Football goes hand in hand with modernity and immediacy. It couldn’t be otherwise. Therefore, it is not surprising that after one or two good seasons, a 20-year-old boy is the great hope to become the new Messi or Cristiano.
However, reality indicates that monsters in any sport base their legends not only on their talent and irruption, but on a sustained greatness that keeps them on top year after year.
Talking about the ‘new Messi or new Christian’ is even disrespectful. Today the only footballer who can be close to the aforementioned legends, despite his controversies, recurring injuries and an inconsistency that does not just go away, is Neymar.
If Messi, the best player in the world for more than a decade, has an immediate heir, he is none other than the Brazilian. Only he can approach, because like the Argentine, he is able to generate play, influence it and even define it, and not just through goals.
The assistance he gave last week for Paris Saint-Germain’s second goal against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League, is only in the head of Neymar and no one but a footballer of the its scope is able to execute it.
The South American is at a perfect age (29) in which he has everything to take Messi’s baton and write a legacy. The closest is to win a second Champions League, now with another team; and in less than two years, he will play his third World Cup with Brazil.
To make matters worse, everything indicates that he no longer intends to leave Paris, which is forming a club to fight for many years in the highest in Europe. It’s no small feat to beat a historic visiting Bayern, even if the tie is unresolved.
Kylian Mbappé is an exceptional player, World Champion of his young age (22 years) and with infinite potential. It’s not unreasonable to think he could also be Messi’s successor at some point; however, today Neymar takes him a few steps ahead that have to do with football experience and conditions.
Erling Haaland is a pleasant and refreshing surprise, but has spent just two seasons recording his goal-scoring ability at Borussia Dortmund.
That’s how things are, without any desire to remove Messi, about to turn 34 and who has at least a couple of seasons left at the highest level, the only one who currently puts a hand on this throne is called Neymar.