France Football, the magazine that created the Ballon d'Or, once announced a star-studded 'dream team' that featured five players who never lifted the prestigious award, including Paulo Maldini and Xavi.
Back in 2020, the annual Ballon d'Or ceremony was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, so organisers asked journalists from 170 countries to cast their votes on who would make a so-called dream XI.
As expected, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi featured in a 3-4-3 system alongside fellow Ballon d'Or winners Ronaldo Nazario and Lothar Matthaus.
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Russia's iconic goalkeeper Lev Yashin, who lifted the Ballon d'Or in 1963 and remains the only goalkeeper in history to win it, was named in between the sticks, while Franz Beckenbauer, Cafu and Paolo Maldini made up a solid back three.
Unlike the legendary Beckenbauer, neither Cafu nor Maldini won the award. In fact, a total of five players from the dream team – Cafu, Maldini, Xavi, Diego Maradona and Pele – never scooped football's biggest individual prize.
How Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi reacted to being included in Ballon d'Or dream team
After being included in the side, Messi took to Instagram to give his initial reaction to the news.
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He wrote: "For me it is an honour to have been included in the eleven of the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. I want to thank you for choosing me and also congratulate all the players who were selected in the two teams and all the nominees, there are real phenomena on that list."
Ronaldo also commented, saying: "I’m very honoured to be part of France Football’s All Time 11. What an amazing Dream Team. They all deserve my respect and admiration and I’m obviously proud to be amongst such extraordinary players. Thank you."
France Football also revealed two other starting line-ups consisting of the second and third most voted in each position.
Former Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon featured in between the sticks for the silver team, while Carlos Alberto, Franco Baresi and Roberto Carlos made up an impressive defensive line.
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Real Madrid great Zinedine Zidane, who won the Ballon d'Or in 1998, took his place in the team alongside Andrea Pirlo, Frank Rijkaard, Alfredo Di Stefano, Garrincha, Ronaldinho and Johan Cruyff.
A bronze XI also got people talking, as German legend Manuel Neuer was named in a team that featured Philipp Lahm, Sergio Ramos, Paul Breitner, Johan Neeskens, Didi, Michel Platini, Andres Iniesta, Thierry Henry, George Best and Marco Van Basten.
Topics: Ballon d'Or, Zinedine Zidane, Pele, Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Nazario, Lionel Messi
Jack Kenmare