Cristiano Ronaldo Left out of Andrea Pirlo's Champions League Dream Team

Andrea Pirlo, World Cup winner and bearded master of passing, has failed to pick Cristiano Ronaldo in his Champions League dream team.

101 Great Goals tweeted the Juventus star's selection of greats:

Pirlo's selection includes an interesting mixture of former team-mates, competitors and current stars. Most noticeable is the inclusion of Lionel Messi, who recently lost out to Ronaldo in the 2014 Ballon d'Or stakes. Many would choose both, but interestingly, Pirlo outlined Messi as the game's best in his squad description.

"(Messi) Has achieved so much, but still I am sure will achieve so much more," said Pirlo, reported by the Daily Mail. "I don't need to talk in detail about what he is capable of. Everybody knows he is one of the greatest ever already."

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Messi recently became the competition's all-time leading goalscorer, beating Ronaldo to Raul's previous mark of 71 goals. It was CR7 who posted a more impressive 2013-14 run, though, scoring a record-breaking 17 goals en route to securing Madrid's La Decima title.

Pirlo's own style and identity is replicated in his selection. Notice the central midfield duo of Paul Scholes and Xavi Hernandez, two individuals whose ability to dictate the tempo of matches can be compared to the Italian.

Like Pirlo, both Scholes and Xavi are known for an exquisite range of passing. All three are famous for ensuring matches progress at their own pace, starting attacking moves by spreading play and creating space. While Scholes has now retired from playing for Manchester United, his ability to score important goals remains fabled at Old Trafford; not too dissimilar to Pirlo's output.

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Pirlo's discussion of Scholes appears in the Daily Mail's's article, tweeted by 101:

Gennaro Gattuso's inclusion also speaks volumes about Pirlo, who appreciates the subtle technicalities of the game. Gattuso used to break-up play brilliantly for Milan, allowing his colleague time to weave passes together. Similarly, Filippo Inzaghi wasn't as explosive as Ronaldo, but he played a major role in Pirlo gaining his European success.

Personal preference undoubtedly plays a major role here, as the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Ryan Giggs and many others would likely be popular choices in other selections. Pirlo's team certainly ranks with the best, however, despite overlooking some of the continent's most notable performers.

It would be interesting to see whether Ronaldo would include Pirlo, or indeed Messi, in his personal Champions League dream team. The Portuguese star is an era-defining player who is currently going in search of his third European title, a number which would put him above Pirlo.