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Angel Di Maria has a pretty illustrious career to date. There are not many players who can boast about playing with the two greats, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Argentine talisman is one of them. His terrific dribbling, pace, vision, and skills make him deadly at any of the attacking position he plays in.
For a major part his career, Di Maria has always been the unsung hero for the teams he has played for with his incredible performances being swept under the headlines by bigger names. The winger has been quite a journeyman having played for Benfica, Real Madrid, Manchester United and currently playing for French side Paris Saint Germain.
Playing for top clubs means playing with the best of players and that is what makes this list composed of the greatest players of this generation. Here are the 11 best players on their respective playing position that Di Maria has played with.
Also see : Copa America Standings, Copa America Schedule
#1 Goalkeeper - Iker Casillas
Played together - Real Madrid
Seasons - 2010-2014
Iker Casillas is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers of the 21st century. His agility, response time and ability to perform under pressure made him the legend he is. Few goalkeepers are as good as Casillas was when he made his debut aged 18 for one of the biggest sides in the world.
The Spaniard lifted the Champions League trophy as a teenager and further went on to win two more with Real Madrid. He was the captain of the Spanish national team that won two Euros and a World Cup.
#2 Left back - Marcelo
Played together - Real Madrid
Seasons - 2010-2014
Marcelo has established himself as one of the best left-back in the world. The curly haired Brazilian has always owned the flank like it's his home. No other defender in the world has come even close to the attacking prowess the left-back has shown in almost every game he has played.
Many think that he has eclipsed ex Los Blancos legend Roberto Carlos, who immortalized himself in that position. The Brazilian has lifted a total of twenty trophies with Real Madrid including four Champions league. He won the 2013 Confederations Cup with his national side. Di Maria and Marcelo had an unstoppable duo at Real Madrid with the Argentinian covering up for the Brazilian on the flanks whenever he ran too deep.
#3 Centre back - Thiago Silva
Played together - Paris Saint Germain
Season - Playing together since 2015
Thiago Silva has been hailed as one of the best centre-back in the world for quite a long time now. The Brazilian's physicality, perception, reading of the game, tackling, passing skills and aerial ability are second to none which has made him a lethal weapon for club and country.
Even at the age of 32, Silva has the same pace, poise, and spirit of adventure as he is showing no sign of slowing down. The defender has won 20 trophies as a captain with Paris Saint Germain. He was also the captain of the Brazilian national team that won the 2013 Confederations Cup.
#4 Centre back - Sergio Ramos
Played together - Real Madrid
Seasons - 2010-2014
Sergio Ramos is among the most decorated defenders in world football. The prolific centre-back is one of the best goal-scoring defenders in the history of the game. With over 80 goals to his name and counting, he is already in the top 15 of Real Madrid's all-time goalscorer list which is an unreal achievement for a central defender.
Ramos is most feared in the added minutes of the game as in these minutes, he has often stepped up for the Los Blancos when they needed it the most. The Spanish captain has won four Champions league with Real Madrid and the glorified World Cup in 2010 with Spain. He is his nation's most capped player, second only to Iker Casillas.
#4 Right back - Dani Alves
Played together - Paris Saint Germain
Seasons - Playing together since 2017
Preceded by Paolo Maldini, Dani Alves is the second most decorated defender of all time with 9 European medals. The Brazilian has created a unique style of game where he is equally involved in the attacking duty of the team as he is in his defensive role.
Dani Alves was a part of the legendary Barcelona reign from 2008-2012 under Pep Guardiola where he played a vital role is the club's tiki-taka attacking machine. He left Barcelona after winning a treble in 2015 and moved to Italian giants Juventus for one season before his move to Paris Saint Germain.
With his pace, close-control, stamina, and technique, Dani Alves is a deadly full-back highly capable of being compared to likes of Cafu and Roberto Carlos.
#6 Centre Midfielder - Luka Modric
Played together - Real Madrid
Seasons - 2012-2014
Luka Modric became the only player to break Messi-Ronaldo's ten-year dominance over the Ballon d'Or by winning it in 2018. The Croatian midfielder and Argentine talisman Di Maria played together at Real Madrid in their blooming years.
