As the 2010s come to a close, football fans will look back on the decade fondly having watched some of the best players to have ever graced the game.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo just didn't slow up as they continued their personal rivalry in the goalscoring charts in LaLiga and the Champions League.
But who else stood out in Europe? Here, Sportsmail picks the best XI consisting of players from LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1.
Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer
Bayern Munich and Schalke
While his performances have dropped off towards the end of the decade due to reoccurring injuries, there's no denying just how influential Manuel Neuer has been.
He redefined the 'sweeper-keeper' role and essentially became his side's 11th outfield player as he possessed brilliant passing, ball control and could read the game quicker than most.
It says a lot that he has captained Bayern for most of this decade, considering his move from fierce rivals Schalke was vehemently opposed by the Bayern ultras to begin with.
It didn't take long for the goalkeeper to win over Bayern supporters, though, as he went on to win a historic treble with the club in 2013 and was even on the Ballon d'Or podium the following year after Germany's triumph at the World Cup in Brazil.
Honourable mentions: Gianluigi Buffon, Jan Oblak, Keylor Navas
Right back: Dani Alves
Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Juventus
For most of the decade, Dani Alves was unopposed when it came to the right-back berth.
Philipp Lahm was consistently brilliant for club and country and came close to making this final XI. However, Alves' trophy haul saw him stand out above the rest.
The Brazilian full-back has won trophies everywhere he's been, having lifted league titles in Spain, France and Italy while also he also has two Champions League titles to his name with Barcelona.
While he was always a decent defender, his talent going forward was undeniable and he became a world-class winger for the Catalan giants before enjoying trophy-laden stints at Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
He may not be the sublime right back that he once was but Alves still managed to win the Golden Ball at this year's Copa America, proving he's still one hell of a player at the age of 36.
Honourable mentions: Philipp Lahm, Dani Carvajal
Centre back: Sergio Ramos
Real Madrid
What a decade it's been for Sergio Ramos.
Before even getting onto what he's accomplished for Real Madrid, Ramos was a part of Spain's World Cup winning squad in 2010 before going on to become a two-time European champion in 2012.
He will go down as one of the game's greatest captains and has always been the man for the big moments, having scored in two Champions League finals.
Better yet, he played a vital role in Real's four European trophies this decade, captain in three of them, while continuing to be the person every team-mate looks to in the dressing room.
While Ramos' disciplinary record is terrible, he is certainly the man you want in the heart of your defence.
Honourable mentions: Raphael Varane, Diego Godin, Pepe
Centre back: Giorgio Chiellini
Juventus
There have been many great defenders to grace this decade and it's a tough call to leave many of them out.
Gerard Pique has been imperious for Barcelona but Giorgio Chiellini gets the nod alongside Ramos in defence.
Known for being an courageous, aggressive, and a hard-tackling centre-back, Chiellini is a throwback to football's old school defender.
The Italian centre back has been a mainstay in the Juventus backline for 15 years now and continues to guide them to domestic glory year in and year out.
Chiellini has been central to Juve's eight consecutive Serie A titles and he was named in UEFA's Team of the Year in 2017.
Honourable mentions: Gerard Pique, Leonardo Bonucci, Thiago Silva
Left back: Marcelo
Real Madrid
While his continued inclusion in the FIFPro World XI may have slowly became a meme, there is no denying just how consistent Marcelo has been this decade.
While there is some debate whether he deserved to be included in this year's team due to his poor run of form at Real, Marcelo has been on top of his game at the beginning of this decade before helping Los Blancos stamp their dominance in the Champions League.
Like his compatriot Dani Alves, Marcelo is solid defensively and offers a new dimension in attack while having that Brazilian flair fans have become accustomed with.
A shout for Jordi Alba would have been justified but given what Marcelo achieved with Real Madrid, the 31-year-old gets the nod.
Honourable mentions: Jordi Alba, David Alaba
Centre midfield: Luka Modric
Real Madrid
It would be harsh to leave out the only man to break Ronaldo and Messi's stranglehold on the Ballon d'Or this decade.
