Many years ago, in the ever glorious walls of the Camp Nou, the people feared for the future of Barcelona after the retirement of Ronaldinho, who to me was the hero of the moment for the Catalan giants. He was their talisman and could pull stunts to light up the game for Barcelona when it seemed like they were going down. He was Barcelona's Hero and many feared his retirement or departure will see Barcelona's end as one of Europe's most dreaded team. For many fans, these unexpressed fear lurked around and not so many thought whoever will come after him will be able to fill his space or justify the expectations that comes with the "No. 10" shirt. However, a great sign came, a sign that heralded the unveiling of the anointed young star to take over the mantle from the great Ronaldinho, and it was against Real Madrid.
There couldn't have been a better and more appreciative atmosphere to unveil who will be the next king of the Camp Nou. It all happened in an "El Clasico" clash between the Spanish giants, a match seen as one of the most watched football clashes in the world. And then it happened, no doubt, even the look on Ronaldinho's face after the cub netted a hat trick against a team like Madrid said it all. He was satisfied with Lionel Messi's performance and could see the next Camp Nou hero in Messi. The young Argentine was just 19 years of age when he netted his first hat trick for Barcelona senior team against Real Madrid. Though it wasn't his first time of scoring for the Catalan side, this is a special day and it was a reflection of that which was to come. The world have seen Lionel Messi rise to the pinnacle of football and even surpassed the records of former Barcelona legends. An achievement not so many saw coming. That hat trick against Madrid was the great sign, but that's by the way. Let's get back to Madrid.
For over a decade now, Real Madrid prides herself as one of the few Clubs that play host to the best players in the World, a citadel of Class and a fortress of Standard or peak for most upcoming football stars. With the departure of Christiano Ronaldo to Juventus, who undoubtedly is Madrid's most successful player in the history of the club, there have been assumptions on who will be the next king of the Bernabeu. While many had predicted Eden Hazard to be the next big thing for Los Blancos after the Spanish giants signed the Chelsea Most Valuable Player to boost Madrid's hope of regaining their dominance and rightful place in European football, doubts are beginning to hover about the possibility of that, as Hazard is still struggling to find his stamina in Spain. There is also a majority view that Kylian Mbappe of PSG will be the perfect replacement for Ronaldo. But, what if we all are wrong, what if the next Legend of Madrid is a young lad we never saw coming.
What If Rodrygo Is The Long Awaited Hero That Will Fire Madrid Back To The Top?
On Wednesday's Champions league clash between Galatasaray and Real Madrid, we saw a stellar display from an 18 year old Rodrygo, who started for Los Blancos. It was really surprising to see Zidene start the young lad in a such a big game, but then, the coach knew what he was doing and in the end, his judgement was vindicated. He made history for himself, when he became the youngest player in the history of Champions league to score twice in the same match under in seven minutes. It didn't just end there, the 18 year old also became the youngest player to net a hat trick in the competition. A hamstring injury have kept him out since the beginning of the season, and I think his hat trick against Galatasaray on Wednesday could be an indication that Madrid's new goal dragon has arrived. His performance have made many to start comparing him to Neymar Jr, calling him the "Neymar of Madrid." However, the young lad seems not interested in being likened to anyone as he is poised to make his own mark in Madrid. He said "There is only one Neymar, there won't be another. I would just like to be the Rodrygo of Real Madrid." The game ended 6-0 in favour of Madrid, but the Media seems not concerned much with the victory of Los Blancos, but on the signs of a possible new goal poacher for an embattled Madrid side. Let's watch and see If Rodrygo will go on to become the next king Of The Bernabeu.
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