Tonali reveals his best XI of teammates past and present: Three Italians

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 22: Zlatan Ibrahimovic looks on with team mate Sandro Tonali during the warm up ahead of the UEFA Europa League Group H stage match between Celtic and AC Milan at Celtic Park on October 22, 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Sandro Tonali has named three Italy colleagues in his all-time best XI of teammates past and present, along with a core of Milan stars from the last five years including Rafael Leao and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. 

Tonali, who teamed up with the Italy national team squad at Coverciano on Monday, has revealed his all-time best XI of teammates in a promotional video with Pro:Direct soccer. 

Three of the players he included play for his current team, Newcastle. He had played with six of them for Milan and with three of them for the Italy national team. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Tonali’s pick in goal, overlaps with both Milan and Italy. 

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – SEPTEMBER 08: Sandro Tonali of Italy looks on during a Italy training session at Bozsik Stadion on September 08, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

In front of Donnarumma, Tonali went with a back four of England international Kieran Trippier, former Rossoneri centre-back Simon Kjaer, Inter and Italy centre-back Alessandro Tonali and Theo Hernandez, currently of Al-Hilal, at left-back. 

His three midfielders include another Italy teammate in Nicolo Barella, along with former Milan midfielder Franck Kessie and Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes. 

Two of Milan’s biggest stars of the last 10 years feature in Tonali’s attack, namely Rafael Leao and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His selection at right wing may come as a bit of a surprise: Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy. 

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 03: Sandro Toniali and Rafael Leao of AC Milan look dejected following the team’s defeat during the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Cremonese at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 03, 2023 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Among the big-name players that were left out of the team are Mike Maignan, Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco, Federico Chiesa, Mario Balotelli and Olivier Giroud.  

Tonali’s all-time best XI of teammates past and present 

(4-3-3): Donnarumma; Trippier, Kjaer, Bastoni, T.Hernandez; Barella, Kessie, Bruno G.; Murphy, Ibrahimovic, Leao.

Post navigation