At their peak they ruled and had total dominion over all things in the spheres of their respective individual careers. Yet now at this twilight stage of their careers, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo seem to be lost in transition in some kind of limbo at both the Parc des Princes and Old Trafford, respectively.
Both the megastars had invariably been compelled to take on on new challenges in the summer – the Argentine due to his having been left out in the cold by a conniving Barcelona board while the Portuguese had apparently overstayed his welcome at Juventus, not having been able to deliver the goods in their Champions League pursuit of glory.
Presently neither has been able to recapture their mesmerizing form of old, with both having been exposed to a deluge of criticism and toxic barbs from the usual menagerie of pundits and former players who presume to pronounce judgment on the two icons.
And now, the duo have been told their decisions to join PSG and Manchester United were “not intelligent” as the pair both struggle to find their best form this term in their pursuits to retain their place at the top of the footballing landscape.
Messi’s contract situation had left him with no options but to leave Barcelona for his new Parisian hunting grounds on his Bosman status while Ronaldo terminated his three-year tenure with the Old Lady and returned to the Premier League.
The former had been tasked with leading the team to help PSG’s charge for the elusive Champions League top honors but has so far managed to score only seven times in all competitions, with the latest outcome seeing the Parisians dumped out of the tournament by a revitalized Real Madrid.
Ronaldo has had the highest hopes of all and sundry at Old Trafford investing all their expectations of winning long-awaited silverware pinned on him and he gleefully accepted the challenge. Although still their top scorer, it is obvious he has been only a shadow of his former self and virtually helpless as United was also shown the exit from the Champions League, being booted out by Atletico Madrid.
With their erratic hit and miss style that’s characterized their approach the last two seasons, there’s definitely no certainty the Red Devils will be able to secure a place in the top four even in the Premier League this campaign. Unfortunately, and perhaps arguably unfair, the Portuguese forward’s questionable influence has also been cited as a negative affecting attitudes in the dressing room as well as play on the pitch.
Nicolas Anelka, formerly of Arsenal and Chelsea and an outspoken self-proclaimed critic of Messi, opines that the duo didn’t exercise their best discretions and chose unwisely when they left their former roosts. And this despite Messi and Ronaldo having 12 Ballon d’Ors between them and with a combined age of 71 as they enter the twilight years of their fascinating sagas.
“This is what happens to players who want to play longer,” Anelka told RMC Sport . “Their careers are over and I think they must both be very happy with what they have achieved in the last 15 years. They were above the others and now it is normal for them to slow down.
“I was more surprised with Messi than with Ronaldo, I thought that Messi would turn around in France and Ronaldo would have more difficulties in England because, for me, the Premier League is the most demanding championship in the world.
“[They] were not intelligent. They should have thought of facing a less complicated challenge because you have to make the right decisions to finish at the top. There are players who don’t hesitate to finish at 32, 33, 34 so as not to be criticised. I stopped at 36, but at 32 I went to China.”
The latest script is that Messi is expected to remain at PSG beyond this season although there has been links to an MLS move before he retires.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, could have a slightly more complicated situation at United now that they have missed the top European competition boat. Not to mention that the club are looking to appoint a new permanent manager who will definitely be barging in bursting with his own ideas and expectations.
Gary Neville told Sky Sports :
“I’m unsure, it depends who the manager is and what the project is for the new manager. Does he want to build a young squad that’s athletic and progressive? Ronaldo can play in that – but if he wants to play every single week, which would seem to be the case, then it may be that the manager wants a fresh start.”
Credit: Football Tribe Malaysia
