The Future of Football - Paulo Dybala vs Marco Asensio.

For the last 10 years the top table of world football has been dominated by two men. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Never before have we seen the title of world player of the year been so predictable as to who will be competing come January. But what will happen when these two icons of the world game take a step back? What will happen when the Argentine forward Messi steps back into a deeper laying number 10 role, allowing for someone else to steal all the headlines? What will happen when the goals dry up for Cristiano? When the lung busting runs and climbing headers become a rarity and not just another Sunday for the Portuguese national captain. Well here are two names you will have heard before, Paulo Dybala and Marco Asensio. Dybala being compared to his fellow Argentine international Lionel Messi, and Asension to his fellow galactico Cristiano Ronaldo. The next big rivalry in world football is ready and waiting, lets take a closer look.

So first of all, with Paulo Dybala. The Juventus number 10 has openly stated on several occasions that be has no interest in becoming the 'Next Lionel Messi' that he would rather be the 'First Paulo Dybala' and that is a highly commendable attitude from the 23 year old. Many young players have taken the praise heaped upon then and ran themselves into a wall with it, the names Mario Balotelli and Ricardo Quaresma instantly come to mind, however Dybala seems to be handling it perfectly, getting his head down and playing football. Despite Paulo's insistence NOT to be compared to Messi, it is clear to see where to comparisons have been drawn from. Dybala is one of the most naturally talented players in world football today, his ability on the ball and technique very closely resembles that of a young Lionel Messi. The speed at which Dybala can dribble with the ball is a defenders worst nightmare, and to cap it all off his average of a goal every other game in his Juve career so far demonstrates the eye for goal the forward possess. The attributes have earned Dybala the nickname 'La Joya' translated from Spanish meaning ' the jewel'. During his first professional season at the age of 17, Dybala went on to break four long standing Argentine football records. Firstly, scoring his first goal for boyhood club Instituto, making him the youngest goal scorer in the leagues history, he followed this up scoring in 6 consecutive league games, beating the previous record by 2. And to cap off the season, he became the first player to score two hat-tricks in the league, as well as the first to compete in 38 consecutive league matches in the country. So a young Argentine footballer breaking records left right and centre. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Only one year later Dybala was on his way to Europe, to Italian side Palmero where he continued to grow and shine. In his third season in Italy we saw the first examples of the player Dybala has grown into today, scoring 13 league goals and providing 10 assists, making his one of the most influential players in the league that season. Much like his time with Instituo, this breakthrough season saw the youngster moving on to bigger things, namely a £32 million move to Juventus, where he was given the famous 21 jersey. Playing as Juve's main attacking threat Dybala ended his first season as the clubs top scorer, registering 23 goals. Only Italian great Roberto Bagio held a greater goals/games ratio in his debut season, as the Argentinian fired his new club to the Scudetto. The success just kept coming for Dybala, in his second season with Juventus he knocked in another 19 goals, even more impressive when you consider he was now playing the position of a second striker behind new signing Higuain. As well as winning his second Italian league title, Dybala helped the Old Lady to the Champions League final against Real Madrid, where they came up short. That brings us to the current campaign, and what else do I need to say other then 10 league goals in 6 games, and two hat- tricks already. The pressure was heavily on the Italian champions this time around after their failure in the Champions League final and Dybala has taken that pressure and dealt with it with match winning performances. ON the day of writing this the news is filled with a rumoured £155 million offer being weighed up by Manchester United for the Argentinian star. Whether these rumours are factual or not is yet to be seen, but how little surprise this news has earned from the footballing world shows just how big a deal the man is. I don't think I'm being over dramatic when I say I can see Dybala being named the worlds best player sooner rather then later, his talent is just undeniable and if he continues this season the way he has began it I think it could be even sooner then we could ever have imagined. I am however going to end this with another cheap comparison to Lionel Messi. Paulo was sent off in his FIRST EVER start for Argentina. As I'm sure you're aware Messi saw red in his first ever game for his country, another cheap comparison as I said but it takes great strength to come back from such a knock down and to go on and flourish. Lio has undoubtedly gone way above all expectations, and after the start to his career has been so fruitful, I think it's safe to say we can expect the same from Juventus' new number 10.

