Romario neglected to include Mohamed Salah in his list of the three most exceptional footballers in the world at the moment. Despite the fact that the individual Johan Cruyff famously referred to as the “genius of the goal area” has since retired, he continues to be considered one of Brazil’s finest players of all time.
However, his selections for the best three footballers of the upcoming generation may elicit a few scepticisms. Not only does Salah lose out, but also Harry Kane and Ousmane Dembele, who are currently the frontrunners for the 2025 Ballon d’Or after winning the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, as all three players compete in La Liga.
Barcelona and Spain Lamine Yamal
Despite the fact that he was not prompted to rank his top three in order during a recent interview with ESPN, Romario appeared to have acted prematurely by declaring Lamine Yamal to be the best of the group. “I would prioritise Lamine Yamal at the moment, as he has made a significant impact while playing for Barcelona,” he stated. Many are now questioning whether Lionel Messi was this excellent at the same age, as he had already played over 120 games for club and country before his 18th birthday.
As the youngest player to debut and score for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team, Yamal also made history by becoming the youngest player to ever participate in a European Championship. He not only became Spain’s youngest goalscorer on the international stage, but also the youngest player to participate in a major tournament. He scored in the semi-final, and La Roja went on to win Euro 2024.
Raphinha Brazil and Barcelona
Raphinha, who was previously the poster boy of Leeds United under Marcelo Bielsa, has silenced the critics with his combination of firepower and trickery. He has become an overwhelming force for defenders in the Spanish top tier and, in addition, at Europe’s top table, as the 28-year-old finished as the top goalscorer in the Champions League last season. The Brazilian’s acquisition by Barcelona, one of the most prominent teams in the world, undoubtedly aroused eyebrows.
However, it has been Hansi Flick and his entourage who have had the last laugh, as Raphinha has achieved remarkable statistics throughout the 2024/25 campaign, scoring 34 goals and providing 25 assists in 57 appearances. However, there is no doubt that the winger has exceeded the lofty expectations he established for himself. If the transfer rumours circulating around Camp Nou are accurate, he will be a part of an even more terrifying Barcelona team next season. Of course, there may be a hint of bias towards Romario’s choice of his compatriot.
Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid & France
The reason Romario selected Kylian Mbappe as his third and final selection was “because he’s always a lethal player,” a reference to the challenges he has encountered in the past year. While the Frenchman finally made his dream move to Real Madrid last summer, he was dropped from the national team and faced an impatient barrage of criticism for a slow start at the Bernabeu as he familiarised himself with the centre-forward role. However, he has once again been sensational when considering the 2024/25 season as a whole.
Despite the fact that Los Blancos had a relatively unsuccessful campaign, missing out on all domestic honours to their Catalonian rivals and exiting the Champions League early due to Declan Rice’s brace of free-kicks for Arsenal, Mbappe still managed to score 43 goals in 56 appearances. He won the European Golden Shoe award, which serves as evidence that the World Cup champion has much to contribute in his quest to become the world’s greatest player in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, despite the fact that he is no longer the youthful player he once was at 26 years old.
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