In recent years, football fans have been lucky to witness two of the genuine greats of the game. It’s rare for two of the world’s finest footballers to be around at the same time, but that’s been the case with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
For many years, the two men competed against each other in Spain’s La Liga. With Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Messi at Barcelona, it was fascinating to see them go head-to-head. Outside of Spain, the English Premier League is considered to be the most competitive division in the sport, and it’s a shame that we didn’t see the two face off here.
Ronaldo Remembered
Manchester United supporters will naturally look back fondly on Cristiano Ronaldo’s first spell at the club. The Portuguese international spent six years at Old Trafford between 2003 and 2009, winning nine major trophies in that time.
CR7’s second stint with United was less successful and it ended in acrimonious circumstances, but the Red Devils’ faithful would be grateful to welcome a player of his quality once again. Following a poor start to the new English season, current Premier League odds show Manchester United as seventh favourites to win the title, and many feel that’s optimistic.
Manager Erik Ten Hag is under pressure, despite having delivered two trophies in domestic knockout competitions in the last two seasons. His fallout with Cristiano Ronaldo was dramatic, but Ten Hag would be desperate for a primetime CR7 to rejoin the United squad.
A Different Path
In contrast to Cristiano Ronaldo, it seemed as though Lionel Messi would be a one-club man for his entire career. The Argentine began at Barcelona and was reluctant to leave the Nou Camp after 17 years as a first team player.
Prior to his departure to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, there were rumours of a move to the English Premier League. Both Chelsea and Manchester City were said to be interested at the time.
Stories linking Messi to Chelsea appeared again in 2023, but the chances of him playing in England’s top flight appear to have gone. Whatever happens, we will never see prime Messi up against prime Ronaldo in the EPL, but how would the league have shaped up, if that scenario had taken place?
Likely Destinations?
While Cristiano Ronaldo was at his best during his first spell with Manchester United, Lionel Messi was proving indispensable at Barcelona. Only the biggest-spending clubs would have been able to afford the Argentine’s signature, so we’re talking Chelsea, and possibly Manchester City.
City began to receive their significant overseas investment from 2008 and signing Messi would have made a big statement.
The only other club capable of affording Messi’s wages and sign on fee would have been Manchester United. Including both Ronaldo and Messi in the same side could have made the Red Devils unbeatable.
Raising the Standard
Having two of the world’s best players in the same division would have certainly raised the standard of the Premier League. While their respective teams would have been stronger, other clubs in the EPL would have needed to strengthen their own squads.
The likes of Arsenal, Everton, Blackburn Rovers and Spurs didn’t have the same spending power as Manchester United and Chelsea. They were all competitive at times, but each would have brought in new players to supplement their starting XIs.
The overall standard would have certainly improved, and maybe there would have been a greater challenge to Manchester United’s dominance. If, however, both Messi and Ronaldo had shared a dressing room at Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson’s men would have likely enjoyed a monopoly on Premier League titles.
Media Frenzy
Including both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Premier League would have lifted the standard, and it would certainly have raised the profile of the division. All football fans would have focused on the players and their respective clubs.
The world’s media would have enjoyed the experience too, but their attention would have taken the spotlight away from others. We’ve seen in sports such as golf, that there is a tendency to focus on one single player, usually Tiger Woods, while competitors go under the radar.
Many footballers would have been happy to escape that media attention, but the concentration on Messi and Ronaldo would have eventually become tedious for many fans.
Despite that one downside, it would have been hugely positive to see both prime Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi compete in the English Premier League. The standard would have lifted across the division as other clubs looked to challenge.
As the two players head towards retirement, the dream subsides with them. They are still pivotal to their sides, but they are playing in less competitive divisions. Meanwhile, we can only imagine how incredible the EPL would have been with their joint involvement.