Although it is not possible to say when, the reality is that it will not be long before the farewell of the elite of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who led in a grandiose way one of the strongest rivalries in the history of football.
Nobody wants to say goodbye to them. Like Pelé and Maradona, Cruyff, Platini and more recent cases such as Casillas, Ronaldinho, Xavi, Iniesta, Zidane, Maldini, Ronaldo, time will punish us with the end of an era of absolute domination. It may be a few years before they retire, for sure, but it is undeniable that their fullness has reached its peak and both are in an inevitable decline.
It is not about measuring your achievements. Their careers are impeccable and they can stay in the first place, accumulating records. But the relief comes very strong, and the new rivalry seems to have been born between Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, as the new protagonists, not having Messi or Cristiano for the first time in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in 16 years.
It will be a long time to mourn Messi and Cristiano, but they will not go alone. Together with them, an incredible generation of footballers and celebrities who have dominated for two decades, with a unique heritage.
It is not urgent to remove them. It is an anticipated attack of nostalgia. An inevitable review that will come sooner or later.
Just thinking about this group and remembering their great deeds makes your skin crawl.
There will be no Gianluigi Buffon, the best of his time, who could not win the Champions League as an excessive punishment. One of the most veteran, along with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who despite
Thiago Silva and Giorgio Chiellini, who turn 37 this year, like Cristiano Ronaldo, will take their place as legends among the best defenders in history.
Luka Modric is 36 years old and, although he can certainly perform much longer, his best time has passed and no one will be able to ask him for a place among the best players in history, especially for what he has done. made at Real Madrid.
There will be no more Diego Godín, Sergio Ramos, David Silva, those who turn 35 this year, real winners.
And of Messi’s generation, which turns 34 in 2021 and could give more of them in the next three or four years are Luis Suárez, Gerard Piqué, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuaín.
True, it will be a long time before everyone is retired. But suddenly, that attack of nostalgia invades us because time does not forgive and, in an instant, we will see the decline, although we will be able to appreciate its legacy from another perspective. A wonderful generation.