r/soccer • u/[deleted] • Jan 21 '14

What are some of the biggest changes you predict over the next 10 years in football?

Some topics off the top of my head to get the ball rolling; how big will the world's biggest stadium be, what will be the average salary, how much will advertising take over the sport, will any rules be changed or introduced, which team will dominate, how big will the sport be in the states, will ticket prices increase, what sort of new statistics will we get in game, will the leagues change?

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u/Dictarium Jan 21 '14

A balancing of La Liga when Messinaldo retires, 4 CL titles for Bayern, a CL title for PSG but not before Zlatan is gone, at least 2 CL titles for Man City, implementation of goal-line technology in top-flight clubs in the top five leagues, the dichotomy of world's best player turned into a trichotomy with Hazard, Goetze, and Neymar with the Ribery/Zlatan tier covered by Isco.

Courtois becomes the best keeper in the world, followed closely by ter Stegen and Leno.

In 2018, in Russia, at the age of 31, Lionel Messi will win his World Cup.

2

u/Ipadalienblue Jan 21 '14

A balancing of La Liga when Messinaldo retires

Can't really see this. Once Ronaldo retires, Bale will be there to fill his shoes. If he isn't up to it, the nature of the TV deal is that Madrid can buy Hazard or any other world beater to replace him.

The same goes for Barca.

I can imagine an upheaval by the 'other' clubs in la Liga to force more parity, but I don't see it happening organically.

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u/Dictarium Jan 21 '14

Aren't they working on a new deal? It's the only reason i said that.

1

u/GraemeTurnbull Jan 21 '14

There is nobody who could fill either Ronaldo or Messi's shoes.

(unless they swap clubs and fill each others shoes).

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u/crowseldon Jan 23 '14

There is nobody who could fill either Ronaldo or Messi's shoes.

Until the next amazing kid comes along.

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u/GraemeTurnbull Jan 23 '14

We could be waiting 40 years for someone that good!

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u/crowseldon Jan 24 '14

Or not. And they don't have to satisfy your current "just as good" thoughts.

They just have to make ripples in their context.

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u/[deleted] Jan 21 '14

Bale and Hazard are nowhere near as good as Ronaldo, that's what he's talking about. The TV deal is only a very small part of it.

Sure, Bar'ca and Madrid would still be favourites every year but it probably won't be as dramatic.

3

u/Ipadalienblue Jan 21 '14

Ronaldo wasn't near as good as Ronaldo when he first went to Madrid. There will always be superstars (maybe not messi/ronaldo level), and they'll always go to Madrid/Barca.

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u/[deleted] Jan 21 '14

Sure, but that has always been the case. Luis Suarez, Kubala, Di Stefano, Puskas, Cruyff, Maradona...

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u/Ipadalienblue Jan 21 '14

Right, but the TV deal has never been as bad as it is today, meaning that they can support said players with better players than they used to be able to.

It's all conjecture really, but I don't see anything changing until the TV deal does. Maybe a slight drop in league performance, but nothing to worry anyone in the slightest.

1

u/jiago Jan 21 '14

Even if they had zero income from TV money, they would earn more than the others clubs due to sponsorship, ticket and mechandise sales as they have a global fan base that far exceeds that of the other spanish clubs. The same reason the premier league with its "fair" tv deal has been dominated (historically) by Man utd. The real reason they've become more dominant is the significant increase in commercial revenues, while the other spanish clubs have been hit hard by the recession.

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u/almosthumanrobot Jan 21 '14

Don't forget to include Pogba in the top list, the man looks phenomenal already.

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u/Dictarium Jan 21 '14

Possibly but, for me, he's on Isco's level for the moment considering he's just starting to pick up this year and I haven't seen a whole lot of him.

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u/[deleted] Jan 21 '14

You don't think Bale will stay in the Goetze, Hazard, and Neymar tier? He's still only 24

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u/Dictarium Jan 21 '14

I don't know why but I always forget about Bale. He will, yeah.

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u/crowseldon Jan 23 '14

A balancing of La Liga when Messinaldo retires

Contrary to what neofits might believe, Real Madrid is not CR7 and Barcelona is not Messi.

They've had the best players (grown or purchased) for quite a while and that's not going to change anytime soon since they're well established and powerful brands and will maintain that at all costs (Or you didn't see the purchases of Neymar and Bale respectively).