What if: Neymar signed for Real Madrid and Gareth Bale signed for Barcelona

LISBON, PORTUGAL - MAY 24:  Gareth Bale of Real Madrid celebrates scoring their second goal in extra time during the UEFA Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid at Estadio da Luz on May 24, 2014 in Lisbon, Portugal.  (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Gareth Bale celebrates his winner in the Final

#2 Intense Rivalry between Argentina and Brazil

BELO HORIZONTE, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 10: Neymar #10 of Brazil and Messi #10 of Argentina battle for the ball during a match between Brazil and Argentina as part 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifier at Mineirao stadium on November 10, 2016 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. (Photo by Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)
Team mates at Barcelona, rivals in South America

While we haven’t seen the most intense games between Brazil and Argentina in the past decade, the two South Americans giants have always been fierce rivals on the football field. Their rivalry stems from the rapid growth of football in South America and the rise of political tensions between the two nations.

However, in the past decade, the big players of Brazil and Argentina have played football in the same clubs. Lionel Messi shared the dressing room with Ronaldinho who was one of Brazil’s most important players while Mascherano, who is arguably the second most influential figure in the Argentina dressing room after Leo, has been teammates with Dani Alves, Neymar, Adriano and Rafinha.

Had Neymar joined Real Madrid, the tensions between Barcelona and Real Madrid could have led to tensions between their players which would have been transferred to the national team.

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