IF Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were musicians, they’d be entering their ‘Greatest Hits’ era with a new wave of talent knocking them off the top of the charts.
This week of Champions League alone has proven that, with the two giants of the global game for the past two decades overshadowed by a pair of rising superstars.
This week’s Champions League action has suggested the new wave of talent is fainlly overtaking Messi and RonaldoCredit: AP:Associated Press
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are quickly becoming the best players on the planet.
And football fans can’t wait to watch them trade blows like predecessors Messi, 33, and Ronaldo, 36, for the next decade or more.
But Spanish publication AS reckon there are more than just two players to watch in the coming decade.
In fact, they’ve listed their top TEN ‘Galacticos’ to keep tabs on… check out who they picked below.
KYLIAN MBAPPE
Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as PSG thumped Messi’s Barcelona 4-1 in the Champions League this weekCredit: AP:Associated Press
Age: 22
Club: PSG
Nationality: French
AGED just 22, Mbappe is already Paris Saint-Germain’s third-top-scorer of all-time, a World Cup winner and the second-most-expensive player of all-time.
That’s some CV for such a young player, but the Frenchman certainly deserves all the hype.
Real Madrid are expected to make a mega-money move for Mbappe this summer, with the likes of Liverpool also interested.
If not for the coronavirus pandemic, Mbappe would certainly have become the first £200million-plus player.
ERLING HAALAND
Erling Haaland looks set to be Mbappe’s main rival for the ‘best in the world’ monikerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Age: 20
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Nationality: Norwegian
ARGUABLY the biggest threat to Mbappe in his future quest for ‘GOAT’ status is Dortmund striker Haaland.
The Norwegian ace has scored 18 Champions League goals in just 13 matches and claimed he was spurred on to score against Sevilla in the tournament this week after watching Mbappe’s Barcelona hat-trick.
Haaland scored twice in a 3-2 win away.
Only 20 years old, Haaland is believed to have a clause in his contract allowing him to join Real Madrid for just £63m in 2022.
But Barcelona are threatening to make a big-money move this summer in order to beat their rivals to the punch.
Just imagine Mbappe and Haaland on the same team, though… game over.
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How Haaland and Mbappe compare to Ronaldo and Messi in the Champions League since the start of last season
JADON SANCHO
Sancho has a bright future ahead of him despite a tricky start to 2020-21Credit: EPA
Age: 20
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Nationality: England
LAST season, Sancho – an Under-17 World Cup winner with England – was involved in 34 goals in just 32 Bundesliga games, with 17 goals and 17 assists.
While 2020-21 has been trickier for the winger, in part due to his failed move to Manchester United last summer, Sancho has still been involved in 23 goals in all competitions this season.
At the age of 20, Sancho will surely only get better and is tipped to be a huge part of a new ‘Golden Generation’ for England.
JOAO FELIX
Felix is finding his feet in LaLiga and looks set to takeover as Portugal’s go-to forward in life after RonaldoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Age: 21
Club: Atletico Madrid
Nationality: Portuguese
IN the summer of 2019, Atletico Madrid finally lost Antoine Griezmann after Barcelona came knocking.
Diego Simeone – recently named Coach of the Last Decade – paid a staggering £112m to bring Felix to the Wanda Metropolitano following a red-hot spell at Benfica.
Felix found life in LaLiga tough to begin with but is now looking like to the heir to Ronaldos’ throne in the Portugal team and Griezmann’s at Atleti.
ANSU FATI
Ansu Fati is quickly becoming the main man at Barcelona with Messi set to leaveCredit: AFP or licensors
Age: 18
Club: Barcelona
Nationality: Spanish
ESPECIALLY with Messi set to quit Barca and seemingly move to Manchester City or PSG, now more than ever Fati is the future of the Nou Camp giants.
Before his horror knee injury, Fati was outshining Messi for his club and starring for the Spain national team.
Fati is expected to become one of the best players in the world for the next 15 years… after all, he’s still only 18.
MARCUS RASHFORD
Marcus Rashford is well on his way to becoming a fully-fledged superstarCredit: AFP
Age: 23
Club: Man Utd
Nationality: English
HOW different could things have been had Anthony Martial not injured himself in the warm-up to Man Utd’s Europa League last-32 clash with Midtjylland in February 2016.
Rashford scored twice after being roped in to lead United’s injury-hit front-line in a 5-1 win and he’s never looked back.
The forward is now considered as the future of both Man Utd and England.
Still years away from hitting his prime, there’s plenty to look forward to.
Rashford also leads off the pitch, earning an MBE in 2020 for his fight against food poverty.
ALPHONSO DAVIES
Alphonso Davies is one of the most-exciting prospects in world football alreadyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Age: 20
Club: Bayern Munich
Nationality: Canadian
LIGHTNING-quick, strong in the tackle and with an eye for goal, the Bayern Munich left-back could play anywhere on the pitch.
Already quite possibly the best player ever to come out of Canada, Davies appears to have a long future ahead of him.
The former Vancouver Whitecaps whiz has already won two Bundesliga titles and the Champions League – as well as helping his side win the Club World Cup earlier this month.
LAUTARO MARTINEZ
Lautaro Martinez is an elite all-round striker and will surely only get betterCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Age: 23
Club: Inter Milan
Nationality: Argentine
THE Inter ace had looked set for a mega-money move to Barcelona last summer but for Covid to hit the Spanish giants hard in the pocket.
Fortunately for Martinez, that’s helped him further his lethal partnership with Romelu Lukaku at the San Siro.
Martinez is already an undisputed starter up front for Argentina, too – with his strong all-around game a huge asset to any team.
PHIL FODEN
Phil Foden is repaying Pep Guardiola’s faith in a big way for rampant Man City this seasonCredit: EPA
Age: 20
Club: Man City
Nationality: English
FODEN is finally getting the minutes he deserves under Pep Guardiola – and boy has he justified them.
The versatile midfielder, still only 20, has helped Man City to a record 17-game winning streak, scoring 11 goals and adding a further six assists this season alone.
Along with the likes of Jack Grealish, Declan Rice, Mason Mount, Sancho and Rashford, Foden is considered arguably the main man in England’s latest generation of potential superstars.
FERRAN TORRES
Ferran Torres is making waves with Man City and Spain this season so early in his careerCredit: Reuters
Age: 20
Club: Man City
Nationality: Spanish
ANOTHER 20-year-old City star, Foden’s club-mate Torres has enjoyed a superb season.
The Spaniard has scored 12 times in 31 games in all competitions.
A bargain £20.8m buy from Valencia, the signing of Torres has already proven a more-than shrewd on.
Still early in his career, Guardiola and Co will be keen to see if he can keep up his meteoric rise to stardom.
Erling Haaland teases Real Madrid transfer as Dortmund star admits ‘it’s always nice if someone wants you’
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
