Published on 08:43 PM, January 31, 2024

No Ronaldo in Di Maria’s all-time best eleven of teammates   

Photos: AFP/Twitter

Argentina forward Angel Di Maria has snubbed five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in his best eleven of players he has played with throughout his career when he named the lineup in an interview with TYC Sports yesterday. 

2022 World Cup winner Di Maria, fitted former Real Madrid teammates left-back Marcelo and centre-back Sergio Ramos into the eleven but left out Ronaldo, with whom he spent four years at the Santiago Bernabeu following his arrival in 2010 from Benfica. 

The duo played 166 games together across all competitions, with the Portuguese superstar assisting Di Maria three times, while the 35-year-old Argentine returned the favour on 25 occasions. 

A player for the big occasions, Di Maria won the Player of the Match award in Real Madrid's 2013-14 UEFA Champions League final triumph in Lisbon which brought him his first and only UCL winners' medal.

Ronaldo was pivotal in Real's run as he found the net 17 times, the highest by a player in a season. 

Di Maria's eleven was PSG-heavy as he included Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and his Argentine teammate eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi.