Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United paid more than £12 million to buy Ronaldo when he was just 16 years old in 2001, a record amount for a player of his age.
With his precise agility and deft touch, Ronaldo had wowed even his opponents with a spellbinding performance with Portugal against Manchester. He made such an impact that other United players requested that their management try to sign the young talent, which the squad did immediately.
Ronaldo did not let the soccer world down: in the 2004 FA Cup final, he demonstrated his potential by striking the team’s first three goals and assisting them in winning the trophy. Ronaldo signed a five-year, £31 million deal with Real Madrid in 2007.
Ronaldo justified his exorbitant contract a year later when he had one of the best seasons in club history, establishing a franchise record for goals scored (42), and winning the FIFA World Player of the Year award for 2008. Ronaldo was a key figure in Manchester United’s three Premier League titles.
Real Madrid decided to pay a record $131 million to Manchester United in 2009 for the opportunity to sign Ronaldo. Ronaldo’s devotion to Manchester United had been questioned for some time, and rumors lingered that he wanted to play elsewhere, so his departure came as a shock.
“I know they’ll expect a lot of me to be effective at the club, and I know I’ll be under a lot of strain than I was at Manchester United since I spent so many years there,” Ronaldo told reporters. “However, it represents a fresh challenge that will help me become the best footballer I can be.”
Ronaldo proceeded to win an astonishing number of individual and team awards. He earned his fourth Ballon d’Or award as the sport’s player of the year in December 2016, defeating Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona.
After teasing that his time with Real was coming to a close, Ronaldo validated the rumors in July 2018 by moving for Juventus, an Italian Serie A team that paid Real a $140 million buyout clause.
Ronaldo wrote an open message to Real fans on the club’s website, writing: “These years at Real Madrid and in Madrid have undoubtedly been the happiest years of my life. I have nothing but admiration for this team, its supporters, and the city. I can only express my gratitude to them all for the love and devotion they have shown me.”
Ronaldo’s first season with Juventus was a success by most accounts. He scored 10 goals in his first 14 appearances, including the lone goal in a Supercoppa Italiana victory over AC Milan. In May 2019, he was crowned the league’s MVP after helping his club to its eighth straight Serie A triumph.
Ronaldo will return to Manchester United on August 27, 2021.
Lionel Messi
Since signing with FC Barcelona at the age of 13, Messi has only played for them until 2021. He is also a member of Argentina’s national squad.
Messi made his first appearance for FC Barcelona at the age of 16, breaking the record for the youngest player to ever score a goal for the club on May 1, 2005. He also led Argentina to the under-20 World Cup triumph in the same year, scoring on a pair of penalty kicks to help the squad defeat Nigeria.
Messi led Barcelona to numerous victories, the most notable of which came in 2009 when the left-club footer won the Champions League, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup. He won his first FIFA “World Player of the Year” award/Ballon d’Or that same year following two straight runner-up finishes.
Even the legendary Maradona gushed about his compatriot. The retired star told the BBC, “I view him as quite similar to me.” “He’s a leader who teaches excellent football to others. He has a unique skill set that no other player in the world possesses.”
Despite this, the football magician continued to progress, discovering new methods to avoid opponents while leading Barcelona to La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup titles in 2010 and 2011, as well as the Champions League triumph in 2011.
In 2012, Messi launched an all-out assault on the record books. In early March, he became the first player in Champions League history to score five goals, and a few weeks later, he eclipsed Cesar Rodriguez’s 232 goals to become Barcelona’s all-time greatest scorer.
Messi had scored 91 goals in club and international play at the end of 2012, surpassing Gerd Muller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar year set in 1972.
In the August of 2021, Lionel Messi’s contract came to an end with Barcelona and at 34, Messi joined Paris Saint Germain (PSG).
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