Hugo Ekitike, a Liverpool striker, has revealed his preferred starting eleven. The Frenchman joined the Reds for £69 million from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer and has hit the ground running, scoring four goals in six appearances as he makes a strong case to keep his place ahead of record signing Alexander Isak.
This week, the 23-year-old grabbed news for a variety of reasons. During Arne Slot’s side’s 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Southampton, Ekitike removed his jersey to mimic Lionel Messi’s classic celebration, holding it up to the crowd. He was sent off for a second yellow card and fined two weeks’ pay, despite the fact that he had already been booked.
Toggling between his reputation among Liverpool fans as a rising star ready to take the Premier League by storm and among rivals as a controversial figure with a hit-and-miss mentality, the forward has snubbed both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in naming his all-time dream lineup, courtesy of Stan Sport – a decision that is unlikely to please his detractors.
Keeper and Defence
Alexis MacAllister stated that he never completely understood the hoopla surrounding Alisson until joining Liverpool, and the same is likely true for Ekitike, who chose the current world’s greatest custodian and club captain, Virgil van Dijk, widely regarded as the best centre-back, in his all-time team. The duo constituted two-thirds of Liverpool’s spine during the club’s glory years under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, winning a slew of silverware together, including a Champions League and two Premier League crowns.
In terms of Champions League history, no defender has had the same level of prestige as Sergio Ramos. Ramos has 17 goals in 142 appearances, setting records on both fronts as a defender. He also won the competition four times, was elected into the FIFPRO World11 on eleven occasions (including ten consecutive years from 2010 to 2020), was named Champions League Defender of the Year twice, and appeared in the UEFA Team of the Year nine times.
Ramos’ achievements won him a berth in Ekitike’s starting lineup, with full-backs Marcelo and Dani Alves. Marcelo is Real Madrid’s most decorated player of all time, whereas Dani Alves, who won 43 titles with Brazil, Barcelona, and PSG, is the second most decorated player in history, following only Lionel Messi.
Midfield
If games are won in the middle, an engine room with Steven Gerrard, Zinedine Zidane, and Yaya Toure possesses practically every component required for global dominance. Ekitike has picked Gerrard, probably the best complete midfielder of the twenty-first century, whose Roy of the Rovers-like heroics at childhood club Liverpool were the driving force behind Istanbul’s Miracle of 2005.
Toure, on the other hand, had it all: the speed of a goods train, the might of a rocket, and the adaptability of a unicorn. The Ivorian was a key catalyst in Manchester City’s most successful moments under Pep Guardiola. Though he is no longer in England’s gloomy northern core, he is nevertheless seen as a predecessor to the Cityzens’ extraordinary success.
There isn’t much to say about Zinedine Zidane that hasn’t previously been said by others. ‘Zizou’ left an incredible legacy, winning both the World Cup and the European Championship and being named the best player in both competitions, with the former earning him the Ballon d’Or in the same year (1998).
Attack
Ekitike’s inclusion of Mohamed Salah as a fourth Liverpool player in his team demonstrates that he made the correct decision in joining Anfield this summer. He certainly has a predisposition towards the Reds, as he chose the Egyptian King over Ronaldo and Messi. However, Salah’s Premier League longevity and repeated Ballon d’Or snubs make him one of the most unappreciated footballers ever.
The 33-year-old has been producing figures on pace with the best for numerous years, with his breakout season coming last season, when he broke the league record for goal involvement in a single season – 47 in 38 games. Thierry Henry is widely regarded as one of the top players in the Premier League.
When he arrived in England in 1999, the Frenchman, who was first and foremost an entertainer, completely changed the way football was seen. Two Premier League titles, four Golden Boots, and 175 goals later, he has left an everlasting mark.
So has Samuel Eto’o, who has been among the top goal and assist givers since 2000, despite the fact that players such as Luis Suarez, Karim Benzema, and Robert Lewandowski frequently receive more recognition and play a larger role in lineups of this nature. Check out Ekitike’s dream lineup in full below:
https://www.instagram.com/stansportfc/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bbaa37e4-6c20-4f79-99e2-1170f3e240d7
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