On this week's Team 33, our interviewee Matthew Whitehouse outlined what football of the future will look like and how the concept of "universality" will be of paramount importance.

Listen in to the interview via the podcast player or stream/download for free via iTunes:

In essence, it is a future with multi-functional footballers, comfortable in many different positions and capable of interchanging fluidly. They are the type of players Pep Guardiola and coaches of his ilk prize above all.

So I've picked a line-up based around the concept of football's future with current players:

Of course, other players like Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller, Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez, Liverpool's Emre Can and Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen share some of these traits, just to name a few.

Manuel Neuer

The Germany and Bayern Munich goalkeeper could have been a midfielder - and pretty much plays as an auxiliary outfielder at times.

Philipp Lahm

Among the best players in the world at both full-back positions, he has also been converted into a midfielder of elite quality at Bayern Munich by Guardiola, to the point that Germany manager Joachim Low even adopted the change at international level at times. Even yesterday, he played in another role against FC Porto, taking up a right midfield position.

David Alaba

Arguably even more multi-functional than Bayern team-mate Lahm, the Austrian is a brilliant left-back and excels in a variety of central and wide midfield roles, which makes him an important part of Pep's Bayern.

Javier Mascherano

Probably Argentina's best player at the last World Cup, if we're being honest, he was back in his usual midfield position at the tournament.

Another one to discover another dimension under Guardiola, he has slotted seamlessly into the defence under Pep's successor to the point where he is almost seen as more of a centre-back than midfielder at Barcelona.

Javi Martinez

Like Mascherano, the Bayern Munich and Spain player is comfortable in both defence and midfield. He even played as an auxiliary attacking midfielder for Pep in a tactical victory over Borussia Dortmund last season as Guardiola attempted to out-smart Jurgen Klopp's high press.

Arturo Vidal

The Chilean has played in almost every position during his career. An elite level attacker and defender, he can pretty much cover every midfield position for Juventus and his country.

Santi Cazorla

He's able to play on the wing, behind the striker and lately has found joy as a deep-lying playmaker, the Arsenal man is a brilliant tool for Arsene Wenger to have. And as it's always said, it's hard to know if he is left or right footed, such is his proficiency on either side.

Daley Blind and Christian Eriksen (AP Photo/Jon Super

Daley Blind

As Pat Nevin told our Off The Ball colleagues recently, the Dutch midfielder is the quintessential Louis van Gaal player. Already at Man United, he has filled in at left-back, central midfield, holding midfield and is also capable of playing in central defence if called upon.

James Rodriguez

The World Cup golden boy is also hard to pin down. Deadly as a No 10, he can also play out wide in a more advanced role and has also played in a deeper midfield role at times for Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi 

The best player in the world, regardless of what those pressing Cristiano Ronaldo's claims think. His goal rate needs little introduction, but what really sets him apart is the chances he creates for team-mates. Indeed, this season he has had more key passes in the Champions League than any other player, with Ronaldo for example languishing outside the Top 80.

Made the False 9 position his own, even if he wasn't the first of the genre but can drift into almost every forward and attacking midfield role on the pitch. You could even imagine him doing a fine job as a deep-lying playmaker on the other side of 30.

Mario Gotze

The scorer of the World Cup final's only goal, the former Borussia Dortmund man has not excelled at Bayern Munich per se but the fact that he can play as a False 9, No 10, wide player and attacking midfielder makes him the perfect Guardiola player once he becomes a consistent threat.