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Former Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov has listed Neymar Jr., Kylian Mbappe, and Mason Greenwood as the three players who could emulate Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Bulgarian was all praise for the sensational duo, who have defied the boundaries of the game for the past 15 years or so. Both Messi and Ronaldo have achieved the unthinkable for their respective clubs, and continue to hit over 25 goals every season despite age not being on their side.
Even then, there's a feeling that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are far off their otherworldly standards that they have set over the years. While there's an apparent deterioration in their all-round game, the injuries that come with age also seem to be catching up.
Also read: Ballon d'Or 2020: Robin van Persie omits Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo from his top three
"Need to treasure Messi and Ronaldo" - Berbatov
More so, both of them are well into the twilight years of their illustrious careers. A host of young players and breakthrough stars have been backed to follow their footsteps, although no one really has managed to attain those levels of brilliance on a consistent basis.
Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Neymar are two such names who have repeatedly been used when it comes to breaking the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly.
Berbatov tipped them to mirror Messi and Ronaldo's success, while stating that it is important to 'treasure' the latter duo for as long as they weave their magic.
Speaking about his former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, Berbatov said:
"No one can say Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't been amazing in Italy, especially considering his age. He's 35 now, oh my God, most players have dropped a level by now, what he's still doing is unbelievable."
Explaining the significance of both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he further continued:
"He takes care of himself very well, probably better than he ever has, because at that age you need to work harder to stay in good shape. Messi and Ronaldo, we need to treasure them, because when it's over, it's over. They have been more than special."
Besides Mbappe and Neymar of course, Berbatov named young Mason Greenwood as a challenger to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"We have Neymar, Mbappe, Greenwood, and other young players that can hopefully reach the highs of Ronaldo and Messi, as unbelievable as that may seem."
While Neymar is technically one of the best around at present, Mbappe has already mustered over 100 goals in his club career at the tender age of 21.
On the other hand, EPL wonderkid Greenwood has drawn plaudits for his remarkable striking abilities. The youngster has taken to the top-tier of English football like a duck to water, scoring goals for Manchester United on a consistent basis.
Greenwood can dribble, cut inside, cross, play across the front-line, and most notably, hit the ball sweetly with both feet. The 18-year-old has 16 goals in all competitions for Manchester United, and only seems to be getting better with the added pressure.
There's a long way to go before Greenwood and Mbappe reach the numbers achieved by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but we would not dare to write them off just yet.
