We are entering a new, fragmented, post Messi vs Cristiano age

There was a time, back at the dawn of the 2000s, when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were just two young prospects in the academies of FC Barcelona and Sporting CP. Football was so different from what we experience today.

Football icons thrived in every country, league, and city: Beckham and Gerrard in the UK; Pirlo, Del Piero, Maldini, and Totti in Italy; Raúl in Spain and Figo in Portugal; Riquelme in Argentina, Zidane in France, Ballack in Germany; Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kakà in Brazil. They exuded what we now call “aura”. Everything in football marketing revolved around them. Remember those Nike commercials?

The rivalry that changed football

Then, for the first time in history, a 15-years-long dualism reshaped football fandom forever.

Everything became about Messi vs. Cristiano. Every discussion revolved around these two. The Champions League was defined by Messi vs. Cristiano. The Ballon d’Or turned into a Messi vs. Cristiano showdown. Even the Copa América and the Euros felt like distant battlegrounds for their rivalry. At the height of this era, choosing Messi or Cristiano became more than just a preference—it became an identity, a personality trait. Messi represented art, poetry, and natural talent; Cristiano embodied hard work, discipline, and self-determination. Even football brands were drawn into the rivalry. The Nike vs. adidas dualism reached its peak, leaving little room for challengers.

In this context, it was nearly impossible for other football players to establish themselves as global icons and build a devoted fandom. Only a select few managed to carve out their own space—Zlatan Ibrahimović and Karim Benzema being prime examples. Others, like Mohamed Salah, Neymar, and Heung-Min Son, owe their prominence partly to geographical and cultural factors.

What comes next?

For years, we wondered what football would look like after Messi and Cristiano—much like the world pondered its future after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And when it finally fell, no one had the answer. New political players emerged, and fragmentation took over. The same is happening now in football.

At one point, we were so accustomed to dualisms that it seemed obvious: after Messi and Cristiano, it would be Kylian Mbappé vs. Erling Haaland. But recent World Cups, Euros, Champions Leagues, and Ballon d’Ors have told a different story. It’s not that they’re not ready—it’s simply that it won’t be just Mbappé vs. Haaland.

In this context, Gen Z has created a new wave of idols, each seeking to establish a strong identity—much like the era before Messi and Cristiano. However, these players have tools that legends like Ronaldinho and his peers never had. Social networks, which didn’t exist before Messi and Cristiano, have become integral to this new generation of ballers. They’ve grown up with these platforms and know exactly how to use them to connect with their fans and attract new ones.

This is the era of Mbappé and Haaland, Vinícius Jr. and Lamine Yamal, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, Rafael Leão, and many more rising stars. Brands have recognized this shift, capitalized on it, and are releasing signature shoes and collections like never before.

For the first time in years, Nike and adidas face serious competition. With more than two dominant fandoms, there’s room for challengers to make their mark—brands that can identify the right player at the right moment. New Balance’s partnership with Endrick is a perfect example of this new landscape.

Moreover, the connection between fans and players goes far beyond the pitch. In the age of social sharing, footballers can showcase their passions and build characters that not only thrive on the field but extend beyond the game.

For example, players are launching their own documentaries, like Jude Bellingham; pursuing parallel careers in music, like Rafael Leão; advocating for the empowerment and emancipation of their communities, like Vinícius Jr.; or even patenting their meme-worthy celebrations as a trademark, like “Cold” Palmer.

After a few years of transition, here we are, ready to step into a new football era, and 2025 is the year that, symbolically, marks the beginning. No more tidy dualisms, just a wonderful, fragmented chaos.

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