’s doing just fine as an ultra-attacking full-back who can wreak havoc from a deeper position.
Club: FC Porto | Age: 17 | Position: Forward
You’re going to be seeing plenty of Fabio Silva’s curly locks in 2020. Porto have yet to fully unleash their crown jewel, as the striker has largely been used as a substitute this season. Still, they’ve already taken steps to ensure that his eventual move to a European superpower is one of the biggest in Portuguese history, renewing his contract in November and inserting a mammoth €125-million release clause.
It’s hard not to make direct comparisons to the situation that recently played out with hated rivals Benfica, who cashed in to the tune of €126 million when they sold burgeoning star Joao Felix to Atletico Madrid. Silva, who became Porto’s youngest-ever scorer in October, may not hit those heights just yet, but it feels like it’s only a matter of time.
Club: Barcelona | Age: 17 | Position: Left winger
Arguably the most promising player to emerge from La Masia since a certain little Argentine worked his way through Barcelona’s famed talent incubator, Ansu Fati is smashing records before he’s even old enough to get behind the wheel of a car.
A mesmerizing dribbler, Fati made his first-team debut in August. He’s since become the youngest player to ever score for Barca, the youngest to make his full debut with the club, and the youngest to ever find the net in a Champions League match when, aged 17 years and 40 days, he bounced Inter from the competition with a goal at the San Siro. Not too shabby, kid. Barcelona have spent oodles in recent years trying to bring more attacking firepower to the Camp Nou in advance of Lionel Messi’s eventual departure, but perhaps the solution to that impending issue was internal all along.
Club: QPR | Age: 21 | Position: Attacking midfielder
Eberechi Eze is destined for the Premier League – and soon. The 21-year-old is doing the bulk of the heavy lifting at Queens Park Rangers this season, with his creativity and scoring prowess helping the club steer clear of the relegation battle in the Championship; the talented No. 10 is among the league leaders in both goals (10) and assists (six) on the campaign.
That type of attacking contribution simply doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s only a matter of time before someone in England’s top flight comes calling – with a wide-open checkbook – for a player who has a knack not only for finding open pockets of space but for making the most of them once he gets there, be it with a perfectly weighted pass or mazy run.
Club: Atalanta | Age: 19 | Position: Winger, attacking midfielder
Dejan Kulusevski has come out of nowhere this season to establish himself as one of the brightest young prospects in Serie A. Sent on loan to Parma to gain more first-team minutes, the Atalanta-owned Swedish winger has been a revelation, scoring four goals and adding seven assists. The latter is good enough for second in the league, trailing only Lazio fulcrum Luis Alberto.
His intriguing blend of gangly athleticism, size, and skill are not commonly associated with a wide attacking player and quickly caught the eye of Juventus, who have reportedly splashed an initial €35 million to bring him on board this summer. It could end up proving a shrewd deal if Kulusevski puts forth a strong showing at Euro 2020.
Club: Ajax | Age: 17 | Position: Central midfielder
What, you didn’t think someone from Ajax would be on this list? Arguably the game’s most prolific developer of young talent, the Dutch club has seemingly unearthed another gem in the form of rangy midfielder Ryan Gravenberch. The Paul Pogba comparisons, fair or unfair, are rampant.
The precocious Gravenberch became Ajax’s youngest-ever debutant in 2018, breaking a mark that Clarence Seedorf held for 27 years. Considering the teenagers who’ve come through the Johan Cruyff Arena and gone on to superstardom, that’s no small feat. When you see his impressive range of passing and the ease with which he seems to do everything on the pitch, it immediately becomes clear why Gravenberch is touted as a future star and why he holds that vaunted benchmark.
Club: Manchester United | Age: 18 | Position: Forward
Has Mason Greenwood already broken out? Probably. A teenager scoring eight goals across all competitions in just 22 appearances – many of those coming off the bench – tends to have that effect. Doubly so when you do it for Manchester United, who, despite their current malaise, remain one of the biggest footballing entities on the planet. There’s no hiding that type of production at Old Trafford; the hype train is already moving at full tilt.
In fairness to the two-footed forward, it certainly seems justified. Among teenagers in Europe’s top five leagues this season, only Jadon Sancho has more goals in all competitions (12). Pretty good company. Greenwood’s development has so excited the United brass that they were reportedly content to let Erling Braut Haaland slip through their grasp in order to give the homegrown attacker more opportunities to shine. How’s that for trust?
Club: Red Bull Salzburg | Age: 19 | Position: Midfielder
Having already seen the aforementioned Haaland and Takumi Minamino make moves to two of Europe’s top clubs in recent weeks, versatile Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai may be next in line at Red Bull Salzburg.
Previously linked with the likes of Arsenal and Juventus, he’s flown somewhat under the radar this season thanks to the record-breaking exploits of Haaland, but his varied skill set should once again come to the fore in the wake of Salzburg’s two high-profile sales. Deployed both on the left and in a more traditional midfield role this season, Szoboszlai does a little bit of everything and figures to develop into a dominant box-to-box force. For whom is the big question, though. It shouldn’t be too long before we find out.
Honorable mentions: Reinier (Flamengo), Yacine Adli (Bordeaux), Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina)
