8 Footballers Who Could End The Lionel Messi/Cristiano Ronaldo Era Of Dominance

8. Mario Gotze

Gotze has been touted as one of Europe's brightest young players for several years now, and slowly but surely he is becoming the superstar that many predicted he would mature into. His World Cup-winning goal in the final against Argentina last summer has gained him legendary status forever in his homeland, and the technique and composure shown summed up the 22-year-old's ability. Blessed with superb technical quality, slick dribbling and terrific skill, Gotze is an incredibly silky player to watch when he's in full flow. He is beginning to feature more and more at Bayern Munich, and it is only a matter of time before he is one of the first names on Pep Guardiola's team-sheet. The German definitely has the potential to be a future Ballon d'Or winner, and if his influence can grow and grow in the next two or three years, inspiring Bayern to Bundesliga and Champions League glory in the process, he could usurp Messi and Ronaldo. He still has a way to go though, it's important to stress.