6 Players Cristiano Tipped To Conquer the World and Where They Are Now

• In 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo named six players he believed would take the world by storm in the subsequent years
• Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Rashford are among the players the veteran forward backed for greatness
• While some of those players have gone on to live up to their billing, there are those who flopped

Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the most successful footballers of his generation.

The Portuguese talisman has enjoyed an illustrious career spanning close to a decade, with his football journey seeing him play for some of the best clubs in the world.

Ronaldo's most successful spells came with Manchester United and Real Madrid before he moved to Juventus, where he accomplished a lot both on and off the pitch.

His goalscoring prowess has seen him win multiple titles with the clubs he has played for, as well as some prestigious individual awards.

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So much so that many football fans, pundits, and fellow footballers rate the veteran forward among the greatest footballers of all time.

His longevity and success have afforded him the rare opportunity and privilege to identify players who stand a chance to become the world's best.

Players Ronaldo backed for greatness

According to Daily Star, back in 2017, Ronaldo revealed the six footballers he thought were capable of filling his shoes.

Having helped Real Madrid secure the La Liga title, a second-successive Champions League triumph, and picking up his fourth Ballon d'Or, the Portuguese was in a privileged position to posit who might go on to achieve as much success in the future.

Key among the players the veteran forward backed for greatness included Paris Saint-Germain superstar, Kylian Mbappe and former teammate, Marco Asensio.

Sports Brief now takes a look at the six players Ronaldo believed had a chance to shine in a few years and where they are now.

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1. Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe is currently the subject of transfer speculation, with Sky Sports reporting that Saudi side Al-Hilal have tabled a world-record fee to sign him from PSG.

But beyond the uncertainty surrounding his future, the Frenchman has largely lived up to Ronaldo's prediction, having already won so much at a young age, including the World Cup with Les Bleus.

2. Marco Asensio

This is probably one of the predictions that Ronaldo got wrong.

Despite his promising future, Asensio has not achieved as much as the potential suggested he could in 2017.

The Spaniard recently brought his nine-year association with Real Madrid to a close after he joined PSG.

3. Eden Hazard

A few years back, many believed Eden Hazard was on course to conquer the world of football.

However, the Belgian playmaker did not quite live up to his billing, with his struggles becoming more prominent during his troubled stint with Real Madrid.

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Hazard is currently a free agent after he departed Santiago Bernabeu, with reports claiming he is considering retirement at 32.

4. Neymar

Neymar took the world by storm after he moved from Sao Paulo to Barcelona.

The Brazilian became an instant sensation, with his stakes rising higher and higher over the years.

With 118 goals in 173 games for PSG, the forward has largely lived up to his expectations.

5. Ousmane Dembele

The Frenchman looked destined for greatness after his largely successful spell with Borussia Dortmund.

And Ronaldo was pretty much justified to include him in his list of players who represented a lot of potential.

However, a string of injuries after his move to Barcelona has hampered his progress.

6. Marcus Rashford

Last on the list is Marcus Rashford.

The Manchester United forward has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence since breaking into the senior team at Old Trafford.

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The 25-year-old has had a solid go of things thus far and appears to have taken his game to new heights, having recently landed a lucrative new deal with United.

Mbappe's potential transfer cost

Sports Brief also previously reported on how much Mbappe would cost Real Madrid if a blockbuster transfer was to go through this summer.

Marca stated that it would cost in excess of €400 million, breaking down the figure to include transfer fees, wages, agent fees, and signing-on fees.