Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both opted for different locations to seemingly see out their playing days. So, how have the countries been impacted by the moves of two of the greatest footballers of all time.
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00:00 Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo successfully dominated European football for around 15
00:08 years.
00:09 They spent nine seasons in the prime of their careers, facing off regularly while playing
00:13 for rival clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid.
00:17 They are the only two players to score over 800 goals each in their careers for club and
00:21 country.
00:22 So, as the tides have changed on their careers with moves to the US and Saudi Arabia respectively,
00:29 how much of an impact have they had so far?
00:32 Controversially, I think it's actually been quite good moves now in hindsight.
00:36 I think everyone was gutted to see them leave Europe and go on to different adventures,
00:40 but they've had such a mark in Europe for so many years that they're just trying to
00:44 build their global fan base even more and they're making impacts and inspiring generations
00:48 of other countries that may not have as much talent.
00:52 The US, Saudi Arabia, they're not exactly countries you talk about with amazing players,
00:57 so maybe next generations can be inspired.
00:59 I think that's important.
01:00 There's so much to unpick from it all, more than just the football, I think really from
01:05 it.
01:06 I think that, I mean, if I'm totally honest, my first thought is, particularly with Messi,
01:11 I still think it's a bit of a shame that he's not playing in Europe at the very highest
01:15 level.
01:16 I think Messi in particular has still got a lot to offer.
01:18 You know, there's only a couple of, you know, it's only last year that we were talking about
01:21 him winning the World Cup and still being perhaps the greatest player on the planet.
01:25 To see him in America, I mean, to be honest, just to see how easy it is for him.
01:30 Since Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Saudi Arabia, the nation's grasp on football has tightened.
01:36 Following CR7 has been Neymar, Sadio Mane, Karim Benzema and Riyad Mahrez, to name a
01:42 few.
01:43 So did these players see Ronaldo laying the groundwork for these moves or was it just
01:47 the hundreds of millions on offer?
01:51 Ronaldo as well is not just inspiring next generations, but the current.
01:55 The players may be dwindling towards the end of their careers and even those towards the
01:58 start of making the move.
01:59 Some huge names so far and it will only continue, I think, going forward.
02:04 Also, the top scorer and top assister in Saudi football at the moment, Ronaldo, making such
02:08 an impact even at his age.
02:10 I think in terms of Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, I don't necessarily see it as players followed
02:15 him.
02:16 I mean, it's obviously a huge, you know, advertisement tool, I suppose, for Saudi Arabia, the fact
02:20 that he did come, you know, arguably the greatest player ever.
02:23 Certainly, I certainly think the most famous footballer on the planet in Ronaldo would
02:27 say that he managed to come and, you know, certainly he's not going to put players off,
02:32 but you know, I think players would have gone there regardless of Ronaldo's transfer and
02:36 just purely the amount of money they've been offered, to be brutally honest.
02:40 And obviously the Saudi Arabia plan is very multi-layered and there's a lot going on in
02:45 it.
02:46 But it didn't just end, it didn't just kind of start because Ronaldo coming, there was
02:50 a lot more to it than that.
02:53 Without doubt two of the greatest in the history of the game, with both making an incredible
02:58 impact on the countries they've moved to, both on and off the pitch.
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