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Indian Super League has time and again signed veteran foreign players to improve the brand value of the competition. From Alessandro Del Piero to Diego Forlan, the Indian football has seen some of the best players of yesteryear plying their trade in the ISL. The upcoming season is also expected to be a grand affair with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane signing up for season 4.
These world class players have played for some of the biggest clubs in world football and have rubbed shoulders with some of the best in the business. ISL will see three players this season who have been teammates with Ballon d'Or winners of the past. The prestigious accolade is bestowed by the French Football for a player's excellent contribution to his club and country. Here are the ISL players who have played with Ballon d'Or winners at their previous clubs:
#3 Dimitar Berbatov
The Bulgarian is set to take the ISL by storm this season with the forward arguably being the classiest and the most effortless player ever to play in India. Berbatov has signed for the Kerala Blasters this season from Greek club, PAOK. The 36-year old had his best spell with Manchester United where he spent four long years and won bucket loads of honours.
Berbatov was teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo in his debut season before the Portuguese signed for Real Madrid in 2009. Ronaldo had won the Ballon d'Or in 2008 and struck a brilliant partnership with Berbatov the following season. The Bulgarian striker has also taken the field with Michael Owen - England's only Ballon d'Or winner in the 21st century.
#2 Wes Brown
Kerala Blasters have managed to turn heads this summer with their foreign signings. Wes Brown, the former Manchester United defender, will play in front of the sea of yellow this ISL. Brown was with the Red Devils for 13 long years and won numerous trophies. He played with some of the best players that the club ever produced and also under the game's most successful manager in Sir Alex Ferguson.
Brown was a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo for the entire span of the latter's United career. Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or in 2008 after guiding the Red Devils to Champions League glory.
On the eve of the Champions League final, Brown had called Ronaldo "the best player in the world" and the forward responded to that in fine fashion. The centre-back also played with Michael Owen who won the coveted prize back in 2001 with Liverpool. Owen spent three years at Old Trafford and managed just five goals for United.
#1 Marcos Tebar
Tebar is a product of Real Madrid Castilla and has worked his way up from the Madrid C side. He has now joined FC Pune City for the upcoming season. This is not his first time in the country as the midfielder has played for the Delhi Dynamos last season. Tebar was in the Real Madrid squad for the 2009/10 season - a campaign famous for Los Blancos signing Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka for record amounts.
Though Tebar didn't make the cut at Real Madrid, the 31-year old can say that he has played with two of the last three recipients of the Ballon d'Or. Cristiano Ronaldo has won it four times and before the reign of Ronaldo and Messi began, Kaka won it back in 2007. He was with AC Milan back then and won the accolade for the best season of his career.
