Without Ronaldo and Messi. Karim Benzema names his dream team

Forward Karim Benzema of Al-Ittihad has revealed his "dream team" on the social media platforms of the Saudi club.

Unsurprisingly, the former French international athlete included himself in the lineup. However, what truly came as a surprise was the absence of Lionel Messi and his former Real Madrid colleague Cristiano Ronaldo from this dream team.

Many rightfully consider Messi and Ronaldo as the best players in history, with Messi having won eight "Ballon d'Or" awards and Ronaldo securing five. They are the most decorated and sought-after footballers at present. Nevertheless, neither of them made it through the selection process for Benzema's team.

The absence of Messi might find a logical explanation in the fierce competition, especially considering their rivalry during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively. However, this didn't stop him from including Dani Alves on the right defensive flank. Nonetheless, the exclusion of Ronaldo, with whom he spent nine years at "Los Blancos" (2009-2018), indeed constitutes a surprise.

Karim's dream team is replete with former teammates from Real Madrid, particularly in defense, and it features many legends of the French national team, such as Zinedine Zidane. Here is the complete lineup of Karim Benzema's dream team:

Manuel Neuer, Dani Alves, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Claude Makélélé, Paul Pogba, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo (R9), and Karim Benzema, respectively.