Lionel Messi playing for three different clubs was beyond everyone’s imagination. The Argentine superstar was expected to remain a one-club man at FC Barcelona. However, things took a drastic turn, and he eventually went on to play for PSG and now Inter Miami. His shock exit two years ago may have dealt a significant blow to both Barcelona and the league. But the Spanish League president doesn’t feel the same way.

Subsequently, over the years, other big names including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar Jr., Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez have also left the Spanish First Division.

La Liga president doesn’t see the absence of Lionel Messi as a setback

Messi’s departure from Barcelona sent shockwaves through the world of soccer, leaving fans, pundits and officials alike wondering about the future of La Liga. Fast forward two years, and we find ourselves reflecting on the league’s journey since that fateful moment. Spanish League President Javier Tebas recently spoke out about how La Pulga’s departure wasn’t really a setback.

During a soccer congress in Argentina, Tebas provided an evaluation of the Spanish league’s performance following the departures of big names like Messi. While speaking to CNN, he said, “Messi is gone but we continue to grow.”

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The 61-year-old also felt the same in the case of Ronaldo’s exit from Real Madrid back in 2018.

In fact, Tebas asserted that the absence of the Argentine or Portuguese star has not hindered their progress. He insists that the league has continued to flourish and expand. The president also emphasized the league’s ongoing commitment to secure top-tier players. These are indeed some huge claims from Mr. Tebas.

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Popularity-wise, it’s quite doubtful if La Liga has flourished after their post-Messi and Ronaldo era. However, there has certainly been an emergence of new faces in the league.

The new faces of La Liga

There’s no denying that Barcelona’s MSN (Messi, Neymar, Suarez) and Real Madrid’s BBC (Bale, Benzema, Cristiano) were the face of La Liga. However, as of today, neither of these stars plays in Spain anymore. Following the departures, both teams desperately tried to replace their respective departed stars.

Today, Barcelona has Robert Lewandowski, İlkay Gündoğan, Joao Cancelo, Pedri and Joao Felix at their disposal.

On the other hand, Madrid has Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham, David Alaba and Rodrygo. Meanwhile, their city’s arch-rivals Atletico Madrid also have Antoine Griezmann, Memphis Depay and Alvaro Morata.

Furthermore, there are some other renowned names from other teams, like Sergio Ramos, who returned to Seville, and Mason Greenwood who was signed by Getafe. Certainly, these names do make the Spanish league heavyweights among the top five leagues in Europe.

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What are your thoughts on league president Javier Tebas’ claims? Let us know in the comments!