Now onto a newer sensation, the Spanish midfielder who is being treated as the answer to the question, what will Real Madrid do without Cristiano Ronaldo? Marco Asensio. Now unlike Dybala, we don't have a handful of seasons at the highest level to go off of, with Asensio we simply have ability. In Asensio's first 37 league games in the top flight of Spanish football the midfielder only managed 4 league goals, which is by no means an impressive feat. But by just looking at the stats you're missing the point with this player. While still at youth level, both Barcelona and Real Madrid wanted to get their hands on Asensio, but the Spaniard spent his first professional season with Mallorca. As the season drew to a close Asensio truly found his form, scoring all 4 of  the league goals he managed in his first season within the same month, ending the campaign as the hottest property in Spanish football. And in November of 2014 Real Madrid got their man, before loaning him back to his boyhood club for the remainder of the season. During this same time frame Madrid's newest signing was representing Spain at under 18's level, scoring 8 goals in 12 games, showing just how big of a talent he could be! Before the end of the 2014-2015 season Asensio was called up to the under 21 squad, continuing to shine, and currently Marco has 8 goals in 17 games at that level. In the following summer Asensio was loaned to Espanyol, Catalan rivals of Barcelona, where he continued to improve, ending the campaign with 12 assists as the Real Madrid man looked to bet set for a number 10 role. At this point however the Spanish midfielder was growing frustrated by his career with Real Madrid, almost two years after signing he was yet to make his professional debut and rumours of a move away from the Spanish capital saw the managers hand forced and Asensio was in the side, which could turn out to be the best decision Zidane has made in his time in charge of Los Blancos.

The brightest star in Spanish football couldn't have started his Real Madrid career any better, scoring on his competitive debut for the club. A quite brilliant 25 yard strike against Sevilla in the Spanish super cup, a game that went all the way to penalties. And just 12 days later Asensio made his first league start for the club, and again found himself on the score sheet. After his fast starts however Asensio's appearances were limited to substitute appearances, which again drew frustration from the midfielder, reports came from the Madrid camp that Marco's representatives had informed management that if they did not intend to play Asensio then he would be forced to play his football elsewhere. The Champions League however is where the teenager was able to really show his class, scoring four goals during Real Madrid's campaign, including the fourth in the final, securing Madrid's 12th European Cup. As the 2017/2018 season got under way the indication was that whenever Cristiano Ronaldo did not play, Asensio would slot into his position out wide, with Ronaldo growing older and his game time appearing to be on the decline, this new role was seen as a great opportunity for the midfidler, a new role for the Spaniard but one he settled into almost instantly. During the Spanish super cup first leg against Barcelona, Asensio fired in a bullet of a strike from the wide left position, and just four days later he did it again. In the second leg, in the first game of the season in the Bernabeau, a quite remarkable strike cutting in from the right this time left Barcelona's Ter Stagen stranded as Asensio filled in for the suspended Ronaldo. Also in the summer just gone, whilst representing the Spanish under 21's Asensio scoring a hat-trick on match day one, leading his side to the final where they were eventually beaten by Germany, but another showing on the world stage for the youngster who's stock has been growing and growing. It's really been since the 2017 Champions League final where the world has stood back and realised just how much potential this man has. Good on both feet, technically brilliant, able to produce that one bit of magic to change the game. With an eye for goal and a role playing as the Madrista's number 7's understudy, Asensio really is learning from the best.

Right here what we have is, I feel, the next generation of Balon D'or winners. Much Like Ronaldo was making headlines before Messi, I feel like it could only be a matter of time before Dybala is seen as an elite level, top five in the world footballer. But as soon as that happens, expect Asensio to show that he belongs at that top table, and just like that a battle is on to be the worlds best. Now of course these aren't the two only names who could replace Messi and Ronaldo at the top, the likes of Neymar, Garath Bale, Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe and many many others all have a claim to the throne. But right here, like I said, I feel is the next generation. Much like we've seen two men dominate the top table of football for the last decade, I expect these two to do it for the next. Paulo Dybala and Marco Asensio. Watch this space.

