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Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the game. During an illustrious career spanning almost two decades, he has scored many goals and won titles galore for club and country.
The 34-year-old arrived at PSG this summer as a six-time Ballon d'Or and eight-time Pichichi award winner. Messi has won two continental trebles, ten La Liga titles and countless other honours.
Messi's versatility allows him to be deployed across a plethora of positions across the final third. Though he is at his most lethal as a right winger, Messi has found success playing down the center as well. He can drop deep to set up plays for teammates as well.
The all-time Barcelona and Argentina top scorer has played alongside several world-class players over the years. On that note, here's a look at the best XI to have played with Messi. Without further ado, let's get started:
Note: A 4-3-3 formation has been considered for this hypothetical XI. All stats are as per transfermarkt unless mentioned otherwise.
# Goalkeeper - Victor Valdes
Victor Valdes is one of the most underrated goalkeepers in Barcelona history. The 39-year-old played a key role in a brilliant Blaugrana team spearheaded by Lionel Messi.
Valdes played over 350 games with Messi across almost a decade, winning six La Liga and three Champions League titles. The former Barcelona keeper was a key cog in Pep Guardiola's all-conquering team in late 2000s and early 2010s. A ball-playing keeper, Valdes kickstarted many attacks for his team that culminated with Messi finding the back of the net.
In an interview with the club's official website, Valdes termed Messi a God, one who could seemingly do no wrong on the pitch.
The 39-year-old played for Manchester City after his Barcelona stint. Valdes has now been retired for almost four years.
# Left-back - Jordi Alba
Jordi Alba played with Lionel Messi for almost a decade. The veteran Barcelona left-back has won a continental treble and five La Liga titles with Messi, who is now at PSG.
Despite usually operating on opposite flanks - Messi on the right and Alba on the left - the duo combined to score a number of goals for Barcelona. Alba recently completed 100 career assists, with Messi topping the list of players he has assisted with 25.
Alba was one of several players who penned heartfelt farewell messages to Messi after Barcelona announced this summer that the Argentine's contract won't be renewed.
# Centre-back - Javier Mascherano
Javier Mascherano has played over 400 games with Lionel Messi spanning both club and international football. Mascherano started out as a defensive midfielder, but played most of his games as a centre-back.
The now-retired Mascherano won five La Liga and two Champions League titles with his younger compatriot. Messi recently surpassed Mascherano (147) for most Argentina appearances during Albiceleste's triumphant Copa America 2021 campaign.
On the eve of breaking Mascherano's record, Messi said:
“I am proud to have been able to wear the blue and white as many times as my friend Masche (@mascherano14) whom I love very much, and who I have always respected and admired.”
The respect between the two players has been mutual, with Mascherano waxing lyrical about Messi's prowess on the field on numerous occasions.
# Centre-back - Gerard Pique
Gerard Pique is one of two players who have played over 500 games with Lionel Messi.
The veteran Barcelona centre-back has won eight La Liga and three Champions League titles with Messi. A ball-playing centre-back who made his presence felt at both ends, Pique, with Messi was involved in a lot of goals for Blaugrana.
At the time of Messi's departure from Barcelona this summer, Pique lamented the Argentine's exit, saying it was a big loss for the club.
The words proved prophetic, as Barcelona have kickstarted the Lionel Messi era on a disastrous note. The Blaugrana are ninth in the La Liga table after seven games and have lost their opening two Champions League games for the very first time.
# Right-back - Dani Alves
Dani Alves is widely regarded as one of the best full-backs in the game's history. Alves, the most-titled player in world football, enjoyed the most prolific stint of his illustrious career with Barcelona.
He won six La Liga and three Champions League titles during his nearly decade-long stint at the club. Alves and Messi struck up an almost telephatic understanding on the pitch, with the Argentine converting several crosses from Alves during their time at the club.
Alves recently said after Lionel Messi's Barcelona departure that he would like the Argentine to be the most decorated player in the game's history.
Alves was the player with the most assists for Messi across competitions before his record was recently broken. The Brazilian provided an assist for Messi's 400th Barcelona goal, among others.