Modric has expertise in reading games, his vision, pin-point passing accuracy and ability to prompt teammates on the forefront gives a tough time to opponents.
The Croatian is the beating heart of Los Blancos who won three consecutive Champions League with the help of the midfielder. Luka also played a crucial role in World Cup 2018 where he dragged an underdog Croatia to the final.
#7 Centre Midfielder - Xabi Alonso
Played together- Real Madrid
Seasons - 2010-2014
Xabi Alonso's pinpoint passing accuracy, tactical nous, vision, and understanding of the game is what puts him among the best holding midfielders of his generation along with the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Xavi Hernandes. The Spaniard was outstanding at setting the tempo of the game from the center of the field.
The midfielder excelled at whichever club he played in winning almost everything the football world had to offer. His gloried cabinet is shelved with One World Cup, two Euros, two Champions League, numerous domestic titles and many individual accolades.
#8 Attacking Midfielder - Lionel Messi
Played together - Argentina national team
Seasons - Playing together since 2008
Lionel Messi is generally considered the best football player of all time. The Argentinian is unstoppable with the ball at his lightning quick feet. Time and time again, he has proved himself as the best player ever to grace the Barcelona shirt.
What he has been doing on the field in all these years is pure magic. 'A miracle from God' 'The little Argentinian beast' 'The Mozart of soccer' is what comes out of people's mouth in delight every time they watch him play.
The Barcelona star has been a one-club-man having won four Champions League title, nine La Liga title and six domestic cups with the club. He has won a record-tying five Ballon d'Or and a record five Golden boot. He has netted an unreal 656 goals and bagged 270 assists for club and country.
#9 Right Winger - Neymar
Played together - Paris Saint Germain
Seasons - Playing together since 2017
Unfortunately, Neymar has peaked during a loaded generation and could have been the best player in the world if he was not born in the same era as Messi and Ronaldo. The winger is one of the most technically gifted players in the world whose attacking prowess is compared to the likes of Brazilian legend Ronaldo. He is a wizard with the ball who makes stumbling defenders look foolish with regularity.
The Brazilian played four stellar seasons with Barcelona before his move to Paris Saint Germain which made him the world's most expensive player. At the Blaugrana, he was an attacking force in the world's deadliest trio alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, which helped the club win the glorious treble in 2015.
At the young age of 27, Neymar is Brazil's third highest goalscorer of all time with 60 goals in 96 appearances which makes it clear that he may soon surpass his idol Pele who is topping the list with 77 goals as the nation's highest goalscorer of all time.
#10 Left Winger - Cristiano Ronaldo
Played together - Real Madrid
Seasons - 2010-2014
Di Maria is among the very few players lucky enough to play alongside the two greats, Messi and Ronaldo. The Portuguese star is Messi's nemesis as he is the only player able enough to come in the way of the Argentinian talisman becoming the best player on the planet.
He is an unstoppable beast as his pace, positioning, physicality, strength, aerial skills and goal-scoring ability is second to none. What makes him the best is his work ethic and drive to win every game he plays and no matter how tough the situations have been, Ronaldo has defied all odds to step up for his team when they needed him the most.
The Juventus winger has won a record-equalling five Ballon d'Or. He has lifted the Champions league trophy five times and is also the competition's highest goalscorer of all time preceding his eternal rival, Lionel Messi. He is also Portugal's highest goalscorer of all time. The goal scoring machine captained his nation to the European Championship in 2016.
#11 Centre Forward - Wayne Rooney
Played together - Manchester United
Seasons - 2014-2015
In his prime years, Wayne Rooney was the most feared striker in the world. His pace, energy and drive to make runs and net the ball was enough to make him one of the most loved players in England's history. Although he excelled as a striker, he was also an incredible false number 9.
The Englishman has won almost every honor available in European football with Manchester United. Rooney started his professional career at the age of 16 for Everton before his move to Manchester United where he played for 13 years bagging 183 goals for the club. He is England and Manchester United's highest goal scorer of all time.
