There’s a giant Ronaldo-shaped hole in Cesc Fabregas’ ultimate XI of current players

As if a further indictment of British football in 2015 was needed, Cesc Fabregas has gone and named precisely zero British players in his ultimate XI of current footballers.

The Chelsea midfielder was asked to offer up his selection for Match of the Day magazine and also stirred up controversy by failing to reward reigning Ballon d'Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo with a place. Fabregas popped Blues teammate Thibaut Courtois between the sticks of his fantasy team before naming a back four of Cesar Azpilicueta, Marquinhos, Gerard Pique and David Alaba. The Spaniard was kind enough to give himself a place in a midfield which also features Paul Pogba and Marco Verratti. And Fabregas opted to include Eden Hazard, not Ronaldo, on the left side of a front three filled out by Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. When asked by the interviewer about the glaring lack of British players in his XI, Fabregas said: "No British players, really? Oh, I didn't realise, I swear. There are lots of good British players." Too late, Cesc. Too late.