When Lionel Messi was in his Barcelona pomp they were, unquestionably, the best team in the world.
They’ve long since been that of course with manager, Pep Guardiola, now ensuring his Man City side have taken on that particular mantle.
That Barca side, from 2008/09 to 2014/15, have to also be in the conversation for the best ever sides, and though Messi was the King of Camp Nou, he didn’t do it all on his own.
Neymar, Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro, David Villa, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o, Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol and many, many more, all played their part.
One player who dovetailed brilliantly with Messi and, in fact, provided the second most assists (42) to him during his time at the club, per Planet Football, was marauding right-back, Dani Alves.
Only Luis Suarez with 47 assists tops that particular list, evidencing just how important Alves was to Messi’s earlier years at Barcelona.
Unfortunately, their trajectories have gone in opposite directions now.
Messi was, finally, victorious at a World Cup with Argentina in 2022 and is now seeing out his playing days at Inter Miami.
Alves also played at the last World Cup, however, he was then arrested in January for alleged sexual assault in December in Barcelona, after the tournament in Qatar had finished.
BBC Sport report that he’s been in jail since January with no possibility of bail, and that the Spanish Public Prosecutor is recommending a term of nine years in jail for the Brazilian who has also seen his marriage fail as a result of the allegations.