What's the story?
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have ruled the rooster for close to a decade now with every individual award being won by these two since 2008. There will come a time when their domination will end and a new set of players will take charge as the frontrunners in world football.
Paul Pogba, who is considered as a future Best player of the Year award winner, if he lives up to the expectations, gave a list of four players who he thinks can break the Messi-Ronaldo monopoly.
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Pogba, in an interview with the football's governing body, said, "Eden Hazard, Neymar, Luis Suarez are doing so well and scoring goals, these are great players who if they keep scoring can do that. We have Zlatan at Manchester United. Even he could do it."
In case you didn't know...
Messi, Ronaldo and Atletico Madrid talisman, Antoine Griezmann are the three players nominated for the inaugural FIFA Best Player of the Year award which is set to be hosted tomorrow in Zurich. The Argentine maestro was the highest goal scorer of 2016 with 51 goals whereas Ronaldo won the Champions League with Real Madrid and the Euros with his national side, Portugal.
Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo in 2016: A comprehensive review
Meanwhile, Griezmann helped his side to two finals but ended up on the losing side on both the occasions.
The heart of the matter
Despite the dominance of the two mentioned players, Pogba was hopeful in his interview that some player will break their monopoly soon. Kaka was the last player apart from these two who won the Ballon d’Or in 2007. The players that the most expensive signing in the world mentioned are some of the best in their respective sides and can challenge Messi and Ronaldo in 2017.
Pogba also heaped praises on his 35-year-old teammate, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and also said that the Swede has all the qualities in his armour to continue at this level for the next 10 years. Ibrahimovic has scored 18 goals this season and is United's top scorer at the moment. He finished 2016 with 50 goals, just one behind Lionel Messi.
What next?
The individual gong presented by FIFA tomorrow will further strengthen the duo's might in football but the other players can be hopeful as their careers have been sensational so far, and both Messi and Ronaldo will see their performance dip in the coming years which will provide an opportunity to the other world class players.
Also Read: The Best FIFA Football Awards 2016: All you need to know
Sportskeeda's take
The four players mentioned by Pogba to end Messi-Ronaldo dominance in the Best player of the Year awards are spot on. Hazard and Neymar are flamboyant players while Ibrahimovic and Suarez are proven goal scorers. Add Paulo Dybala to this list and the battle for individual supremacy will be interesting in the future if Messi or Ronaldo let loose their grip on these individual awards.
