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The UEFA Champions League is widely regarded as the most prestigious competition in club football. Since adopting its current name in 1992, the format has been changed and the competition has been expanded a handful of times, as European football's elite club continued to battle it out for the biggest prize.
Unlike a league season, where a team that is consistent across a season takes home the prize, the Champions League comes with its fair share of unpredictability and drama in the knockout stages of the competition.
Several players have left lasting impressions in the competition over the years, while two all-time greats in Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still going strong despite entering their 30s.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo dominate Champions League era
Aside from the legendary duo, iconic names of yesteryear from the usual suspects like AC Milan, Bayern Munich and Liverpool have all left lasting impressions in the Champions League.
Picking a team of XI players from a competition such as the Champions League is no small feat, as there are bound to be shocking omissions and a few hard passes.
With that in mind and a lot of deliberation, here is the all-time Champions League XI, featuring some of the greatest players to have graced the game.
Goalkeeper - Iker Casillas
Legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas has made more appearances (181) in the Champions League in any player in history. The Spanish shot-stopper recently hung up his boot after suffering an unexpected heart attack while at FC Porto last year and is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
Having risen through the ranks at Real Madrid, Casillas made his debut for the club in 1999 and remained a key player for the club till he moved onto FC Porto in 2015.
Despite not being the tallest goalkeeper around, the Spaniard made a name for himself with a series of eye-catching displays for Real Madrid and was part of three Champions League-winning squads with Los Blancos.
Having won the lot for club and country and spending the latter part of his career in Liga NOS with FC Porto, Casillas officially announced his retirement earlier this week and is the greatest goalkeeper in the competition's history.
Also Read: 10 most expensive transfers in Premier League history
Right-back - Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm is hailed as one of the greatest right-backs of his generation and quite rightly so, as the reliable German exhibited staggering consistency levels for club and country in his glittering career.
Primarily a right-back, Lahm slotted in as a left-back and also as a defensive midfielder when needed due to his intelligence and versatility. The former Germany captain spent the entirety of his senior career at Bayern Munich and spearheaded the Bavarian giants to the UEFA Champions League title in 2013, while he also won the FIFA World Cup as Germany's captain a year later.
Lahm was named in the UEFA Team of the Year five times and excelled in several roles, as he retired in 2014 as one of the most decorated footballers of his generation.
Centre-back - Sergio Ramos
Real Madrid's captain fantastic Sergio Ramos is one of the most enigmatic players of the modern era and continues to be a key player for Los Blancos to date. The Spanish international's defensive excellence, coupled with his ability to score crucial goals for his side, has made him a serial matchwinner, while he is also the captain for club and country.
Ramos has been slated for accumulating too many yellow cards and momentary lapses of concentration throughout his career. However, the fact remains that he is arguably the greatest defender of his generation and his trophy haul is proof of what he represents to his team.
The veteran defender has won the UEFA Champions League a staggering four times in his career and has been named in the competition's Team of the Tournament eight times — a stat that underlines the impact he has had in the modern era.
Centre-back - Carles Puyol
One of the most prominent one-club men in football history, Carles Puyol's Barcelona career went down as an unwavering success after a relatively slow start. The Spaniard did not win a trophy till he was 27 years old but finished his career with a stunning tally of 17 major titles, as he carved out a name for himself into Barcelona history.
A tough-tackling defender with a warrior-like attitude, Puyol was commanding in the air despite his stature and was a typical no-nonsense defender. The former Barcelona captain won the Champions League three times in his career and was a cornerstone of Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side — a team that is widely regarded as the greatest in the modern era.
Puyol was also named in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Tournament six times, as he retired in 2014 after winning every trophy for club and country.
Left-back - Paolo Maldini
Speaking of one-club men, football fans should look no further than Italian icon Paolo Maldini. The defender spent the entirety of his playing career with AC Milan and featured in 25 seasons for the Rossoneri, as he retired in 2009 as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
Predominantly a central defender, Maldini's tactical awareness, coupled with his experience and versatility, meant he slotted in as a left-back when needed. The Italian spent the latter part of his career in that position and made it his own, while he also serves as captain for club and country.
With 174 appearances in the UEFA club competitions, Maldini's record of most appearances was beaten by Iker Casillas in 2017. In his decorated playing career, the Italian won the Champions League five times with the same club and won multiple personal accolades for club and country.
Maldini currently serves as AC Milan's technical director, having retired from club football in 2009 at the age of 41.
Also Read: Top 10 Juventus players of all time
Defensive midfield - Clarence Seedorf
Clarence Seedorf holds a unique record in the UEFA Champions League — he is the only player to have won the competition with three different clubs, having done so with Ajax, Real Madrid and twice with AC Milan.
The Dutch midfielder could slot anywhere cross the midfield due to his tactical awareness and versatility, although he played his best football as an attacking midfielder. Seedorf was also a model athlete in his prime and was praised for his work ethic and longevity, as he played for three important clubs in world football and impressed for all of them.
In addition to winning the competition four times, Seedorf was named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament twice and retired in 2014 after a career spanning over two decades.
Central midfield - Steven Gerrard
Widely regarded as the greatest midfielder in Premier League history, Steven Gerrard produced several standout moments in the UEFA Champions League with boyhood club Liverpool. An influential midfielder who was wonderfully well-rounded, Gerrard played all across the park for the Reds and was one of the biggest matchwinners in world football in his prime.
