This probably isn't the last Ronaldo vs. Messi El Clasico, but the end is near
Barcelona and Real Madrid have dominated the last seven years of world soccer. More accurately, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated them.
Ever since Ronaldo joined Real Madrid, pitting him against Messi in one of the world's most heated rivalries, the two have pushed each other and left no doubt as to whom the two best players on Earth are. It's been a personal rivalry as good as the one between the two teams, and it's become part of El Clasico lore.
Unfortunately, that rivalry appears set to come to an end. Age, animosity and changing clubs will force Ronaldo out of the Bernabeu and bring an end to what has been an incredible ride. But thankfully, that exit no longer appears to be in the cards for this summer, and Saturday's Clasico won't be the final time Ronaldo and Messi square off in the historic rivalry. It will only be one of the final few.
That this won't be the last time the two meet in El Clasico would probably surprise some people. In the winter, Ronaldo's time at Real Madrid seemed destined to end in the summer. Rafa Benitez was hired as the Merenagues' manager and clashed with Ronaldo before the season even started, the club was struggling and rumors of Ronaldo's exit were swirling. Ronaldo didn't do much to quiet them and openly talked with people at Paris Saint-Germain, not necessarily about a transfer, but making his affinity for the individuals at the club abundantly clear.
An exit may not have looked inevitable, but it certainly looked like a possibility. Sure, Ronaldo would be stupendously expensive, but PSG, Manchester United and a handful of other clubs could afford him if they were properly motivated, and there was ample motivation.
Now, all is well at the Bernabeu. Benitez was sacked and Zinedine Zidane was promoted. The Frenchman immediately made Ronaldo a focus, pouring praise on him, and Ronaldo reciprocated, gushing about Zidane's influence on the side. Real Madrid have also started winning. It is exactly the opposite of the winter.
Ronaldo is still 31 years old, though. His age is beginning to show, with his game more limited than ever before, if still brilliant. He cannot carry the weight of the club like he once did, instead bordering on human and simply being a great player, not a machine. Real Madrid don't look prepared to find a secondary role, or at least more support for Ronaldo, either. Instead, they will ride him as long as they can.
The two sides may be happy, for now, but in a year or two, they will separate. Real Madrid will recognize that his value is dropping and his contract is nearing the end, giving them one last chance to cash in. Ronaldo will see greener pastures, either in Paris or a return to Old Trafford. Even MLS, with the shining lights of Los Angeles or David Beckham and Miami Beach calling his name, could lure him away from the Bernabeu. But it will happen.
Ronaldo and Messi will always be linked. They defined a generation, competing for the title of World's Best Player without much competition. They've won the last eight Ballon d'Ors between them, and were first and second in voting in seven of those years. Every competition they entered became about them and they were ubiquitous, not just in the sport, or even sports, but the world.
It's impossible to ignore the role that their respective clubs had on their rises, either. Messi is Barcelona, born and bred. Ronaldo is Portuguese bred and made his way to Real Madrid by way of Manchester United, where he became a star, but the Bernabeu is where his legacy was made. It was there that Messi became his rival and he Messi's. Where Clasicos became three and four times yearly affairs, looked forward to by the rest of the world unlike the matches before them. Ratings records were set and records broken. Trophies rained down on them both, as did every accolade known to the sports.
With a rivalry like El Clasico, it's nearly impossible to steal headlines from the century-plus long battle between Real Madrid and Barcelona. That rivalry means so much and has such a history that it looms over everything. But Messi vs. Ronaldo became as big as Real Madrid vs. Barcelona. It was mesmerizing, and magnificent.
One day that battle will come to an end, but it won't be this Saturday. This will not be the last Ronaldo vs. Messi El Clasico. Thankfully, this battle will go on just a little while longer.
