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Messi, Ronaldo, Pele, Maradona named in all-time Ballon d'Or XI

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo have been selected alongside legendary players such as Pele, Diego Maradona, and Ronaldo Nazario in France Football’s Ballon d’Or all-time on Monday.

Ballon d'Or

With the sport’s most prestigious individual prize cancelled for the first time in its 64-year history, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the respected French magazine instead asked 140 journalists to come up with an all-time XI.

France Football - the publication behind the Ballon d'Or created their ultimate XI after asking 140 journalists to cast their vote.

The end result was a star-studded 3-4-3 line-up, with Cristiano Ronaldo included up front, alongside his great Ballon d'Or rival Lionel Messi and Brazilian namesake Ronaldo.

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The first-team squad, which features players in a 3-4-3 formation, has Ronaldo Nazario as the central striker with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on either side. The three players have a combined 13 Ballon d’Ors between them.

Xavi Hernandez and former Germany captain Lotthar Matthaus were chosen as the two defensive midfielders, providing the backbone to the midfield. Behind them, Franz Beckenbauer, Paolo Maldini, and Cafu feature as the three centre-backs.

Lev Yashin, the Russian goalkeeping great, was pipped ahead of Gianluigi Buffon and Manuel Neuer as the best goalkeeper of all-time. The latter two featured in the second and third teams respectively.

The second team squad featured other legendary players like Johan Cruyff, Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane, Alfredo di Stefano, Andrea Pirlo, Roberto Carlos, and Franco Baresi.

The third team squad featured legends like George Best, Marco van Basten, Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta, Michel Platini, Sergio Ramos, and Phillip Lahm.

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Both Cristiano Ronal and Lionel Messi have reacted after being named in the Ballon d'Or all-time XI

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