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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s Departure Didn’t Damage La Liga, Claims Javier Tebas

Published 02/18/2024, 1:56 PM EST

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Soccer cannot cease to talk about the two archrivals and their impetus. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s battle became straightforward after Ronaldo entered La Liga. They both played over 600 games and scored over 600 goals in Spain. The players were in the spotlight of the Spanish league, drawing fans’ attention to La Liga. But, in a surprising revelation, their departure did not cause any loss to the league, according to its president, Javier Tabas.

Both players recently chose to go in the opposite direction last year. CR7 landed in the Saudi Pro League, while the World Cup winner set foot in the MLS. However, Tabas doesn’t mourn their loss.

La Liga is still in promising shape despite the exits of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

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In an interview with A Bola, Tabas revealed that the numbers of La Liga remained stable despite losing the icons. He stated, “They haven’t caused any damage because we haven’t declined, but with them, we would certainly have grown faster.” Contrarily, the Spaniards felt that the league in which they landed did not see any significant improvement in viewership.

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He further stated, “The French league with Messi, Neymar, and Mbappé didn’t grow; Cristiano Ronaldo went to Italy, and the Italian league’s international revenues didn’t increase; ours did despite losing both of them,” citing their negligible impact on other leagues.

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Both players made La Liga a force to be reckoned with. During their spell, La Liga teams won six out of nine UEFA Champions League trophies. More stunningly, the Ballon d’Or had never left Spain when the two were in the league. As far as earnings are concerned, reports show that La Liga has had a slight increase in revenue since Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid but has been stable since then.

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Meanwhile, the players are running riot on their respective new continents. Cristiano Ronaldo led a multitude of players to join the Saudi Pro League, while Lionel Messi has brought in an abundance of viewership and sales. But it looks like the baton has been handed over to the next generation now.

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On the other hand, Tabas is already excited by the upcoming prospects. He also said, “This year we have the best in the world, who is Bellingham; last season Lewandowski was at a great level; Atlético has Griezmann; if Mbappé comes, that will help us to be more competitive and grow even faster.” La Liga awaits the arrival of Kylian Mbappe. After announcing his departure from PSG in the summer, he will probably join Real Madrid. But can he replace the impact of Messi and Ronaldo? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Ruthu

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One take at a time

Ruthu is a Soccer Writer at EssentiallySports. Growing up in a sporting background, he found a passion for soccer through the remarkable 2002 World Cup-winning Brazilian team. Ruthu brings an out-of-the-box perspective with writing, as he possesses the ability to view the game from different critical angles, a skill that sets apart a sports journalist.
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Edited by:

Jacob Gijy