Boca Juniors vs River Plate - The Superclásico

The South American's will always be synonymous with football, from Columbia to Argentina, the people of the continent eat, sleep and breathe the sport. With footballing greats such as Pele and Diego Maradona going down in history and current stars Lionel Messi and Neymar setting the world alight, South America has produced some of the worlds finest. Brazil vs Argentina is one of the oldest, and greatest rivalries in international football, with the first meeting of the giants taking place over one hundred years ago, in September 1914 in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires, with Argentina coming away with a 3-0 win. However within Buenos Aires, an even older and arguably greater match takes place. Making it's first appearance in 1913, the Superclásico is a football match which draws passion unlike any other. In 2004, The Observer ranked the derby between Boca Juniors and River Plate as number one in their list of '50 sporting things you must do before you die.' And was also quoted in saying that, 'Derby day in Buenos Aires makes the Old Firm game look like a primary school kick-about.' The people at the Guardian aren't alone with their valuation of the match, with FourFourTwo magazine considering it as the 'biggest sporting derby in the world' and also The Daily Telegraph refered to the Superclásico as the 'biggest club rivalry in world football.' The Superclásico doesn't get the attention is deserves, with the passion shown by each set of supporters as well as by the players privileged to take part, The Superclásico is simply a unique game of football and one which should achieve the same level of media attention as El Clasico in Spain.

After 362 meetings, 132 wins for Boca,116 for River and 115 draws, the match has become famous for an incredible intensity and atmosphere, one which no single game on the planet can equal. The foundations of the fixtures in the people of the Argentine capital, with Boca Juniors being seen as a club for the 'working class' whereas River Plate became known by the nickname 'Los Millionarios' with a fan base made up of supposedly upper class members of the city. With the fans being a major part of the rivalry right from it's beginnings, it is only right that in the current fixtures the fans also have a part to play. They really don't disappoint! A sea of colouful flowing banners, screams and roars, chanting, dancing and never ending fireworks. This is how the BBC described the fans interaction within The Superclásico, and it truly is a sight to behold. With chants being used as arsenal by both sets of fans, sang with intensity rarely seen on European soil, the stadiums hosting this historic fixture are known to bounce during the 90 minutes. Boca fans have labelled River 'las gallinas' (the chickens) for choking when it comes to the big game. River fans have subsequently labelled Boca 'los bosteros' (the pieces of sh*t). However a match which exudes such passion from the fans doesn't come without the ugly side of a derby. Both on and off the pitch, violence comes hand in hand with the The Superclásico, a factor of the derby which most would like forgotten, but will likely never subside.

Something pretty substantial must take place for a country to, quite simply, stop. And that is exactly what happens on the day of  River vs Boca, with an incredible 70% of Argentina supporting either River or Boca, a statistic which simply explains the enormity of derby day in Buenos Aires. The passion from the fans is easily translated onto the pitch and into the players, causing many incidents that have became infamous within the history of The Superclásico. Carlos Tevez, the former Manchester City and United man is never far from controversy. So when the life long Boca fan scored against River Plate, he took his chance to rub it in the nose of the opposing fans, by performing a chicken dance when celebrating his strike, infuriating the River supporters. Tevez was immediately awarded a red card for 'inciting violence between the fans' and in his post match interview the Argentinian admitted that the passion got the better of him. River aren't simply the victims of acts of stupidity from the players during The Superclásico. In 2011, Matias Almeyda was charged with assault and, like Tevez, inciting violence when he celebrated a win for River by kissing the club's badge in view of the furious Boca supports. These incidents will forever be a part of what makes this historic fixture great.

