Gaizka mendieta, former FC midfielder Barcelona Y Valencia, among others, pointed to the Norwegian Erling Haaland and the French Kylian Mbappe, respectively from Borussia Dortmund and from PSG, like the successors of the best footballers on the planet in the last decade: Lionel Messi Y Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Certainly, they are,” said the Basque at a virtual press conference organized by LaLiga in Egypt, in which he showed his admiration for the Norwegian Haaland, 20 years old, and French Mbappe, 22, both coveted by the big clubs in Europe.
“These two are another example that when Ronaldo Y Messi stop playing there will be other talents for us, those of us who love football; There will always be new players appearing, ”said the 46-year-old ex-footballer.
After going to the quarterfinals of the Champions League of the Dortmund and from PSG, after great performances by Haaland Y Mbappe, both players are trading even higher, but Mendieta remember that this is not the only time they have run as the great European stars: “They have played well for many years”.
The Barcelona of Messi He was struck down by the PSG of Mbappe in the round of 16 of the Champions, while the dedication of Cristiano Ronaldo did not prevent Juventus Turin against Porto from leaving the tournament in the same phase, and on the same night that Haaland led to Dortmund against Sevilla in the next round.
For the first time in ten years, the Champions is orphaned of Messi Y CR7 in the second round, something that some point to as the beginning of the end of an entire footballing era.
But Mendieta, who also praised the young Catalans Ansu Fati Y Pedri, as well as the madridista Vinicius, is clear: “Replacing certain players is impossible.”