Heirs To The Throne: Five players who could take over after Messi and Ronaldo

It has been ten long years since Kaka lifted the prestigious Ballon d'Or trophy in 2007. Since then it has been more of a personal duel between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Now, with both Ronaldo and Messi on the wrong side of 30 and approaching the twilight of their careers, it paves the way for Europe's next generation of superstars to take over the footballing world and shape up to be inheritors of the duopoly's crown.

2018 may have been Modric's year as the Croatian midfielder collected the FIFA Best Men's Player award and is tipped to be a contender for the 2018 Ballon d'Or. He may still be at his prime, but at 33, he definitely isn't the inheritor to the throne.

Both Ronaldo and Messi can play for as long as they like; Ronaldo's reinvention as a centre-forward has helped Real Madrid in capturing three consecutive Champions League titles, while Messi, who is two-and-a-half younger, is already drifting deeper, alluding to a more withdrawn role and creative role. There may be no other player in the current era who can bang in 50 goals a season on a regular basis.

'The Next Messi' or 'Ronaldo' is something that is impossible to escape and can be career destroying. We need to consider both Messi and Ronaldo as statistical outliers. They are extra-terrestrial who exist on a level beyond mere mortals. They are a once-in-a-generation occurrence and we are lucky to have witnessed the two of them at once.

As the level keeps getting better and better, it is highly possible that we are not going to see a player from the current generation dominate the game for ten years, let alone two players at once.

But when this duo chooses to extricate themselves from the game or when passed their primes, the players that come afterwards must be assessed. The next generation of players shouldn't be targeting the records set by these freaks. Instead, the focus should be on being the best player they can be.

Here are the five potential heirs to the Messi-Ronaldo throne:

5. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid, 27)

Atletico Madrid forward and World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann is one of the deadliest finishers in world football. In addition to his ability to score and create goals, he is also known for his immense work rate and positional sense.

He was ranked third in the 2016 Ballon d'Or awards after guiding Atletico to the finals of the Champions League and being voted the Player of the Tournament in UEFA Euro 2016, where France were beaten by Ronaldo's Portugal in the final.

2018 has been a promising year for Griezmann after winning the UEFA Europa League and the World Cup, where he was voted as the Man of the Match in both the finals. After signing a new deal with Atletico and rejecting a chance to play with Messi at Barcelona, Griezmann will be instrumental in guiding Atletico to their first ever Champions League title and cementing his place as the best player in the world.

4. Paulo Dybala (Juventus, 24)

Nicknamed 'La Joya' (The Jewel), Dybala is known for his dribbling skills, balance and close control. Widely considered to be a highly talented prospect in world football, Dybala possesses all the skills to be the best in the world.

Considered by many Argentines as the natural heir to Messi, Dybala's Argentina debut turned into a nightmare after he was shown a straight red card (reminds you of someone, doesn't it? ). With a debut similar to Messi's, Argentina will be hoping Dybala will be able to replicate Messi-like performances on the pitch.

Dybala is the only player today to play with both Messi and Ronaldo, so learning from the best may do him a world of good, and at 24, he still has a lot of room for improvement.

3. Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain, 19)

Mbappe came into prominence at an early age, starring for the youth academy at Bondy before gaining a move to Monaco, where he made his professional debut at 16. He transferred to PSG and became the world's second-most expensive player.

Already a World Cup winner, Mbappé became the second teenager, after Pelé, to score in a World Cup Final and received the Best Young Player Award for his performances.

He is gifted with outstanding pace and close ball control when dribbling at speed. At 19, he has a long way to go, and could be tagged as the world's best, if he could continue his rapid growth.

2. Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior ( Paris Saint-Germain, 26)

Neymar, who became the most expensive player in history when he left Barcelona to join PSG, is the obvious answer given when asked who is the best player in the world after Messi and Ronaldo. The Brazilian has been named as the third best player in the world twice, in 2015 and 2017.

The real reason why Neymar left Barca for PSG was to step away from Messi's shadow as he believes it is time to stand alone. He wanted to be the focal point of the team rather than adapting to others around him.

With Mbappé by his side, he will fancy his chances of lifting the Champions League title with PSG for the first time. He has learned from the best at Barca and now it is his time to shine. It may have not been a smooth first season as PSG exited in the Round of 16 and Neymar suffered serious injury problems. But this season Neymar looks rejuvenated and hungry for success.

1.Eden Hazard (Chelsea, 27)

Based on current form, he may be the best player in the world right now. But consistency is what separates Messi and Ronaldo from the rest of the pack. Hazard has never crossed the 20 goal mark since his move to Chelsea, mostly playing under defensive minded managers.

His career is waiting to hit a new level, and with Maurizio Sarri's expressive style of football, Sarri may just be the man to get him there. After an impressive World Cup and six goals in seven Premier League games, this season may finally be the season where Hazard steps up and plays to his full potential.

A former Player of the Year, Hazard isn't a stranger to individual awards, but to hit the goal scoring heights of Messi and Ronaldo, a change in management may have just been the spark Hazard needed.