The Miracle of Istanbul in 2005 is remembered as the most memorable comeback in the history of European competitions, thanks in no small part to Liverpool's captain fantastic. The Reds were 3-0 down against a star-studded AC Milan side at half-time but pegged level and eventually won the game on penalties, with Gerrard in the forefront of their historic comeback.
The former England captain scored one and won another penalty, as Liverpool got their hands on the European Cup for the fifth time in their decorated history. Gerrard was named UEFA Footballer of the Year in 2005 and was included in the Team of the Season thrice, while he also earned a place in UEFA's Team of the Century.
Central midfielder - Andres Iniesta
One of La Masia's finest graduates, Andres Iniesta has achieved legendary status in Barcelona as well as the Spanish national team for his exploits over the years. The silky midfielder is amongst the most aesthetically pleasing players to have graced the modern era and excelled in several roles for Barcelona, having started out as a defensive midfielder.
Iniesta used his diminutive stature to his advantage, as his low centre of gravity and ball control meant he would waltz his way past opposition players with relative ease. Additionally, his spatial awareness and ability to read the game allowed him to dictate games from the centre of the park, as he formed a formidable partnership with Xavi for club and country.
The World Cup winner won the Champions League four times and was also named in the Team of the Tournament twice, while he was also an indispensable member of Pep Guardiola's legendary Barcelona team that took world football by storm a little over a decade ago.
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Right-wing - Lionel Messi
Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi makes the team, as he continues to cement his status as one of the greatest footballers of all time. The diminutive Argentine is setting the standard despite being 33 years of age and has produced several moments of magic in the Champions League — a competition he has managed to four times in his illustrious career so far.
With a staggering 114 goals to his name in the competition, Messi is second to only Cristiano Ronaldo on the all-time top scorers' chart and is currently 14 goals behind the Portuguese star.
The Argentine, however, holds multiple long-standing records for club and country and is the only player in the history of the game to win the Ballon d'Or six times. Messi's genius needs no explaining and the Barcelona talisman will look to get his hands on the Champions League at least once more before hanging up his boots.
Central striker - Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema's exploits for Real Madrid over the years have been overshadowed due to the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo. However, since the Portuguese superstar's departure to Juventus, Benzema has been in stunning form and is finally getting the recognition he deserves for his Los Blancos career.
With 61 goals to his name in the Champions League, the Frenchman is online behind the legendary trio of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul despite playing second fiddle for the large part of his Real Madrid career.
Benzema has also won the competition four times and played a pivotal role in each of those triumphs, as he continues to cement his status as a modern-day great. The French striker is one of the most well-rounded attackers of his generation and his unique ability to score goals as well as create them in equal measure made him the ideal candidate to complement Ronaldo upfront.
Benzema's inclusion over the likes of Raul and Thierry Henry is justified based on his goalscoring record and the consistency he has shown in the Champions League over the years.
Left-wing - Cristiano Ronaldo
An all-time Champions League XI without Cristiano Ronaldo is always going to be incomplete, as the Portuguese star continues to cement his status as the greatest player in the competition's decorated history.
Having won club football's biggest competition a staggering five times with Manchester United and Real Madrid so far, Ronaldo is aiming to become the only player since Clarence Seedorf to win it with three different clubs.
Ronaldo became one of the best players in the world at Manchester United but achieved legendary status with Real Madrid, as he spearheaded them to new heights and helped shape one of the most successful eras in the club's history.
With 128 goals in the competition, Ronaldo and Real Madrid won the Champions League three times in a row between 2016 and 2018, after which he sealed an unexpected move to Juventus to take up a new challenge.
Ronaldo's exploits in the competitions will take some beating and the Portuguese star will be remembered for centuries for his exploits in Europe.
Manager - Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is another household name in the history of the Champions League and it could be argued that the legendary Frenchman warrants a place on the list as a player as well as a manager.
Having won every major trophy in his playing days with Bordeaux, Juventus, Real Madrid and the France national team, Zidane successfully transitioned into a managerial position.
His solitary Champions League success as a player came with Real Madrid when he scored that famous volley against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 to win the final for his side. Part of the star-studded Galacticos side that boasted the likes of Luis Figo, Iker Casillas, Raul, and Claude Makelele, Zidane inspired his team to victory with one of the greatest goals in the history of the competition.
After replacing Rafa Benitez as Real Madrid manager in the 2014-15 season, Zidane took world football by storm once again, this time as a manager. The Frenchman became only the seventh player after the likes of Miguel Muñoz, Giovanni Trapattoni, Johan Cruyff, Carlo Ancelotti, Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola to win the competition as a player and a manager, as he etched his name into football history.
What followed next was beyond his wildest dreams, as Real Madrid became the first team in the Champions League era to win the competition three seasons in a row. By virtue of his achievements, Zidane effectively became a four-time winner of the competition as a player and a manager and cemented his status as one of the great managers in his young career as a coach.
Not too many personalities in the history of the sport have had such startling contributions to the game as a player and a manager, as Zidane's legacy continues to grow with each passing season.
The Frenchman is one of the greatest footballers of all time and is all set to follow a similar path as a manager, having returned to Real Madrid in March 2019.
Also Read: Top 10 Juventus players of all time
