Why EPL needs its own El Clásico and Messi-Ronaldo rivalry now more than ever

The golden age of the Premier League is dawning just as the Spanish El Clásico loses status and appeal. Arsenal defeated Manchester City 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium in February '25, and the scene of Gabriel roaring at Haaland following Arsenal's goal has become one of the most dramatic events in recent Premier League memory. 

Six months before, at the Etihad Stadium, Erling Haaland, fresh off scoring his 100th City goal, ignited this resentment by smacking Gabriel on the back of the head in celebration of a late equaliser and mouthing the controversial but iconic "Stay Humble." 

This fast-escalating plot not only elevated the Manchester City vs. Arsenal rivalry to a new level of "deadly enemies" in the Premier League's new generation but also exposed a key issue: in the global football scene, the "epic confrontation" once dominated by Messi and Ronaldo, Real Madrid and Barcelona, is fading away, and the Premier League has the chance to fill this void and even redefine the future of football culture. 

This paper investigates several reasons why the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry and a recreation of El Clásico are needed in the Premier League.

Haaland's new decade-long contract

In late '24, Haaland signed a nine-and-a-half-year contract with Manchester City, thereby guaranteeing that his career's golden phase is spent in England. The importance of this contract goes well beyond the competitive level since, for the first time, the Premier League has the chance to create a legendary story spanning a decade around a world-class forward.

Spanning 15 years, Messi and Ronaldo's "duel era" was centred on their constant pushing of each other's boundaries in the direct clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona. 

Haaland's long-term presence offers the Premier League a similar setting, but he needs an equally matched opponent, an opposition club that can challenge his team, and a narrative structure capable of carrying the "hatred and glory." 

However, the window of possibilities is shrinking. Should the Premier League heavyweights fail to act now, Haaland might become the "lonely king," since he cannot single-handedly produce a cultural phenomenon on par with the "Messi-Ronaldo rivalry," regardless of how outstanding his stats are.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, and even Liverpool have to immediately identify a suitable top striker who can challenge Haaland. 

The rise of the City-Arsenal Derby

The conflict between Haaland and Arsenal is really a collision of two football ideas. Haaland striking Gabriel with the ball, Gabriel retorting, "We'll be waiting for you at the Emirates," and Arsenal supporters using Kendrick Lamar's "Humble" as the victory anthem are little nuances that have transformed the competitive fight into a cultural emblem.

Unlike the "gentlemen's duel" between Guardiola and Klopp, which was overly respectful, this confrontation is bursting with theatrical flair that gets the public's blood pounding, hence its reputation as the Premier League's most watched fixture last season. 

This rivalry also adds a new level of class narrative since Arsenal stands for the resuscitation goal of old powerhouses while Manchester City reflects the "new money hegemony" created by oil riches.

This structural paradox is like the ideological resistance between Barcelona (Catalan independence) and Real Madrid (royal splendour). To get the derby that everyone is yearning for, hatred is the means, not the aim.

The decline of La Liga and El Clásico

Once upon a time, the Spanish El Clásico was the ultimate feast of global football. But La Liga's star power and prominence immediately declined after Messi and Ronaldo left the league in the early years of this decade. 

Social media interactions halved, and data reveals that the audience of the '23 La Liga game between Real Madrid and Barcelona dropped by 37% from its peak in 2017. While La Liga teams like Barcelona struggle with Financial Fair Play rules, Premier League teams are monopolising top talent with their "financial muscle"; thus, the broadcast income for the '23–24 season reached 3.94 billion euros, according to Statista, almost twice that of La Liga (2 billion euros). 

A power vacuum already exists. Should the Premier League establish its own "El Clásico," the old story of "La Liga's technical supremacy" will be utterly destroyed, and England will become the epicentre of the football universe. 

Arsenal, Chelsea, and United striker conundrum coinciding with Osimhen's availability

Arsenal's effort to sign Watkins has been turned down; Chelsea missed out on Osimhen due to salary constraints; Manchester United has been forced to use young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo as a striker; all of this in the '24–25 season alone. These humiliations reveal a shared flaw among the Premier League giants: they require a super striker capable of a head-to-head challenge with Haaland. 

Thanks to a fallout with Napoli, Victor Osimhen, possessing power, speed, and fighting spirit, is the ideal response to counter Haaland and is not only biding his time on loan at Galatasaray but also now reasonably priced at just €75 million. 

Should Arsenal or Chelsea sign him, the Premier League would immediately generate a buzz so loud it warrants the "Beast vs. Monster" tag. 

Conversely, recognised for his beautiful dribbling, technique, calm finishing, and style very unlike Haaland's, Aleksander Isak's skill set positions him as the best candidate to mimic the "rivalry." However, he might lack the combativeness, showmanship, and larger-than-life persona required for such responsibility. 

History shows that rivals, not partners, are what superstars require. Messi's Barcelona had to evolve when Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid in 2009; today, the Premier League depends on this similar "catfish effect."

Impending World Cup in America

The ultimate fight for football to seize the North American market will be the '26 World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the USA. Should the Premier League be able to stockpile several top forwards ahead of time, it will directly gain from localised marketing and commercial synergy. 

American viewers are more eager about stories of individual heroes; thus, Haaland's battle with a particular superstar is more likely to break the mould than "total football." 

Also, the Premier League can use the success of the World Cup to create long-term agreements with North American sponsors and streaming services, therefore increasing its worldwide impact.

Ballon d'Or implication and capital circulation

Messi and Ronaldo ruled the Ballon d'Or from 2008 to 2017, representing a triumph for the brand value of La Liga. Even the awards to Benzema ('22) and Messi ('23) still depended on the "La Liga legacy"; hence, the Premier League has to build on the Rodri ice-breaker to develop its own Ballon d'Or-level rivalry if it wants to totally dominate the football scene. 

Long-term rivalry between Haaland and a superstar adversary not only heightens the anticipation over specific accolades but also draws sponsors to direct funds towards the Premier League, thereby fostering a favourable cycle of "superstar-exposure-capital."

Risks and countdown: Miss this moment, and there will be no future

For a number of factors, the Premier League is the rival to the English Premier League, not La Liga.

• Haaland is at risk of becoming "overexposed," his numbers will become "routine," and public attention will progressively decline without enough intensity in competition. 
• Emerging powers are closely observing, and the financial assault of the Saudi League or the possible comeback of Serie A could influence the decisions of star players.
• Generation Z needs its own football legends, not the nostalgic rhetoric of their parents' generation, such as waning rivalries like Manchester United against Liverpool, to keep the fire alive.

The biggest rivalries in football history have never been accidental. They call for a little fate, the spark between superstars, and the scheming of visionaries.

The animosity between Arsenal and Manchester City generated 2.12 million viewers in the 23/24 season, breaking the record for most-watched Premier League in the United States, and this is expected to grow thanks to Haaland’s fresh long-term contract. The readily available Osimhen and others also waiting for their call position the Premier League at the crossroads of ushering a new age. 

Take advantage of this, and England will inherit the crown of the football world; miss it, and there might never be such a perfect mix of time and opportunity ever again. The next goal will write the actual history of football.