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Let’s face it; Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo aren’t getting any younger. Lionel Andres Messi is 27 years old; it is hard to imagine him playing in the 2018 World Cup in Russia and maintaining the same speed as the young rising stars. Cristiano Ronaldo Dos Santos Avei is 29-years-old, and in the same manner as with Messi, it is also hard seeing Ronaldo in the 2018 World Cup for the same reason.
We must all prepare for when these two stars decide to hang up their shoes. Who can replace theses two icons in the soccer world? Some soccer players are between 25 and up and yet have a little bit of time to prove themselves. Unlike Messi and Ronaldo in that regard are James Rodriguez and Neymar, Jr. Both are 22 years old and can prove themselves the replacements the world of soccer might need when Ronaldo and Messi retire.
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James David Rodriguez: There is no doubt that this young rising star will be a great and talented soccer player that should easily earn the label of best player in the world. His FIFA World Cup play showed his talent, skills, and love for soccer.
James David Rodriguez Rubio was born on July 12, 1991, on Cucuta, Colombia. He currently plays for AS Monaco and the Colombian national team. He emerged from the Colombia U-20 national team, where he was captain during the 2011 Toulon Tournament-winning side; he then captained the U-20 Colombia national team during the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. His outstanding performance led him to be called onto the regular senior squad at the age of 20. He participated in the FIFA World Cup 2014 where he carried his nation all the way to the quarterfinal, where Colombia lost 2-1 against the host nation. He received the golden boot as a top goal scorer, scoring a total of 6 goals with at least one goal in each match.
James Rodriguez started playing for Porto in 2012 and was named the best player in the Portuguese Primera Liga. He received the Portuguese Golden Boot, the youngest player ever to receive the award. James moved from Porto to AS Monaco for a transfer fee of 45 million Euros (60,831,900 million dollars). He was the second-most-expensive Colombian player in history behind Radamel Falcon. James Rodriguez is already causing rumors of Real Madrid trying to capture the young star. If this indeed happens, then James can learn a lot from Cristiano Ronaldo. James’s game style is almost as similar to Ronaldo’s.
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Neymar Da Silva Santos Junior: Neymar is another player who has a passion for soccer. When he wears his national colors, we can see his passion as he cries during the national anthems. He gives it his all when he is out there trying to help his team win.
Neymar Da Silva Santos Junior was born on February 5, 1992, on Mogi Das Cruzes, Brazil. He currently plays for Barcelona in La Liga and on Brazil’s National Team as a forward. Neymar represented Brazil U-17, U-20, and senior squads. On August 10, 2010, at age 18, he made his debut for the Selecao in a friendly game against the US. He contributed to Brazil’s winning score of 2-0 by scoring a goal with a header at the 28th minute.
Neymar was the top scorer of the 2011 South America Youth Championship with nine goals and two more in the final, a 6-0 win against Uruguay, helping Brazil capture its 11th title in that competition.
Ex-coach Luiz Felipe Scolaris called Neymar to be part of the senior squad for the 2013 Confederations Cup on home soil. Neymar was assigned the iconic number 10 jersey*. Neymar would score his 2nd goal for Brazil on June 30 against Spain. He was awarded the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament with 32 goals in 52 matches for Brazil. He is the sixth highest goalscorer for his national team.
In 2003, Neymar would join the Club Santos, and after rising through the ranks, he was promoted to the first team squad. He debuted in 2009 with Santos. He was voted the best young player of 2009 Campeonato Paulista. Neymar signed a five-year deal with Barcelona on June 3rd, 2013. His style of play is almost similar to that of Ronaldinho.
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If James does sign with Real Madrid, we might see another clash of titans. The last time these two icons faced each other was in the 2014 World Cup when Colombia came up short against Brazil in a 2-1 match. James scored the only Colombian goal. Can these two icons live up to the expectations that the world has set for them?
- Iconic Number 10 is the number worn by the best players such as Pele, Maradona, and many other iconic players.
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Credit to Wikipedia