I have

1.Maradona
2.Zidane
3.Zico

1. Maradonna
2. Zidane
3. Charlton

1. Pele
2. Zico
3. Rivelino

Messi is a better AM than all of them and would also be the best LB in the world, if he played that position.

Although I haven't seen Zico, Charlton or Rivelino play.

1. bergkamp

1. litmanen

This reminds me of something I've been thinking about recently. If you had to build THE most effective XI possible using any players in the world today, what would it look like? It's easy to rattle of the best at each position and call it a day, but that wouldn't necessarily net you the best team. Presumably you build around Messi. So is he best tucked in behind an elite striker? Or would the best team possible essentially be a team of guys with midfielder skills?

imo you have ronaldo and messi on seperate flanks and construct the team around them both, striker who's main objective is to make runs in behind and try to drag the defenders out of position, 2 really hard-working motors to make up for the lack of defensive contribution from CR/Messi, thinking an AM like Marco Reus/Özil in between them would be cool, guys with mobility and extremely good off-the-ball movement as well as ball-skills.
Defensive line featuring at least 1 really good ball-playing centreback to try and split the defense to CR/Messi on occasion. Full-backs who are very strong defensively first and foremost.

Idk, that seems like the ideal team to me. CR7 would probably have a field day exploiting the space that messi creates by soaking up the defense.

-------Neuer--------
Lahm-Silva--Verts?--Alaba
-------Busquets----
----Iniesta--Fabregas?
Ronaldo?---Messi----Ribery

Not sold on Ronaldo next to Messi being ideal, but I might be overthinking that. Suarez is a pretty interesting fit there I think.

your iniesta + cesc with messi as false 9(occupying similar space) is overkill

-------Neuer--------
Lahm-Silva--Lolo--Alaba
---Martinez-Schweini--
-------Iniesta--------
Ronaldo---Messi----Ribery

just quickly i think this is actually really good, Ribery's work-rate kind of doesn't make it as important to have iron-lungs in midfield to cover for the flanks, and messi playing a sort of false-9 would probably create a lot space and chances in behind for ribery and CR7
Only change i'd make is taking out busquets for a DM with a little more motor/physicality. Think this midfield has already been exposed as vulnerable vs. teams with powerful midfields who can play the ball as well? (spain vs. brazil confeds, barca vs. bayern)

Cashy seems to be thinking along similar lines wrt the midfield

Ronaldo---Zlatan---Messi
-----Iniesta-----Ozil
----------Matuidi
Alaba-T Silva-Kompany-Lahm
----------Lloris

could switch Matuidi or Kompany with Javi Martinez

does Messi even false 9 that much any more? Iniesta and Cesc can take it in turns to play deeper, think them occupying the same space is more of an issue with one of them nominally on the wings. Not that Martinez-Schweinsteiger is a huge step down or anything, the physical base might actually be optimal in this sort of team.

Ended up with similar to this based on current level

Neuer

Lahm Silva Verts/Luiz Alaba

Busquets

Kroos/Cesc Iniesta

Ronaldo/Robben Messi Ribery

Take Ronaldo out, he should be like 24 goals / 35 appearances for optimum usefulness and his 1 goal per game target hurts the team.

Seems like the first names on the sheet are:

Messi
Silva
Neuer

Lahm
Alaba
Ronaldo?

Hummels, Vertonghen, Kompany, maybe Luiz for CB2 (irl familiarity would probably matter. And with that in mind you might be better off with a tweaked version of Bayern or Barca than you would be integrating a bunch of new parts....)

And I do wonder if putting Messi on a high-motor, high-pressing team might just be better than trying to maximize the overall talent with Ron...

Messi
Ribery
Gotze
Reus
Gundogan
Bastian
Alaba
Lahm
Hummels
Silva
Neuer

(Yea, yea, I know I have a Dortmund man-crush...)

How about Bale as LB? I'd have to find a place for Neymar on the team too ldo

Neymar has at least 2 ppl clearly ahead of him at his best position. (cr7,fr7)

Bale lb..... Gtfo. Oh but he's really good and he used to play there 6 years ago. COME ON

---------Neuer--------
Lahm-Silva--Verts--Alaba
-------Busquets----
----Iniesta--Gundogan
Messi---RVP----Ronaldo

imo.

I know. Thats why i said find a position for him. He is really good as a false 9 too or even as a 10.

Neuer
Alves Silva Hummels Alaba
Busquets Schweinsteiger
Iniesta Messi Ribery
Falcao

Not sure if CR7 selfishness is optimal for this team, maybe I'm overthinking this. So hard to turn down Iniesta and Ribery though.

----Zlatan-----
Ronaldo---Messi---Robben

would have to have these 4 in best 11

I think Falcao is as good as Zlatan in a vacuum, and his quickness + movement fits the team better. I'm basically building around Messi with a Barca/Bayern possession core.

And Alves > Lahm if your team always has the ball in the opposition half.

zlatan>falcao i feel with a team full of world class players zlatan better passer and team player