The retirements of Argentina's Lionel Messi from international play and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo mark the conclusion of a remarkable chapter in soccer history. Kevin Baxter of the L.A. TIMES notes that while losing two of the game's greatest players will impact international soccer, the sport is poised to thrive with a promising new generation of talent.
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Among the rising stars are France’s Kylian Mbappé, 27, Norway’s Erling Haaland, 26, Spain’s Lamine Yamal, 19, and Spain’s Pau Cubarsi, 19. Their emergence could mitigate the absence of Messi and Ronaldo, although no clear rivalry currently exists to mirror their legendary competition.
Mbappé is seen as a prime candidate to assume the title of the game's greatest player, with Haaland as his closest competitor. However, Haaland's different personality and club commitments in England with Manchester City have limited their face-offs to just four Champions League encounters and a single international match in which he was absent.
Yamal, a hyper-talented young player at FC Barcelona, is viewed as a potential rival to Mbappé, although he is still developing his skills at 19. The reshaping of international soccer may be underway, but it will take time for these emerging talents to fully establish their legacies.