# Central Midfielder - Xavi
Xavi Hernandez is one of the best players to have played with Lionel Messi. In almost a decade, the duo appeared in nearly 400 games for Barcelona, winning big titles galore.
A La Masia product, just like Messi, Xavi won two continental trebles and seven La Liga titles with the Argentine. The midfield metronome was the engine room of a fabulous Barcelona team, creating chances galore for the likes of Messi and co up front.
It was from Xavi's cross that Messi scored what the latter would call the best goal of his career. With Barcelona leading by an early goal in the 2009 Champions League final against Manchester United, Xavi teed up Messi to clinch the second. The diminutive Messi, who was unmarked, leapt up several feet in the air to score a rare headed goal.
Xavi and Messi last played together in the 2015 Champions League final, which Barcelona won to complete their second continental treble in six years.
# Central Midfielder - Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta is another world-class player Lionel Messi has had the good fortune of playing with during his illustrious career.
Iniesta played almost 500 games with Messi across competitions during a glorious decade-and-a-half-long stint at Barcelona. One of the most decorated players in Barcelona's history, Iniesta and Messi won over 30 titles at the club, including two continental trebles.
Due to Iniesta's penchant for making late runs into the opposition box, the duo combined for many goals for Barcelona. Explaining Iniesta's role for Barcelona, Messi said in the extract of the book The Artist: Being Iniesta:
"He has more contact with the ball than me; he's the person who starts moves, who gets things going. I know how difficult it is to do what he does. Maybe you could say that both of us have something of the street in the way we play.
Iniesta, on his part, has called Messi the best player he has seen on a football pitch.
# Defensive Midfielder - Sergio Busquets
Sergio Busquets is the player who holds the distinction of playing the most games (567) with Lionel Messi.
Appointed Barcelona captain after Messi's departure from Camp Nou this summer, Busquets' breakout campaign in 2008-09 coincided with Messi's. Under first-time coach Pep Guardiola, Barcelona became the first Spanish team to win the continental treble that season. There would be no looking back for the duo from there.
An omipresent in the Barcelona midfield, Busquets often does the 'dirty' work for the team, breaking up opponents' plays and setting up attacks for Barcelona. Now on the wrong side of 30, Busquets is one of the most experienced players in the team as Barcelona seek to write a new chapter after Messi's departure.
# Left Winger - Neymar
Neymar is one of the best wingers Lionel Messi has played with during his illustrious career.
The duo shared a great cameraderie, both on and off the pitch, during a productive four-season stint at Barcelona. Along with Luis Suarez, the duo formed a devastating attacking triumvirate that wreaked havoc in Spain and Europe. Neymar and Messi won one continental treble and two La Liga titles during their time together at Camp Nou.
The two PSG teammates will now hope to replicate their Barcelona exploits as the Ligue 1 giants seek to become the latest Champions League winners.
# Centre-Forward - Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez is the most lethal centre-forward Lionel Messi has played with during his career.
The Uruguayan scored almost 200 goals for Barcelona in only six seasons with the club. Suarez, Messi and Neymar scored a plethora of goals during the three seasons they played together for Barcelona. After Neymar left for PSG in 2017, Suarez played alongside Messi for three more campaigns.
Suarez holds the distinction of providing the most assists (47) by any player to Lionel Messi, who returned the favour on many occasions.
Now at Atletico Madrid, Suarez scored 21 league goals to inspire the Rojiblancos to their second La Liga title in seven years last season.
# Right Winger - Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is arguably the best right winger Lionel Messi has played with. Mbappe is now playing as a centre-forward at PSG, though, to enable Messi to play on the right. The duo have featured in only a handful of games as Messi arrived at PSG only this summer.
One of the best young players in the game at the moment, the versatile Mbappe already has an enviable resume. The 2018 FIFA World Cup and four-time Ligue 1 winner has tallied over 200 goal contributions at PSG (136 goals, 66 assists).
Together with Neymar, Mbappe and Messi form one of the most fearsome attacking tridents in the game at the moment.