Luka Modric lifted football's best individual prize in 2018 after guiding Croatia to the World Cup final and playing a starring role in Real Madrid's dominance in Europe's elite club competition.
Modric didn't get off to the best of starts in Madrid and was actually voted as the worst signing of the season by Spanish newspaper Marca in his first campaign at the Bernabeu.
However, that didn't faze the Croatian star and is now one of Real's most decorated midfielders in their history.
Honourable mentions: Casemiro, Marco Verratti
Centre midfield: Andres Iniesta
Barcelona
Alongside Sergio Busquets and Xavi, Andres Iniesta was a part of one of the most formidable midfield trios the modern game has ever seen.
Iniesta has been described as an enigmatic architect and his often selfless role in the centre of the park sometimes saw him go unnoticed when praised was dished out.
He would control and dictate play with effortless ease and his brilliance was often misunderstood and underestimated given that he may not have been backed up by statistics.
Nevertheless, it says everything given that he came second in the 2010 Ballon d'Or before finishing third in the voting two years later.
He picked up five LaLiga titles and two Champions League winners' medals with the Catalan giants this decade before leaving for Vissel Kobe last year.
Honourable mentions: Ivan Rakitic, Andrea Pirlo
Centre midfield: Xavi
Barcelona
One third of arguably the greatest midfield-three ever, Xavi had to make this team alongside Iniesta.
The 39-year-old was the master at evading pressure, exploiting the space and taking the game by the scruff of the neck.
His pinpoint passing and brilliant reading of the game made him a nightmare to defend against, while his ball-control was only matched by that of Iniesta.
Xavi was a vital cog to the way Barcelona played and function, leading to the club's dominance domestically and in Europe at the start of the decade.
Just like Iniesta, Xavi played a crucial role in creating Barcelona's golden era.
Honourable mentions: Toni Kroos, Sergio Busquets
Right winger: Lionel Messi
Barcelona
What more can be said about Lionel Messi?
Arguably the greatest player to ever grace the game, Messi is outstanding in every department whether that's scoring goals, setting them up or dribbling rings around opponents.
In this decade alone, Messi has scored an unfathomable 563 goals for club and country while he has also created 216 more.
Having won all there is to win at club level, Messi also went ahead of Ronaldo when it comes to individual accolades having collected his sixth Ballon d'Or earlier this month – one more than the Portuguese forward.
Messi doesn't look like he's slowing down either at the age of 32 and still has quite a few more years left at the top level.
Honourable mentions: Arjen Robben, Gareth Bale
Striker: Robert Lewandowski
Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich
Often over-looked and under-appreciated, Robert Lewandowski leads the line in this starting XI.
The Polish striker has been at the top of his game for so many years now, dominating the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
In the nine-and-a-half years he's played in Germany's top-flight, Lewandowski has scored 221 goals in 306 league appearances, while netting a further 63 goals in 85 appearances in the Champions League.
In this decade alone, only Messi and Ronaldo have scored more goals than Lewandowski, which only confirms how great the 31-year-old has been.
Before Christmas, Lewandowski has scored a staggering 30 goals in all competitions and doesn't look like stopping. Let's hope he doesn't.
Honourable mentions: Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Karim Benzema, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Left winger: Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid and Juventus
One of the best in a generation and one of the greatest to ever grace the game – Ronaldo is an absolute machine.
From scoring goals and winning trophies to becoming a global icon, Ronaldo has literally done it all.
Like many of his former team-mates on this list, the former Manchester United winger won four European titles with Real Madrid this decade while also picking up four Ballon d'Or awards.
The Portuguese superstar broke records for fun and went on to become Real's best ever goalscorer in just nine years at the club, scoring a jaw-dropping 450 goals in 438 games.
His raw athleticism, pace and determination makes Ronaldo one of the games all-time greats and arguably the best ever.
So like Messi, his spot was always guaranteed.
Honourable mentions: Neymar, Franck Ribery, Marco Reus
