When Erling Haaland picked his stunning 5-a-side team which included Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland picked his ultimate five-a-side team in 2024 and included two of football's all-time greats: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Norwegian goal machine omitted himself from the lineup but included some of the sport’s biggest legends (via Telegrafi).

First up in the striker's pick was Brazilian magician Ronaldinho, whose dazzling skills and creativity at Barcelona made him a global icon. He played 207 games for the Blaugrana, scoring 94 goals and making 69 assists.

The 24-year-old then went for both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, an unusual call considering their two-decade long rivalry. Although most players have opted to choose one over the other, Haaland opted for the duo in his squad.

To balance out the five-man squad, the City striker added legendary Real Madrid shot-stopper Iker Casillas, who kept 264 clean sheets in 725 games for Los Blancos. Then he went for iconic Italian defender Paolo Maldini, who spent his entire career with AC Milan, making 901 appearances for the Rossoneri, picking up just three red cards.

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Angel Di Maria responds to Cristiano Ronaldo’s GOAT claim, revealing that Lionel Messi is better based on the "numbers"

Angel Di Maria has spoken about Cristiano Ronaldo’s assertion that he is the greatest player of all time (GOAT). The winger played alongside Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in his career, and he put the Argentine legend ahead of the Portuguese icon.

Speaking in an interview with InfoBae’s series Mi Seleccion, he said (via GOAL):

"I'm not surprised, I was with him [Ronaldo] for four years. It was always like that. He always made those statements, he always tried to be the best, but well, he was born in a generation, just at a bad time, because another one was born who was touched by the magic wand [Messi]."

Di Maria continued:

"The reality is shown in numbers. One has eight Ballons d'Or, the other five. There is a very big difference. Being a world champion is another very big difference, having two Copa Americas...

"Well, Cristiano is like that too. He always made statements that way. It was always the same... For me, Leo [Messi] is the best in the world and the best in history, without a doubt."

The 37-year-old played with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2014, when the duo won the UEFA Champions League. Di Maria enjoyed international success with Lionel Messi, lifting the 2022 FIFA World Cup before he retired from international duty.