Asante Kotoko captain Michael 'Gaddafi' Akuffo believes Lionel Messi is the best player currently on earth after his heroics in 2014, revealing that the Argentine is part of his dream team.

“Messi is undoubtedly the best player I've seen in my career despite the existence of [Cristiano] Ronaldo," Akuffo told Goal Ghana. “He makes everything possible on the field of play for his team, I admire him very well.”

The 29-year-old chose his dream team but ignored Ghana's all-time goalscorer Asamoah Gyan and finest African player in the 1990s Abedi Pele who won the African Best Player on three consecutive occasions and chose Samuel Osei Kuffour as the only African in his side.

Akuffo named four world's best players Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and [Luis Nazaro] Ronaldo, noting that the Brazilian forward punished every defender and goalkeeper with the slightest blunder.

“Certainly there must be Ronaldo from Brazil and Zidane in my all-time dream team with 4-4-2 formation. These two great forwards will leave you wondering all night because never will they forgive you for any kind of blunder you commit.

“I cannot remember any half chances they squandered; they were clinical in front of goal," he recalled. Akuffo also lined up former Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Khan, defenders consisting of countryman Samuel Osei Kuffour who won the Uefa Champions League with the Bavarians, Brazilian Cafu and Lucio, French international Lizarazu.

“I would have loved to have in post Khan with defense in countryman [Samuel] Osei Kuffour in my team partnering Lucio with Cafu and Lizarazu on the laterals. These defenders can save you from the Electricity Company of Ghana,” he joked.

“In midfield, I will love to play along with Netherland's Nigel De Jong, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina's Messi with France's Zidane and Brazilian Ronaldo [Nazaro] spearheading the attack.”

Michael Akuffo joined Kotoko in 2011 and guided the Kumasi-based club to their first-ever double last season after winning the Ghana top-flight league and FA Cup since formation in 1935.