Jan Oblak: La Liga Still Tough After Ronaldo And Messi, No Easier Than Before

Atletico Madrid's goalkeeper, Jan Oblak, believes that the standard of La Liga has not diminished despite the departure of football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The era when Ronaldo and Messi played in Spain was marked by their intense rivalry, making La Liga a global spectacle. However, Oblak contends that the league remains highly competitive even without these two superstars.

Oblak acknowledges that during the Ronaldo and Messi era, the world's focus was often centered on these two players, but he emphasizes that La Liga is now more balanced and equally challenging.

According to the Slovenian goalkeeper, all the teams in the league are very strong, and every match poses a significant challenge, making La Liga more competitive overall.

Cristiano Ronaldo spent nine seasons at Real Madrid, scoring an impressive 450 goals and providing 131 assists in 438 matches. His goal-scoring prowess, especially in La Liga, where he scored 311 goals in 292 appearances, contributed to the elevated standard of the league. Ronaldo moved to Juventus in 2018 for a transfer fee of €117 million.

Lionel Messi, the all-time leading goal scorer in La Liga, spent the majority of his career at Barcelona, scoring 672 goals and providing 303 assists in 778 appearances.

Messi left Barcelona in 2021 due to financial constraints imposed by La Liga's wage cap rules and joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

Both Ronaldo and Messi have continued to shine in their respective clubs. Ronaldo, now playing for Al-Nassr, has scored 18 goals and provided nine assists in 19 appearances, making him the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League.

Messi, on the other hand, completed his first season with Inter Miami in MLS, scoring 11 goals and providing five assists in 14 appearances.

Despite the departure of Ronaldo and Messi, La Liga, according to Oblak, remains highly competitive, with all teams presenting formidable challenges.

The focus has shifted from the dominance of two individuals to a more balanced and equally intense competition among the teams in the league.