UEFA releases its all-time Champions League XI; fans react over missing players

With 11 Ballon d'Or crowns shared between them, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi unsurprisingly got the nod in an all-time UEFA Champions League XI voted for by fans. World Cup winner Thierry Henry was picked as the centre-forward while only one Englishman - Steven Gerrard - made the cut. Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique made up the centre-back pairing but several fans on social media were still fuming over some of the football icons that missed out on making it into the eleven. 

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Fans react to UEFA's all-time Champions League XI

Earlier this week, UEFA announced the 50-man shortlist in contention for a place in the 2020 Team of the Year as fans will get their say in the public vote to determine the final XI. However, in anticipation of the 2020 victors, UEFA has decided to highlight the players that made their way into their Team of the Year the most in the 21st century. 

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Europe's governing body has named it their 'Ultimate Team of the Year: the all-time XI' with legends of the game from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool also featuring. Here's a look at UEFA's all-time Champions League XI and the time when each player made it into UEFA's Team of the Year -

• Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
• Right-back: Sergio Ramos (2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
• Centre-back(R): Gerard Pique (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016)
• Centre-back(L):Carles Puyol (2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010)
• Left-back: Philipp Lahm (2006, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• Centre-midfield: Xavi (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
• Centre-midfield (R): Andres Iniesta (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016)
• Centre-midfield (L): Steven Gerrard (2005, 2006, 2007)
• Right-wing: Lionel Messi (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
• Left-wing: Cristiano Ronaldo (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
• Centre-Forward: Thierry Henry (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006)

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Fans on social media were quick to react to UEFA's all-time Champions League XI with some highlighting the disrespect for the missing players. One wrote, "How is Gerrard in there over Zidane?", while another added, "Wow, No Ronaldo or Ronaldinho but Gerrard and Henry instead. This is nonsense." A third wrote, "Imagine seeing the team you have Pique and Lahm over Nesta and Maldini. What a joke"

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Image Credits - Leo Messi, Juventus Instagram