India, Oct. 10 -- How often have we seen one man change the history of sports in a country? These are rare instances, but a few personalities often put a nation on the world map and inspire generations to continue the legacy.

Cristiano Ronaldo will be remembered as a name that built a legacy of football in Portugal. Yes, there were players like Eusebio, Fernando Peyroteo, and Luis Figo, but even during their time, Portugal remained nearly men. Then CR7 arrived in the landscape, and they crossed thresholds they never had before.

On the other hand, Argentina has been a great footballing nation since time immemorial. They had a cabinet already full of trophies. Lionel Messi enriched the footballing history of an already great nation in the...