The greatest five-a-side team in football history named by AI | OneFootball

Highlights

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are seen side by side, as the greatest five-a-side team in the history of football has been named by AI, as per The Mirror.

AI resolves one of football’s biggest debacles, filtering through thousands of champions to generate the world’s best five-a-side team. The incredible pace and tightness of the five-man pitch requires a different kind of invincibility on the ball, meaning only the greatest of all time made the final cut, but that also means some unbelievable names failed to make the side!

Greatest Players of All-Time Ranked

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Football's greatest 5-a-side team

Goalkeeper - Lev Yashin

Between the sticks is none other than Lev Yashin, the only goalkeeper in history to have won the Ballon d’Or. The Russian shot-stopper saved 151 penalties and kept over 270 clean sheets over the course of his career, a feat to scare any striker.

Surprisingly, Yashin actually began his career as an ice hockey player, where his impressive defending attracted the attention of Alexei Khomich. Khomich turned Yashin’s potential into a Soviet national team treasure, continuing his legacy. ‘The Black Panther’ earned his nickname from his iconic all black kit and acrobatic agility and spent his entire 18-year career at Dynamo Moscow, winning five league titles and three cups, not to mention his Olympic gold medal in Melbourne 1956.

While some argue that the 'keepers of today face far better players than the strikers of the 1960s, nothing can compare to the theoretical consistency and inspiring come-up of a man who went from war factory worker to Ballon d’Or winner.

Defender - Franz Beckenbauer

The brick wall in the defence is none other than Franz Beckenbauer. This German legend possesses the versatility to play as an attacking centre-back and became infamous for sweeping up into the opposition’s half. Beckenbauer is the only man to have captained and managed World Cup winning teams, providing a wealth of wisdom for the five. ‘Der Keiser,’ or ‘The Emperor’ to us, dominated German football, leading Bayern Munich to four league titles and three consecutive European Champions Clubs’ Cups. It’s no wonder AI chose him as the world’s most solid centre-back, but the success doesn’t stop there – he also scored a victorious 14 goals for his country, making him a weapon in the opposition’s half as well as his own.

Midfielder - Andrés Iniesta

Five-a-side is a game suited to only the most technical midfielders; enter Andrés Iniesta. An undisputed choice for the central unit because who else is better known for their timeless tekkers? Home-grown talent from FC Barcelona, he repaid them with a whooping nine La Liga and four Champions League titles.

Best known for assisting and constructing goalscoring opportunities, he was named as the best player in Europe in 2011 after taking Spain to Euros victory in 2008 and 2010, following up with a World Cup win in 2010 - just to prove his point. Iniesta’s Tiki Taka style of play will shine through on a five-a-side pitch, making him a menace in midfield. He has now founded his own sneaker brand, Mikakus Barcelona, inspired by his love of Barcelona.

The biggest debate of 21st century football is levelled as AI places Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo side-by-side as the deadliest duo of all time, with a combined goal total of 1,689 throughout their careers – the opposition 'keeper is likely to contract a net rash.

Messi has eight Ballons d'Or, three more than Ronaldo, but the Portuguese currently claims more goals overall. It is clear to see they both deserve a spot in this squad of superstars. The Argentine hero endured an ironic debut, getting sent off after less than a minute on the pitch in 2005. Safe to say he turned this around, scoring 106 goals for his country and lifting the FIFA World Cup in 2022, a heartwarming moment for Messi fans the world over. He was key in Barcelona’s first ever treble and numerous La Liga titles and became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer at just 24 years old. He signed for PSG in 2021 and then Inter Miami in 2023, continuing his legendary success story. Forbes have estimated his net worth to be around $600 million as a result of this celebrated career.

For the Portuguese prodigy, this is no threat, with Ronaldo being the most followed person on Instagram. In a game against West Ham in 2021, he hit a phenomenal speed of 32.5km/h – the fastest footballer to do so. Ronaldo’s rapidness is an asset on the five-a-side field, allowing him to be everywhere at once, much to his opponent’s fear. His list of honours is endless, with five Champions League wins and three Premier League titles. The football world worships Ronaldo, giving him his own museum and module in a university degree – arguably valuing him above any other footballer in history.

Although football may never get to see Messi and Ronaldo play in the same line-up, the prospect is enthralling for football fans across the globe. However, not everyone worships the duo. José Mourinho, when asked who his all-time great would be, selected Ronaldo El Fenomeno. AI may be useful for composing top teams, but it will never be able to predict the outrageous career that would have succeeded if it wasn’t for a career-ending injury. “He was the best player I’d ever seen take to the field.” – a bold statement to make about the Brazilian, whose career was cut short by a horrific tendon rupture.