As Franz Beckenbauer once so memorably sang: "Good friends can never be parted, good friends are never alone." What holds true in life naturally applies to football as well.

So, to celebrate Friendship Day on 2 August, we’re looking back at some of the finest bromances the game has given us.

"Poldi and Schweini" are surely the standout example of close friendship in German professional football. Since the 2006 World Cup at the very latest, the two superstars have won over fans everywhere.

It is not only on the pitch that Lionel Messi and his ideal partner from Uruguay share remarkable chemistry. Away from football too, the two South Americans enjoy a close friendship. It is therefore hardly a surprise that both now play for Inter Miami.

It almost feels as though the two Roma legends spent their entire careers side by side. In both the Giallorossi shirt and Italy’s famous azure blue jersey, they celebrated major success. They were also always perfectly in sync when it came to humour.

The same can be said of Mario Götze and Marco Reus. The two technically gifted players know each other inside out from their time at BVB and with the Germany national team. On a personal level as well, they have always clicked.

Shared stages in a career often create especially strong bonds. That is true of very few pairings more than this Belgian duo. They regularly lined up together for the national team, Chelsea and Real Madrid. But their friendship stretches back even further than that.

Even among coaches, deep friendships can develop. That is especially true of the bond between Jürgen Klopp and David Wagner. When the current Germany head coach got married in 2005, Wagner stood beside him as best man.

"Ibra" and his Brazilian friend played together at Ajax, Inter, Barcelona and PSG. There are even rumours that they shared a flat during their time in the Netherlands.

What a pair they were. As relentless trophy winners and natural entertainers, the two Brazilians lit up world football in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

There are only 15 months between the two Dutchmen in age, so it is no surprise that they get on so well. At a young age, they amazed almost the whole of Europe’s elite with Ajax.

Guti and Raúl did something similar across almost their entire careers. Especially at Real Madrid, the two friends collected a long list of trophies. It was only with the Spain national team that success arrived after both had already moved on.

Now it’s your turn: which football bromances did we miss? Let us know in the comments!