Inter Milan legend Wesley Sneijder has named three players he believes will succeed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as football’s global icons once the Ballon d’Or winners retire.
Messi and Ronaldo are nearing the twilight of their illustrious careers, having dominated world football for more than 15 years and collectively winning over 15 Ballon d’Or awards. Both players are expected to retire after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, Sneijder has tipped Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Lamine Yamal as the natural heirs to their legacy.
Speaking to Adventure Gamers, Sneijder said, “Once Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo retire, then people will start talking more about Mbappe, Vinicius, Lamine Yamal, like how we talk about Ronaldo and Messi now.
“It is all about generations. When Diego Maradona quit, other players came through. In 100 years, people won’t talk about Mbappe, Vinicius or Yamal the same.
“There will be a new generation who has replaced them, but when they retire, we will start talking about Mbappe, Yamal and Vinicius the same way we talk about Ronaldo and Messi.”