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In a recent interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Cristiano Ronaldo suggested that Lionel Messi should come and join him in Italy.
After a sensational move to Juventus from Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo has not taken much time to adjust with his new teammates in Turin. Italy can already feel the 'Cristiano Ronaldo effect' as Juventus are already unbeaten at the top of the Serie A table.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has already managed to break half a dozen records as he has scored 10 goals and provided 5 assists in the Serie A. Real Madrid have certainly missed Cristiano, as he was their main talisman for almost a decade.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi is currently the top scorer of LaLiga with 11 goals and 8 assists. It is safe to say that both Cristiano and Messi are still football's finest despite being in their 30s, as they have started 2018-19 in their usual majestic manner.
When asked whether he misses the Argentine, Cristiano responded,
"Maybe I miss him a little. I have played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal, with the national team, while he has stayed in Spain. Maybe, he needs me more"
"For me, life is a challenge, I like it and I like to make it happy. I would like him to come to Italy one day. Do what I did, accept the challenge. However, if he is happy there, I respect that.", Cristiano added.
Although it is highly improbable that Leo Messi leaves Barcelona and joins an Italian club, lets look at four things which will happen if this goes through in the future.
#1 The continuation of a historic rivalry
Over the past decade and more, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have gifted us with memorable moments in football. Their breathtaking displays of unforgettable skills to render their opponents useless will always be cherished, and every fan should be grateful for witnessing such a historic rivalry.
They took their rivalry up a notch when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid after already facing Messi and Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United. The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was on a different level with these two superstars on their respective teams.
But as Cristiano switched to Juventus this summer, there are less individual competitors both in Serie A and LaLiga. Although they can meet in the Champions League, Messi joining the Serie A would spice up their historic rivalry.
#2 Enhancing Italian football and the Serie A brand
Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival has already had a mammoth effect on Serie A and Italy. Italians were always crazy about football, but the buzz remains heightened this season. There is no doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival at Juventus is changing the landscape of Italian football.
Serie A was at it's best during the 90s. It was arguably the toughest league back then as most greats like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, Paulo Maldini, and a plethora of legends featured in the Serie A. With the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, Serie A's brand benefited a lot evidently.
Although Lionel Messi playing for an Italian club is a pipe dream, and impossible at this moment, his arrival could take the league to it's past glory, and take the brand to a whole new level.
Undoubtedly, the impact of both these global superstars featuring in Italy will have an unprecedented impact on world football.
#3 A challenge for Juventus or a fantasy of football fans fulfilled
Cristiano Ronaldo has repeated a few times that he went to Italy seeking a new challenge, justifying his move to Juventus from Real Madrid. It is surely tough for a 33 year old to seek a new challenge, moving to a new club and settling in new surroundings with new teammates.
Despite the compelling nature of Serie A, Juventus were crowned the Italian champions 7 times before Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival. Serie A last had a different winner when it was won by AC Milan in 2010-11, and Juventus have won it for a record 7 times consecutively since then.
Lionel Messi's arrival in Italy for any club other than Juventus will make the title race more spicy and challenging for Juventus, but the long term fantasy of football fans around the world to see both Messi and Ronaldo in the same team will be fulfilled if Juventus get their hands on Messi.
#4 Downfall of Barcelona
Evidently, for more than a decade, Lionel Messi has had a massive impact on his club. His unprecedented numbers at Barcelona speaks for itself, and there is no doubt that Barcelona has enjoyed huge success both in Spain and Europe due to Lionel Messi.
Even after the departures of Pep Guardiola, Xavi, Iniesta, and David Villa, Messi continues to have a huge impact on Barcelona. Messi manages to pull Barcelona through even when they are down, and to call Lionel Messi an integral piece of Barcelona will be an understatement.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a similar impact with Real Madrid for almost a decade. His arrival helped Real Madrid meet their ambitions and enjoy success for the last few years, and it is clear this season that they miss the greatest goalscorer in Los Blancos' rich history.
Similarly, Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona would be a testing time, and could herald a slump in their performances. A move away is pure fantasy, but who can predict the future?
