Zinedine Zidane left out player who 'deserved to win Ballon d'Or over Lionel Messi' when picking dream XI

Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane snubbed a player he picked as a Ballon d'Or winner when naming his dream team.

Having won several of the biggest trophies and awards in football, Zidane is considered by many to be one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

Across his career, Zidane won the Champions League, La Liga with Real Madrid and the World Cup with France, whilst also picking up the 1998 Ballon d'Or.

Having won almost all there is to win in football, the French legend has played alongside and against some of the very best to play the game, and he's named his best-ever XI.

As reported by Planet Football, Zidane named former teammate Iker Casillas between the sticks, with a centre-back pairing of Pepe and Sergio Ramos and Brazilian duo of Dani Alves and Marcelo ahead of him in defence.

In midfield, the Ballon d'Or winner chose just two players so that he could prioritise his attack but with a strong duo of Luka Modric and Yaya Toure, he certainly wouldn't be worried about being overrun in the middle of the pitch.

In his insane attacking quartet, Zidane selected Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Karim Benzema, an attacking force strong enough to give defenders nightmares.

Despite naming 11 of the strongest players of all time, there is one name noticeably absent from Zidane's dream team given his previous praise for the player.

Speaking in 2018, Zidane claimed that Spanish legend Iniesta deserved to win the Ballon d'Or instead of Messi, yet snubbed him in his best-ever 11.

"It is difficult because if you like football, seeing a player like him leave is tough," he said, ahead of Iniesta's final appearance in El Clasico.

Zinedine Zidane faced Andres Iniesta several times in the Spanish league. (Image: Getty)

"I don't think of him as a Barcelona player. I see him simply as a football player.

"I've come across him two or three times and he is a charming, very reserved man and I like players who can do everything on the field but are that calm off it.

"I only have good words for him, admiration for his football and I wish him the best as a player for the future but above all, as a person."

He added: "We're talking about someone who made everyone dream and he deserved to win the Ballon d'Or, especially in the year he won the World Cup. It was clear then that he deserved it."