Part 6/9:
During the 2011-2016 period, Messi and Ronaldo combined for a staggering 458 league goals—an output that, as it turns out, rivaled the total goals scored by many clubs in Europe’s top leagues. Both players’ ability to score at such a high volume for sustained periods begs the question: how has their dominance redefined our expectations in football?
A New Era, A New Standard
Prior to the Messi-Ronaldo era, a Golden Boot-winning total of around 27 goals was deemed exceptional. Now, it has become difficult to categorize even 25 goals as elite when we have been accustomed to two players routinely surpassing 40 goals.