'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Friendship Day has been celebrated throughout the world since its inception in 1958, with people never missing the chance to dedicate a day in honour of their friends.
Several players have become best mates for club and country over the years, proving that their relationships extend well beyond the pitch.
Football, like any other sport, has seen its fair share of pairs who have gone on to become best friends. Here are ten of the best friends in world football over the years.
10. David Alaba and Franck Ribery
The Bayern Munich duo of David Alaba and Franck Ribery first met while playing for the Bavarian club, joining in 2008 and 2007 respectively. It was Ribery who gave Alaba the ‘Austrian Sportsman of the Year’ award.
9. Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny
Laurent Koscielny made sure compatriot Olivier Giroud didn’t feel alienated in London when the striker joined Arsenal in 2012, and the two have been close friends since then.
Koscielny has joined Bordeaux and Giroud has crossed the London divide to join arch-rivals Chelsea, but the pair remain good friends.
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Maxwell
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Maxwell had been friends since their Ajax days a decade ago, and the pair have since been inseparable, with both having played together at Inter Milan, Barcelona, and Paris-Saint Germain.
In his autobiography, I Am Zlatan; the Swedish striker talks about their friendship on several occasions.
7. Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen
Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen have been playing together since they were 10, and the pair were reunited at Tottenham Hotspur after Dembele moved from Fulham in 2012.
“I know Jan from when I was 10 years old, we played together then,” Dembele said after joining the club.
“I know him well, he’s a great guy and he’s said a lot of good things about this club. He says there are friendly people here and for me, that’s very important, to feel great somewhere. I’m sure I will here.”
While Vertonghen remains at Tottenham, Dembele has sealed a move to China, after a successful spell with the North London outfit.
6. Lionel Messi and Jose Manuel Pinto
Lionel Messi is known to be close friends with former Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto, and it is rumoured that Messi wanted the Catalan side to offer Pinto a deal first before he would sign a new contract with the club.
5. Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique
After joining Barcelona’s academy from Mataro, Cesc Fabregas met his current Spanish national teammate Gerard Pique while training alongside him and Lionel Messi at La Masia.
The two have continued to be close friends, and Pique even used subtle methods to ensure Fabregas returned to Barcelona from Arsenal.
4. Sergio Ramos and Mesut Ozil
The relationship between former Real Madrid player Mesut Ozil and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos is well-known to everyone, with both of them posting about each other on social media and talking about how good friends they are despite playing for two different clubs now.
3. Marco Reus and Mario Gotze
The German duo have been almost like brothers on the pitch, and it was hard for Marco Reus when Mario Gotze left Borussia Dortmund to join arch-rivals Bayern Munich. This is what Reus said before his Champions League final match:
“If I would have no limits and could spend as much money for a player as I want, I would bring Mario back.”
He didn’t have to, though, as Gotze eventually left Bayern and returned to Signal Iduna Park.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo
There is rarely a celebratory routine for Cristiano Ronaldo without his pal, Marcelo, and the two are always seen cooking up pranks between themselves.
Ronaldo has sealed a move away from Real Madrid to Juventus, and when his transfer was completed, there were rumours that Marcelo would be interested in joining him in Turin - proving that their friendship extends well beyond the pitch.
1. Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso played at Liverpool for five seasons together before the Spanish midfielder moved to Real Madrid. The two together were among the most successful midfield pairs in Premier League history, and they have always been well-wishers of each other.
Gerrard had once said, “Xabi Alonso is the best midfielder I have played with. I miss playing with him.”
