Best XI of Champions League Era

The Champions League, in its present format, has been a fantastic tournament and has become home to some of the most exciting matches and player performances. Throughout its modern iteration, there have been some eye catching performers and winners who have lit up the field with their displays. Here, we attempt to create the Best XI of this era.DISCLAIMER: The views expressed here are of the author's alone, and are not endorsed by Sportskeeda. Since we can only accomodate eleven, it may not include some of your favourites, so please bear with us!

#1 Iker Casillas

While I was sorely tempted to pick Oliver Kahn for the goalkeeper slot, Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas makes it into the team based on his performances in the tournament as well as the fact that he’s won the competition as many as 3 times. Casillas has been the mainstay at Madrid ever since 1999 and even became the youngest goalkeeper to have played in the final of a Champions League, having just celebrated his 19th birthday when Madrid beat Valencia in the 2000 final.

Kahn may be the greatest goalkeeper of his generation, but it is Casillas who would be in the best Champions League XI.

#2 Paolo Maldini

If there were ever questions about the greatest players in European competition, then the name Paolo Maldini should quell all discussion. By far one of the greatest ever defenders to play the game, he would easily waltz in to almost every best XI you can ever make.

Added to that is the fact that among his numerous titles, he has won the Champions League 3 times with Milan, and this is not even counting the other 2 European cups he won in the previous format.

#3 Carles Puyol

The fight here was between team mates Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, both having won the Champions League trophy 3 times. However, Puyol makes the cut considering that not only has he been an immense presence for Barcelona at the centre of defence, but also that Pique’s time at Manchester United when he won his first medal was very peripheral as he made only 3 appearances in the competion.

Puyol was part of the revolution at Barcelona, winning the Champions League trophy first in 2006 and then in the all conquering seasons of 2009 and 2011.

#4 Alessandro Nesta

Once again, there was tight competition for the spot, this time between the legendary Alessandro Nesta and Marcel Desailly. Both have won the competition 2 times, with Desailly having the additional record of becoming the first player to win the competiton in successive seasons.

However Nesta is definitely the better pick considering his immense talents as a defender. He is also widely recognised as one of the best central defenders in the game, and was also named in the Top 125 greatest living footballers in 2004.

#5 Roberto Carlos

This was perhaps the easiest choice of all the defenders to make, with Roberto Carlos being one of the most phenomenal left backs to have played in the competition. He has won the tournament 3 times playing for Real Madrid.

Carlos was not only popular as a great left back, but also for some of his goals which almost looked impossible to score. And perhaps, it need not even be mentioned that he was a free kick specialist!

#6 Clarence Seedorf

Coming to the midfield, Clarence Seedorf is another legend to have graced the competition, and has won the tournament as many as 4 times. He also holds the record of winning the competion with 3 different clubs, becoming the first player to do so.

Not only was he a very good midfielder, he is perhaps the most successful player in the competition, and there is no one who comes close to his achievements in the Champions League.

#7 Xavi

One of the best midfielders of his generation, Xavi has won the tournament 3 times with Barcelona, and perhaps his best competition for the spot here is his own teammate Andres Iniesta. It is almost impossible to leave out either one of them, but with limited slots available, only one can make the cut.

Though Iniesta may be as good as Xavi in the midfield, it is the latter that takes the spot for the way he conducts the team’s attacks and being the key to establishing Barcelona's brand of possession football.

#8 Deco

Deco first won the Champions League with Jose Mourinho’s Porto in 2004, before moving on to Barcelona where he won the competition once again in 2006. It may be a surprising choice, considering the elephant in the room that is Zinedine Zidane who does not even make into the team.

But then, Zidane only won the tournament once, though he did come close 2 more times while playing for Juventus. But Deco has had more success and deserves to be in the starting XI.

#9 Ryan Giggs

Perhaps another popular choice would have been Kaka over Ryan Giggs, but once again Giggs edges out considering he’s won more Champions League medals than the former. While both players have put in some fantatic performances in the competition over the years, Giggs edges out having been successful more times for his team.

He was also part of the historic treble winning Manchester United side of 1999, and has been one of the mainstays of the club ever since he made his debut for the team.

#10 Lionel Messi

This is as obvious a choice as it can get, with Lionel Messi one of the greatest footballers of this generation. While he has been in a fierce competition with Cristiano Ronaldo for the mantle, it is surely he who gets the nod when it comes to being the most successful in the Champions League tournament, having won it 3 times to Ronaldo’s 2.

Messi has been praised by present and former greats of the game for his mesmeric play and for the sheer number of goals that he’s scored not only in this competition, but in general as well.

#11 Raul

One of the iconic players of Real Madrid who came through the youth system, Raul held his place throughout the galacticos era. He has won the Champions League competition 3 times, and narrowly beats out Ruud van Nistelrooy who has a better goal scoring record to the number of matches played.

However, his former team mate does not even come close to matching his medals tally. Raul has been a consistent performer over the years for Madrid, and while there were players being bought for huge amount of money all around him, there was no galactico who could displace him from the team.