Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both been left out of the three-man shortlist to win the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award, highlighting a dawn on the pair’s reign over world football.
The Argentine has made the cut six times in the previous nine years, winning the award on two occasions, while our very own CR7 has featured in the top three in each season since it’s creation in 2010, winning three times and picking up two runners-up spots.
The award is supposedly based on player’s performances for both club and country during a 12 month period, although the Champions League carries plenty of weight in the category, which will be why the duo have both been overlooked.
This year’s winner will come from a choice of Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer or Kevin de Bruyne, as confirmed by UEFA.
Juventus found themselves dumped out of the competition on away goals, the least meaningful way in which to exit the tournament, whilst we had to play the two legs of our aggregate match almost six months apart (due to Coronavirus).
Lionel Messi’s side on the other hand have no such excuse, and actually went out in the most embarrassing way imaginable.
Barcelona were beaten 8-2 by eventual winners Bayern Munich, which over two legs may be somewhat possible, but this was only a 90 minute matchup!
The forward didn’t take the defeat well either, with him trying to cancel his playing contract with Barcelona and leave for pastures new, causing a mass media frenzy, but this isn’t the first time we have seen him throw his toys out of the pram.
Back in 2016, Lionel Messi announced that he was retiring from international football, at the healthy age of only 29 years-old, before eventually being convinced of a U-turn.
The characters of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are not to be compared, with the latter famously firing up his Portugal team-mates from the touchline in order to help his country succeed on the international stage.
Our superstar is now 35 years-old however, and we have to admit that he is on the decline now somewhat, but his rival is also slowing down despite having an age advantage.
Could either spark a revival to the out-of-this-world level that they have attained in previous years?
Patrick
