All-time Ballon d'Or XI

Midfield

Central midfielder - Zinedine Zidane

Zidane has conquered football both as a player and as a manager

Although Zinedine Zidane won the Ballon d'Or only once in his lifetime, it would be unfair to leave him off this list. Considered the greatest midfielder of the past 30 years, there is nothing that the French international has not accomplished in his career.

An elite playmaker renowned for his elegance, vision, passing, ball control, and technique on the ball, Zidane's first touch is one of the most aesthetic sights in football. The World Cup-winner is one of the greatest performers in big games, and his exploits in two different World Cups are legendary.

The current Real Madrid manager just edges out Lothar Matthaus for a spot in this team.

Central-midfielder - Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff is one of the greatest personalities in the history of the sport

Johan Cruyff won the Ballon d'Or thrice - in 1971, 1973, and 1974. However, his impact on the game goes way beyond awards - the midfielder is credited as being the embodiment of the "Total Football" system explored by Rinus Michels. As one of the greatest minds the sport has ever seen, Cruyff's style and philosophy have inspired the greatest of the greats - including Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, and Arsene Wenger.

Considered by many to be the greatest European player ever, Cruyff was a midfielder who could do it all on the pitch. The team's orchestrator, he was a creative playmaker with a gift for timing passes. He often used to play as a forward, but his major contributions came as a player who managed the team on the field and dictated all the plays.

An entire book can be written on Cruyff's impact on the game - his inclusion here is without any debate.

Attacking midfielder - Michel Platini

Michel Platini is a 3-time winner of the Ballon d'Or

One of the greatest players of all time, Michel Platini created history when he won the Ballon d'Or three times on the bounce. He came in 6th in the FIFA Player of the Century vote.

Platini was primarily an attacking midfielder, incredibly good at taking set-pieces and finding an open teammate with a pass which only he could see. The midfielder was great technically and had amazing dribbling and ball control skills which made him a menace to play against.

Platini makes this list over the likes of Ronaldinho and Sir Bobby Charlton - these two are legends, but just not as consistently good as the three-time Golden Ball winner.

Attacking midfielder - Lionel Messi

FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015

When it is all said and done, Lionel Messi might go down as the undisputed greatest of all time. No one has won more Ballon d'Or's than the little magician, and a 6th victory this year would make him the single-most successful player in the history of this award.

In truth, Messi could fit into this team as either a CM, a striker, a winger, or an AM. The Argentine captain is just that good. Winning everything there is to win with Barcelona, the 5 time Ballon d'Or winner is also the only player to win this award four years in a row - a record which will likely never be broken.

A deadly finisher, a lethal passer, and one of the best dribblers of all time, you cannot think of the Ballon d'Or without thinking of Messi.