Sadly however tragedy has struck this fixture in the past, and in 1968, the tragedy of 'gate 12' struck a cord within the game that suddenly made the world loudest rivalry fall silent. Sunday 29th June 1968 was the 89th league meeting between the two biggest sides in Argentina, and as the clock ticked closer to a goalless draw which resulted in neither side being crowned champions the fans became increasingly anxious, Boca fans in particular. At full time the travelling fans made their way down to gate 12, which had been closed earlier in the day. Despite this the fans poured down the steep, narrow hallway which caused many fans to fall to the bottom. Unknowing to the fans who continued to make their way down, many supporters where crushed underneath the boots of their fellow fans which resulted in 71 deaths and another 150 injuries. The death count was already shocking, and then a later investigation showed the average age of the deaths was 19 years old and to this day, no one has been held accountable for this tragic event. Accounts of the event vary from person to person, starting with some suggesting Boca fans had thrown burning River Plate flags into a section of the home support which caused a stampede in the lower tiers. A separate account has stated that it was the River fans at fault, with a group of them entering the Boca Juniors section, creating violence and a rush to the exits by the fans which leads to the deaths. These accounts point the finger at the fans, with others stating that the closure of gate 12 by the stadium officials made exiting the over crowded stadium close to impossible. This tragedy has drawn contrasts to the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, and drew a similar media outcry for the truth, but to this day, the details of the event have never been confirmed.

The Superclásico. A fixture which never quite gets the attention it deserves. Truly unique, the passion and fire from the pitch to the stands during the 90 minutes is a sight to behold, and one I would push any true football fans to experience themselves if given the opportunity. August 23rd 1913, the first derby day in Buenos Aires, the debut of one of the greatest fixtures in club football, and one which will hopefully never meet its end.

Brazil - Whats next for the five time champions of the world?

Football may have been invented in England, but it was given a soul on the sunny shores of Brazil. The Brazilian people changed the way everyone on the planet looks at the beautiful game, and it developed into the most successful national side in the world. 1958, 1962,1970,1994 and 2002, these dates are the five times Canarinho 'the little canary' have been crowned world champions, more then any other side in history. From Pele to Ronaldo, from Zico to Ronaldinho, from Garincha to Rivaldo, from Carlos Alberto to Cafu, the five time world champions have always produced some of the very best the world of football can offer, which has lead to the unmatched success the Brazilians have had over the years. The team from 1970, lead by the genius Pele, is seen as perhaps the best football team in history, club or national side, considering the time period and how much the game has developed since those years, the fact the side is still seen in the same light today only begins to explain how far ahead of their time the national team was. The selecao is also the most successful national team in the FIFA confederations cup, with four titles, 1997, 2005, 2009 and 2013. They are also the holders of the current title. Brazil have won a total of 62 official international titles from professional to grassroots level, which is an unparalleled world record. 

However, since their last title in 2002, the worlds most successful side seems to have struggled on the world stage, which includes being humbled on their own turf by Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals, losing 7-1, the biggest defeat in Brazil's history.
So the question is... what's next for the five time champions of the world? Will we see a Brazilian resurrection, or will the most successful side on the planet plummet into almost insignificance on the big stage.


Heading into last summers World Cup, the hosts Brazil where strong favorites to end their drought on home soil. And despite mainly average performances, they topped their group and overcame Chile in the second round on penalties. The home side then took on another fellow South American side in Columbia, a team many had backed to be the dark horses for the tournament, and with the eventual golden boot winner James Rodriguez, it was possible Columbia could surprise Brazil. However for the first time in the tournament we appeared to be seeing the side many backed to win a sixth world title, with goal from David Luiz and Thiago Silva, the hosts overcame Columbia. However this performance did not come without its prices. Thiago Silva earned a suspension, meaning Brazil would be without their captain for the semi-finals. And even worse, the star of the show, Neymar was stretchered off late on and would miss the rest of the tournament. These absences played a big part in the Brazilians collapse in the semi-final, without their captain or top scorer, they looked out of sync at the back and no threat in attack, eventually being turned over with an incredible 7-1 score line! The aftermath of the crushing at the hands of the eventual champions Germany shows that the five time champions rely far to heavily on a select group of players, and no longer have to depth of class like we're use to seeing come from the country. A loss of just two players had an evidently massive effect on the side, and the Brazilian players did not look capable of competing with the Germans. This correlation continued into the third place play off, still without top scorer Neymar, the hosts had no creativity and no threat, eventually falling out 3-0 losers, ending their tournament by conceding 10 goals in two games, and ending the competition with the worst defensive record out of all 32 nations that competed.

The famous Brazilian teams of old make this newest crop of players seem mediocre, and despite a few stand out stars, such as Neymar and Thiago Silva, it is getting much more evident that this side needs a drastic change if it is to return to where it should be, at the summit of world football.

