• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Lionel Messi includes two former Liverpool players in dream XI featuring Kylian Mbappe and Ronaldinho

Home> Football> Football News

Published 14:05 17 Dec 2023 GMT

Lionel Messi includes two former Liverpool players in dream XI featuring Kylian Mbappe and Ronaldinho

Lionel Messi snubbed a number of Barcelona players, including Thierry Henry, when it came to naming his dream side.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Lionel Messi has unveiled his so-called 'dream XI' of former teammates.

Since making his professional debut in 2004, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has played alongside some of the all-time greats. especially during his time at Barcelona, where he lifted four Champions Leagues and 10 La Liga titles.

At the Nou Camp, he shared the same pitch as some of football's elite over a trophy-laden 17-year period. In fact, 10 of the 11 players selected in Messi's team have represented the Catalan club.

As revealed by Goal Arabia via Mundo Deportivo, Messi kicks things off by selecting Marc-Andre ter Stegen as his goalkeeper ahead of Victor Valdes and Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Advert

Then, rather unsurprisingly, the Argentine opts to pick former Brazil international Dani Alves at right-back – a player had a near telepathic relationship with on the pitch.

Jordi Alba, who currently plays with Messi at MLS side Inter Miami, features at left-back, while a solid centre-back partnership of Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano make up the back four.

Mascherano may be surprised to feature ahead of Gerard Pique but the former Liverpool defender played a pivotal role for Argentina in their journey to the 2014 World Cup final; something Messi clearly appreciates.

After picking his defence, the boyhood Barcelona forward made his easiest decisions to date. Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta will play in midfield alongside the ever-entertaining Ronaldinho.

Ronaldinho, of course, assisted Messi when he scored his first goal for the club on May 1, 2005 against Albacete.

Barcelona duo Neymar and Luis Suarez, two players that flourished alongside Messi, are two more unsurprising picks while PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, the only non-Barcelona player to feature, makes it into the team over Thierry Henry.

Earlier this year, when Messi was on his way out of the Parc des Princes, Mbappe was full of praise for Messi.

"We're talking about potentially the best player in the history of football. It's never good news when someone like Messi leaves," Mbappe told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Personally I haven't really understood why so many people were relieved that he was leaving. We're talking about Messi, he should be respected - but instead, he didn't get the respect he deserved in France.

"It's a shame, but that's how it went. He'll have to be replaced as best as possible."

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images

Topics: Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga, Spain, Liverpool, Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe

Jack Kenmare
Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is the Senior Journalist for SPORTbible, one of the world’s biggest social publishers. He specialises in long-form feature writing and has an encyclopedic knowledge of Football Manager wonderkids from 2005 to the present day. He has a BA (Hons) in Journalism and News Practice.

X

@jackkenmare_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • Getty
    3 hours ago

    Jack Grealish loses it after seeing 'stupid' post about Raheem Sterling

    Raheem Sterling recently joined Dutch side Feyenoord.

    Football
  • James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
    3 hours ago

    Aston Villa set Morgan Rogers price tag as three Premier League clubs interested

    The Aston Villa star could leave the club following the World Cup this summer.

    Football
  • CBS Sports
    5 hours ago

    Micah Richards 'can't comprehend what's happening' after seeing who appeared on CBS Sports

    The popular CBS Sports Champions League show welcomed a football legend onto the show, and Richards couldn't believe it.

    Football
  • Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
    5 hours ago

    Man City warned they face record points deduction if found guilty of 115 charges

    Pep Guardiola's side could face one of the most severe punishments in the history of football if they are found guilty.

    Football
  • Lionel Messi didn't hesitate when naming two former Liverpool players in dream XI featuring Kylian Mbappe and Ronaldinho
  • Ronaldinho refused to name Lionel Messi as the GOAT and claimed three players could be even better than him
  • Xavi had zero doubts when naming the two England players who could play in prime Barcelona team featuring Lionel Messi
  • Exclusive: Barcelona legend Javier Saviola snubs Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho when naming 'most important' teammate he had