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Bayern Munich and Germany legend Bastian Schweinsteiger has named his greatest-ever XI and has omitted Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Instead, the retired midfielder named four of his former Bavarian teammates as well as several World Cup winners.
Schweinsteiger named Manuel Neuer, who he won the 2014 World Cup with in Brazil, as his goalkeeper. Neuer is often credited with revolutionizing the sweeper keeper role and was superb during Germany's fourth World Cup triumph.
The former Bayern star named his former club and country captain Philipp Lahm at right-back, with Brazil legend Roberto Carlos at left-back. German icon Franz Beckenbauer, who became the first man to win the World Cup as a player and a manager, was named at centre-back to partner Italian Leonardo Bonucci.
Schweinsteiger picked Lothar Matthaus, who captained West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup in central midfield, alongside two-time Ballon d'Or Zinedine Zidane. Current Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller was picked one on the wing, with former Bavarian star Franck Ribery on the opposite flank.
Eric Cantona and Roberto Baggio were named as the former Manchester United midfielder's front two.
Schweinsteiger gave an honorable mention to Robert Lewandowski as his substitute. His selection meant there was no room for Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo despite the pair winning twelve Ballon d'Or titles between them.
Lionel Messi's former teammate claims he has 'respect' for Cristiano Ronaldo
Former Barcelona defender Dani Alves believes Messi is 'in another world' but claims he has plenty of respect for Ronaldo.
Alves and the Portuguese icon had a falling out at a Ballon d'Or ceremony a number of years ago but the full-back is now full of praise for the forward.
The Brazilian international told a podcast with Pumas team-mate Efrain Valverde (via GOAL):
"There came a time because of the rivalry that I would go over to greet him [Cristiano Ronaldo] and he wouldn't greet me. There was a controversy that never came out but in the dressing room of the Ballon d'Or ceremony, we had a fracas."
"I greeted everyone and he didn't greet me because of what the Barcelona/Real Madrid rivalry was generating outside. But how can I not respect a guy who has achieved everything based on hard work and putting his heart and soul into it?"
Alves was then asked if the Manchester United attacker is as good as Messi, to which he replied:
"He was born with the talent to play football and to be in another world that only he can reach."
