Now 37, Messi, who plays for Inter Miami in MLS, has had the opportunity to play with some of the greatest footballers since his Barcelona debut in 2004…Continue Reading
During his time at Camp Nou, he shared the field with legends such as Carles Puyol, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta, winning four Champions League titles in his 17-year tenure with the club.
Remarkably, 10 of the 11 players Messi selected for his dream team have played for Barcelona.
According to reports from Goal Arabia via Mundo Deportivo, Messi chose Germany’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen as his goalkeeper, ahead of names like Victor Valdes and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
As expected, he picked Brazilian right-back Dani Alves, a player with whom he had an almost telepathic connection on the pitch.
Jordi Alba, who now plays with Messi at Inter Miami, was selected as the left-back, while Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano form the centre-back partnership.
Mascherano’s inclusion, ahead of Gerard Pique, likely reflects the importance of his role in Argentina’s run to the 2014 World Cup final, something Messi clearly values.
In midfield, Messi opted for Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, alongside Ronaldinho, who famously assisted Messi’s first Barcelona goal in May 2005.
Up front, Messi chose Neymar and Luis Suarez, his former Barcelona strike partners, while Kylian Mbappe, the only player not to have played for Barcelona, was selected ahead of Thierry Henry.
Despite Messi’s departure from PSG, Mbappe spoke highly of him last year.
“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.”
