Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still two of the world’s very best players, but even their most ardent of fans would admit that a new era is upon us.
For many, many years during those two icons’ pomps, drawing up the best XI in the men’s game was pretty straightforward with the likes of Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves and Andres Iniesta appearing just as frequently as them.
However, now that we live in a heady time where Messi and Ronaldo are no longer Ballon d’Or favourites nor head and shoulders above the rest in FIFA ratings – shock horror – it’s never been clearer that it’s not so easy anymore.
Seriously, think about it, even drawing up the best world XI in your head right now isn’t as easy as you think it might be. Do Ronaldo and Messi even still make the cut?