World's most valuable XI aged 33 or higher named; PSG superstar Lionel Messi makes it but Cristiano Ronaldo misses out
GiveMeSport recently made a list of the most valuable players in the world aged 33 or over. Lionel Messi was included. However, Cristiano Ronaldo was left out. The list was based on a Transfermarkt algorithm.
Messi and Ronaldo have been subjected to comparisons for almost 15 years now. That said, their seasons with their respective clubs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Manchester United have started in a contrasting manner.
Messi seems to have found the old aura that he missed during his first season in France after making a move from Barcelona. After a paltry tally of 11 goals and 15 assists from 34 games last season, the Argentine has started the current campaign in style. He has scored eight goals and assisted eight more in 13 games in all competitions so far.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, has scored only once in eight games for the Red Devils so far this campaign. He has only started one out of seven Premier League games.
He didn't make the aforementioned list either. Here are the players that were included in the most valuable over-33 XI:
Bayern Munich custodian Manuel Neuer, 36, is the most valued over-33 goalkeeper at an estimated valuation of £13.5 million.
Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta and Barcelona's Jordi Alba are the full-backs with valuations of £8.1 million and £5.85 million, respectively.
The center-back positions are held by PSG's Sergio Ramos and Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels. They are valued at £5.4 million and £5.85, respectively.
Luka Modric, 37, and Idrissa Gueye, 33, of Everton, are the central midfielders, with both valued at £9 million.
Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller, 33, and PSG's Lionel Messi take up the right and left wings, respectively. The German is valued at £19.8 million, while the Argentine's valuation is £45 million.
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski and Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, both 34, are the two strikers in the XI. The Polish striker has a value of £40.5 million, while the Frenchman is valued at £27 million.
Pundit says Lionel Messi is hurting Cristiano Ronaldo's legacy
Fox Sports Soccer pundit Alexi Lalas recently said that Lionel Messi is hurting Cristiano Ronaldo's legacy due to his glittering form for PSG this season (via State of the Union Podcast):
"I think his legacy is being hurt right now. And everybody has a twilight of their career, and a lot of times it’s not playing, it’s not scoring. And you’re a shell of your former self. I get that. Very few actually go out on high, but Messi still hasn’t had that, and it remains to be seen whether he will ever have that.”