Can Marco Asensio succeed Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid?
On 10 July 2018, the footballing world was left in shock as Cristiano Ronaldo completed an unprecedented move to Italian giants Juventus. 3 weeks later, Real are yet to sign someone who can be looked at as a viable replacement. Neymar, who has been constantly linked with a move to the Bernabeu, has ruled out a move by stating that he has a contract to fulfill at PSG.
Eden Hazard, Mauro Icardi, and Edinson Cavani have all been linked to the 13-time Europen champions but no deal looks likely to happen at this moment. And this gives rise to a question - is it so because Real feel like they have a superstar in the making in the 22-year-old Marco Asensio?
The boy from Mallorca, who has seen a meteoric rise in the past couple of seasons under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane, is starkly different from the Ronaldo who just left Real. In comparison to Ronaldo's 44 goals in 44 games last season, Asensio only managed 11 in 53.
One might argue that Ronaldo's primary, perhaps his only job at Real was to score goals and Asensio can't manage half of that. But a close look at Asensio's game would reveal why this Mallorcan wonderkid managed to dethrone the likes of Gareth Bale from the starting line-up last season.
Asensio is great on the ball - he loves to run at defenders to create space for his teammates to run into so that he can create chances for them. But for a 22-year-old, Asensio's awareness of his surroundings is incredible - he hardly ever gives the ball away.
Add to that awareness a lethal left foot that has a knack of only scoring golazos - his two goals against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup last year and the thunderous half-volley against Las Palmas in the league were an absolute treat to watch. This is perhaps the reason why Zidane had the audacity to label Asensio's left foot as "the best since Leo Messi".
One of Ronaldo's best qualities is his immense willpower and the belief that he has in himself. Looking at Asensio's game one can't help but admire the similar belief that he has in his own qualities. His coach at Espanyol, Constantin Gâlcă, said that Asensio not only has the physical attributes needed to be considered one of the best in the world but the mental strength as well.
"He already belongs to the very best and he has a big potential to become one of the very top few players in the world"- Constantin Gâlcă
Still only 22, Asensio has plenty of time to improve and prove his former coach right. His knack of only scoring crackers is something similar to Ronaldo's back in his early Manchester United days. He managed to turn that knack into a crazy obsession of scoring in every game and that is what allowed him to conjure up a mammoth 451 goals in just 438 games for Real Madrid.
Expected to wear the legendary number 7 for the club from the capital this season, Asensio has a huge challenge ahead of him. It is perhaps unfair to label him the next Ronaldo - his playing style is very different from Ronaldo's but is in no way less effective. He has a lot to carry on his young shoulders as it looks increasingly unlikely that Real will sign an established superstar like Hazard.
But the belief that his colleagues and coaches have in Asensio clearly suggests that he is prepared for this challenge, now more than ever. Expect to see this boy from Mallorca step up this season and rise up the ranks to be labeled as one of the best in the business.