Neymar Jr, Luis Suarez and surprise inclusions: When Lionel Messi named ultimate XI of ex-teammates
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi once included his former Barcelona teammates Neymar Junior and Luis Suarez in his ultimate XI of teammates with club and country.
Messi, 37, is widely regarded as one of the best players in the game's history, having amassed a staggering 850 goals for club and country during his two-decade long playing career.
Now at Inter Miami, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner spent three hugely successful seasons with Neymar and Suarez at Barca, winning two La Liga titles and the continental treble (2014-15). The attacking triumvirate wreaked havoc, plundering goals aplenty, with Messi accounting for 153 strikes, Suarez 121 and Neymar 90.
After Neymar left for PSG in 2017, Messi joined him at the Parc des Princes four years later and played together for two seasons. The Argentine now plays together with Suarez, who joined the Herons this year.
In a December 2023 interview with GOAL Arabia (via Mundo Deportivo), Messi unsurprisingly picked his former Barca attacking teammates in his XI. The other player Messi picked in attack is current Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe, who arrived from PSG this summer.
In midfield, Lu Pulga picked his former mentor Ronaldinho and the legendary midfield duo of Xavier Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, with Sergio Busquets - his current Miami teammate - being a notable omission.
In defence, the Argentine went with Jordi Alba and Dani Alves as the two full-backs and Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol as the two centre-backs, ahead of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Among thw XI players, only Ter Stegen is still at the Camp Nou, while Mascherano recently joined Messi's Inter Miami as their new head coach.
Lionel Messi included in 2024 MLS Best XI
Lionel Messi had an injury-ravaged first full season with Inter Miami - whom he joined in 2023 on a free transfer after 19 successful campaigns in European football, including 17 at Barcelona.
Nevertheless, La Pulga contributed in the Herons' maiden MLS Supporters' Shield triumph, with 20 goals and 16 assists, becoming the club's all-time top scorer in the process.
Unsurprisingly, Messi was included in the 2024 MLS Best XI, with his defensive teammate Alba also getting an inclusion. La Pulga leads the hypothetical XI with Christian Benteke of DC United, who won the Golden Boot with 23 goals.
Some of the other notable inclusions in the Best XI for the year are LA Galaxy's Riqui Puig, Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina and FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta.
