Barcelona and Real Madrid have
dominated the last seven years of world soccer. More accurately, Lionel
Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated them.
Ever since Ronaldo joined Real Madrid, pitting him against Messi
in one of the world's most heated rivalries, the two have pushed each
other and left no doubt as to whom the two best players on Earth are.
It's been a personal rivalry as good as the one between the two teams,
and it's become part of El Clasico lore.
Unfortunately, that rivalry appears set to come to an end. Age,
animosity and changing clubs will force Ronaldo out of the Bernabeu and
bring an end to what has been an incredible ride. But thankfully, that
exit no longer appears to be in the cards for this summer, and
Saturday's Clasico won't be the final time Ronaldo and Messi square off
in the historic rivalry. It will only be one of the final few.
That this won't be the last time the two meet in El Clasico would
probably surprise some people. In the winter, Ronaldo's time at Real
Madrid seemed destined to end in the summer. Rafa Benitez was hired as
the Merenagues' manager and clashed with Ronaldo before the season even
started, the club was struggling and rumors of Ronaldo's exit were
swirling. Ronaldo didn't do much to quiet them and openly talked with
people at Paris Saint-Germain, not necessarily about a transfer, but
making his affinity for the individuals at the club abundantly clear.
An exit may not have looked inevitable, but it certainly looked like a
possibility. Sure, Ronaldo would be stupendously expensive, but PSG,
Manchester United and a handful of other clubs could afford him if they
were properly motivated, and there was ample motivation.
Now, all is well at the Bernabeu. Benitez was sacked and Zinedine
Zidane was promoted. The Frenchman immediately made Ronaldo a focus,
pouring praise on him, and Ronaldo reciprocated, gushing about Zidane's
influence on the side. Real Madrid have also started winning. It is
exactly the opposite of the winter.
Ronaldo is still 31 years old, though. His age is beginning to
show, with his game more limited than ever before, if still brilliant.
He cannot carry the weight of the club like he once did, instead
bordering on human and simply being a great player, not a machine. Real
Madrid don't look prepared to find a secondary role, or at least more
support for Ronaldo, either. Instead, they will ride him as long as they
can.
The two sides may be happy, for now, but in a year or two, they
will separate. Real Madrid will recognize that his value is dropping and
his contract is nearing the end, giving them one last chance to cash
in. Ronaldo will see greener pastures, either in Paris or a return to
Old Trafford. Even MLS, with the shining lights of Los Angeles or David
Beckham and Miami Beach calling his name, could lure him away from the
Bernabeu. But it will happen.
Ronaldo and Messi will always be linked. They defined a generation,
competing for the title of World's Best Player without much competition.
They've won the last eight Ballon d'Ors between them, and were first
and second in voting in seven of those years. Every competition they
entered became about them and they were ubiquitous, not just in the
sport, or even sports, but the world.
It's impossible to ignore the role that their respective clubs
had on their rises, either. Messi is Barcelona, born and bred. Ronaldo
is Portuguese bred and made his way to Real Madrid by way of Manchester
United, where he became a star, but the Bernabeu is where his legacy was
made. It was there that Messi became his rival and he Messi's. Where
Clasicos became three and four times yearly affairs, looked forward to
by the rest of the world unlike the matches before them. Ratings records
were set and records broken. Trophies rained down on them both, as did
every accolade known to the sports.
With a rivalry like El Clasico, it's nearly impossible to steal
headlines from the century-plus long battle between Real Madrid and
Barcelona. That rivalry means so much and has such a history that it
looms over everything. But Messi vs. Ronaldo became as big as Real
Madrid vs. Barcelona. It was mesmerizing, and magnificent.
One day that battle will come to an end, but it won't be this
Saturday. This will not be the last Ronaldo vs. Messi El Clasico.
Thankfully, this battle will go on just a little while longer.
Four-time champion Tiger Woods has ruled himself out of next week's Masters at Augusta National due to a back injury.
