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Football fans are in agreement that we've just witnessed one of the most entertaining and exciting summer transfer windows of all time. What were the odds that we'd see Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo change clubs in the same summer? But both of them did, and so did several other high-profile players.
As a result of all the activity that transpired in the summer, we have been gifted with some dream player unions and reunions. For example, it was almost impossible to picture Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos in the same team together up until this summer.
The two players have been at each other's necks over the years whilst playing for arch-rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona. It's great to see both players don the same colour shirt and indulge in camaraderie.
But who are those players who have now once again joined hands with a former teammate? Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best player reunions this summer.
#5 Antoine Griezmann and Koke (Atletico Madrid)
Well, picking out a single player for Antoine Griezmann is indeed a bit unfair. He has only returned to his old club after spending two seasons at Barcelona. The jury is still out on whether or not Griezmann was a good signing for the Catalans but it doesn't really matter anymore.
Griezmann became a global superstar during his five-year stint between 2014 and 2019 at Atletico Madrid. Koke shared the pitch with the Frenchman throughout the latter's time at the club and the duo have won several trophies together.
They have won the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Supercopa de Espana in addition to reaching the Champions League final in the 2015-16 season. Griezmann will be happy to be among familiar faces again and this is a reunion, the evolution of which we're keen to observe.
#4 Romelu Lukaku and Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
While Romelu Lukaku was enduring his entirely forgettable first stint at Chelsea between 2011 and 2014, Cesar Azpilicueta had just joined the senior side in 2012. But Lukaku was sent out on loan to West Bromwich Albion and Everton in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons respectively.
In fact, they were on the bench together for the UEFA Super Cup match against Bayern Munich in 2013 before Lukaku was shipped out to Everton on loan. The duo have kept in touch through the years. Azpilicueta had this to say about his returning teammate (via Tribuna):
“Romelu’s a completely different player now. He has learned from bad experiences and has gained maturity over the years.
“When he was at Chelsea the first time you have to take into consideration that it was a very strong group of characters and he was very young, so it wasn’t easy for him.
“But right from the beginning we had a great relationship and even though he left Chelsea many years ago, we have always been in contact - when he was at Everton, when he was with Manchester United and in Italy.
“He has had to work his way to the top with a few loans to other teams, a couple of moves in the Premier League and then a transfer to Italy to prove his worth.
Lukaku is back at Stamford Bridge and has got his second stint at the club off to a flying start. He has scored four goals in four appearances across the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League so far. Azpilicueta is a fixture in Chelsea's backline, which is one of the strongest in all of Europe.
#3 Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain)
Paris Saint-Germain made quite a few high-profile free transfers this summer. Sergio Ramos' arrival from Real Madrid was prominent among them. The Parisiens went into the summer transfer window with strengthening at right-back being one of their priorities.
They secured the services of Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan for a sum of €60 million. The Moroccan international had joined Real Madrid in 2017 and spent a season playing deputy to Dani Carvajal before being shipped out on loan to Dortmund.
After spending two seasons on loan at Dortmund, Hakimi joined Inter Milan on a permanent deal in 2020. He turned in many impressive performances in the Nerazzurri's triumphant 2020-21 Serie A campaign.
Hakimi didn't feature extensively in the 2017-18 season for Real Madrid. But he still won the Champions League, the Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and the Super Cup with Real Madrid. He has now been reunited with his former captain Sergio Ramos at Paris Saint-Germain.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane have won four Champions League titles together. But theirs is the most accidental reunion of the summer. Manchester United secured the signing of Raphael Varane in a bid to shore up their defence.
Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't even known to be available up until the final two weeks of the transfer window. Manchester United then moved swiftly to facilitate the club legend's return. So they've ended up with two serial winners who have nothing but respect and admiration for each other.
When Ronaldo left Real Madrid to join Juventus in 2018, Varane stayed at the Santiago Bernabeu. Now after a break of three seasons, they are playing together once again.
The pair have won two La Liga titles, four Champions League titles, one Copa Del Rey, two Supercopa De Espanas, four Club World Cups and three UEFA Super Cups together.
#1 Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi and Neymar, alongside Luis Suarez, mesmerized the world with their footballing brilliance when the trio played together at Barcelona. The MSN, as they were known, is arguably the most dominant attacking trio in modern football.
Messi and Neymar Jr. shared a telepathic connection on the football field. When two world-class players share that kind of an understanding, it often leads to magic. That's what they created together until Neymar left to join PSG in 2017.
But whenever a potential reunion between the two was touted, the argument was that it might take place at Barcelona.
Thanks to Barcelona's financial woes, not only could they sign Neymar, they had to let go of Lionel Messi. One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. PSG swooped in to sign Messi and he has now joined Mbappe and Neymar in what looks like the most potent attacking trio in the world, at least on paper.
