Ronaldo, Bale and Pogba all feature in football’s amazing all-time most expensive XI – but the defence looks a bit shaky
HAVE you ever wondered what the most expensively-assembled side in football history would look like?
Well, you’re about to find out.
Aside from one, every star included in the star-studded XI is still playing.
The side boasts a formidable attack, with the trio all playing in last season’s Champions League final.
And, in between the sticks is an all-time great.
The midfield boasts power, skill and goals — with two French superstars.
But the defence leaves much to be desired, with two Englishmen included.
Three of players in this team were signed by Premier League clubs.
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Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Buffon — Parma to Juventus: £33million, 2001
In many people’s eyes, the greatest goalkeeper in history.
Buffon is now 38, but is in contention to win the Ballon d’Or after an incredible campaign with Juventus.
Has won everything in the game — apart from the Champions League.
Defence
Dani Alves — Sevilla to Barcelona: £30m, 2008
The original deal was for £23m, plus £7m in add-ons.
And Alves certainly ensured his former side got every single penny available.
Has won a staggering 23 major trophies in eight seasons — a basic return of £1m per honour.
John Stones — Everton to Manchester City: £47.5m, 2016
Was thought to be the most important signing of Pep Guardiola’s first summer in charge at the Etihad.
The former Barcelona boss wanted him to be his Gerard Pique and bring the ball out of defence to start attacking forays.
However, Stones was often left exposed by City’s midfield and was guilty of high-profile errors.
David Luiz — Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain: £50m, 2014
Even by big-spending PSG’s standards, this was shocking.
Luiz often divided opinion during his first spell in England, drifting between glimpses of brilliance and committing being guilty of horrendous lapses in concentration.
However, he return to Chelsea last summer and was named in the PFA Players’ Team of the Year as he helped the Blues win the Premier League.
Luke Shaw — Southampton to Manchester United: £34m, 2014
Yes, the most expensive left-back in the history of football.
Big things were expected of Shaw, and few eyelids were batted when United parted with the huge sum to sign the Premier League’s best left-back from previous season.
However, he has failed to kick on and his Old Trafford future has even been called into serious question.
Midfield
Paul Pogba — Juventus to Manchester United: £89m, 2016
Has certainly failed to justify his world-record fee, but there are signs of improvement in recent months.
Pogba famously left United on a free and returned four years later, only to struggle with the weight of expectation.
However, he scored in the Europa League final victory over Ajax and has impressed for France during summer friendlies.
Zinedine Zidane — Juventus to Real Madrid: £47m, 2001
Became the world’s most-expensive player when he signed — and no one batted an eyelid as he was considered the best player around.
Zidane initially justified his fee with an outrageous winner in the Champions League final, before adding a La Liga title in his second season.
However, he would add just one Spanish Super Cup in his final three seasons with the club before retiring from football.
James Rodriguez — Monaco to Real Madrid: £63m, 2014
Colombian joined on the back of winning the Golden Boot at the World Cup.
But it hasn’t quite worked out as Rodriguez would have liked — having failed to play a single minute of either Champions League final since he’s been at the club.
Still just 25, he is expected to leave the Bernabeu this summer.
Forwards
Cristiano Ronaldo — Manchester United to Real Madrid: £80m, 2009
An absolute snip.
Ronaldo was already a world beater at United, but has surpassed all expectations at Real Madrid and will go down as one of the game’s greatest-ever players.
Since the making the move, he was won the Champions League three times and is about to win his fourth Ballon d’Or — which would make it five in total and equal Lionel Messi’s current record.
Gonzalo Higuain — Napoli to Juventus: £75.3m, 2016
One of the most controversial transfers of all-time, as Higuain became an instant villain in the eyes of the Napoli fans who had adored him.
The Argentine had netted a record 36 Serie A goals in the season before making the move.
However, his total of 32 in this campaign may seem impressive, had not he not failed to show up in the biggest games — a blight which has followed him his entire career.
Gareth Bale — Tottenham to Real Madrid: £86m, 2013
Was the world’s most-expensive player for three years — and enjoyed the best first season of any British export.
Bale netted winners in the Champions League and Copa del Rey finals, and has now won every possible trophy in Spain.
However, on a personal level, he has struggled to elevate himself to the levels of Ronaldo as many had expected of him — scoring just 67 for Los Blancos with the Portuguese ace hitting 205 in the same period.