However it isn't all doom and gloom for the natives of the most successful side in world football history.One player in particular looks set to become one of the most iconic players in Brazilian football history, and perhaps one of the best in the world. This is the man currently holding the famous Brazil number 10, their current highest goal scorer, and a player who has the chance to become the national sides all time leading goal scorer. he may just be 23, but he's been turning heads for years and he could be the player they need to help push the five time champions back to the very top. I'm talking of course about Barcelona striker Neymar! The Barcelona star has really showed the world what he can do, but he has been a prospect on the shores of Brazil for years! Between 2009 - 2013, while playing for Santos in the Liga do Brazil, Neymar scorer 54 goals in 103 games, averaging 0.52 goals a game, an incredible record for someone who started at the age of 16. Neymar also had brilliant success at youth level, especially for the national side. Working his way from the under 17's side to the first team in the space of a year! And his success internationally hasn't stopped in the first team, the current number 10 has scored 46 goals in 67 games which is 0.67 goals a game, another incredible record especially on the national stage. This record makes Neymar the fifth all time goal scorer in the countries history, and gives him the fourth best goal to game ratio, an incredible feat considering the Barcelona front man could have up to 10 years left representing the national side. Neymar is also currently setting the world alight for Barcelona, with 34 goals in 64 games, a amazing record considering he plays out wide, mainly providing for Lionel Messi. There is no doubt that Neymar is a world beater, a future Brazilian footballing legend, and the man to help save the national side.

For the last decade, the Brazilian national side have mainly been relying on the same group of players who, despite their class, have ages and became unable to perform at the level needed for the South American's to compete with the world's elite at the level they should be. However recently the new manager, former player Dunga, has started to integrate a handful of new players into the squad, players who have the potential to help grow the national side and possibly see the Brazilian squad get back to the  pool of exceptional talent we have became accustom to in the last 70 years. Liverpool midfielder Philipe Coutinho is a player who has really gained a lot of attention in the football world recently. With a combination of incredible goals, amazing assists, jaw dropping pieces of skill and an exceptional show of passion, the Liverpool number 10 has earned the majority of his 13 international caps in the last couple of seasons, and the increase in attention has even earned him a nomination for the European golden boy award (eventually won by Paul Pogba). Throughout his career, Coutinho has earned much acclaim from top figures in Brazilian football and has been spotlighted as a future world beater, and at the young age of 23 the Liverpool play maker looks set to represent his country for many years and perhaps help get Brazil back to the glory days in a big way!

One thing Brazil have always had is a ball playing defender, you can go as far back as world cup winning captain Carlos Alberto, scoring one of the best goals in world cup history in 1970 to show how Brazilian defenders play a big part in the sides offence! The most recent member of the squad to adapt this role is David Luiz, but although the PSG defender is loved in his homeland, to fans who aren't natives of Brazil can see he really doesn't fit the bill. One up and coming defender who could fill those shoes is another PSG man, Marquinhos. The former Roma centre back was the most expensive teenager in the world until this summer just gone, and it is easy to see why. He looks incredibly comfortable on the ball, and is able to put in a very strong challenge and fill certain old fashioned defender responsibilities. Marquinhos is a player with tons of potential, and former Brazil captain Thiago captain has taken him under his wing, saying he may be the national teams future captain. This young defender could go a long way to helping the current Brazil side get back to the top.

Recent history makes mostly grim reading for fans of Brazilian football. With their sides consistently struggling to compete with the worlds elite it looked like Brazil could be right in the middle of a baron period for the five time champions. But signs of improvement have started to show recently, Barcelona star Neymar is improving every day and is looking like a possible future Balon D'or is on the cards. The squad is finally getting an injection of life that its needed for years, with players such as Philipe Coutinho leading the new look national team. And the famous ball playing Brazilian centre back looks to have finally returned in younger Marquinhos. Now no one can tell for sure if we will see the same sort of side that Pele lead to immortality in the 1950's,60's and 70's ever again, but one thing we do know is the potential is certainly there. The five time world champions are on their way back to the top table of world football!