La Galaxia de Estrellas

My goalie would be Dida. Then, on the right side of my defence, I would have Cafu, and the team’s other full-back would be my younger brother, Digão, (currently on loan with Serie B club Rimini, having come through the Milan youth ranks). He is just coming up in the game and there is no doubt that he will certainly become a major player. As my final defender, I would pick Paolo Maldini. On the left of my midfield would be Serginho, a good friend of mine at Milan. I would also find a position in midfield for my father, Bosco, who was a great, very mobile player in junior football in Brazil until he entered university. At that time, football was not as important as it is today. Studying was more popular than football. My father went to college and gave up playing the game. In the centre of midfield, I would play myself alongside Zinedine Zidane, because he is a fantastic player. It is impossible to leave him out. For my last midfielder, I would choose Rai, mainly because was such a great example to me while I played at Sao Paulo. He was the inspiration for the club supporters. I was growing up and he was conquering the world and winning all sorts of titles: the Copa Libertadores, the World Cup. Rai was a wonderful example to me. Up front, there would have to be a place for Pele, who is Brazil’s greatest star and the best player of all time. I would also pick Ronaldo, who in my opinion is not only a great player but also a wonderful person.

Right, first of all, my +10 team would be comprised of players who are no longer active. There are so many great players, that’s why it's rather difficult to put a team like this together. I think I could come up with at least ten equally suited players for every single position, but I like to go with tradition and stick with real legends. As my goalkeeper I'd have Lev Yashin, a true legend. Unfortunately he's no longer alive, but we all remember him and his brilliant saves. Let's look at the defence. It's a 4-3-3 system, so let’s start with the right-back. There, I would have to pick Carlos Alberto, the Brazilian captain in 1970 and one of the best players I've ever seen. He was also my team-mate for five years at New York Cosmos. In central defence would be England’s Bobby Moore, the FIFA World Cup-winning captain of '66 and, alongside him, it would have to be me. My left-back would be Giacinto Facchetti, a fantastic player at Inter Milan, who was the first full-back to really attack from a defensive position, and who scored many goals in the process. My central midfielders would be Bobby Charlton, the English legend, and Alfredo Di Stefano, who to me is one of the best players in the history of this sport. Next to them, on the left, I would play Johan Cruyff. I'd then have George Best on the right because, in my opinion, there never has been anyone better on that side. Finally, up front, I would have to pick Pele, the best player football has ever seen, and on the left I'd have Diego Maradona. I think that's quite a formidable team I've put together there.

I'd probably put Oscar Cordoba in goal, because when I played with him at Boca, he always performed very well. Thanks to him I won a lot of titles, so that's why I'd include him in my team. The same can be said about Hugo Ibarra, who just seems to play better and better as time goes by. He was one of Boca’s main players when we won the Copa Libertadores. He has great spirit, never gives in, and that’s what has impressed me most. At centre-half I’d play Fabricio Coloccini, who’s my friend and an amazing player. He was a world youth champion with Argentina under Pekerman, and is one of the best defenders in the Spanish league. Next to Coloccini, I would have Walter Samuel, because I really like the way he plays. His nickname is ‘the Wall’, which says it all really. I would say that is the best nickname you can hope for as a defender. I would pick Diego Placente for the left-wing position because he is always cool with the ball. He is rarely a spectacular player, but he almost never commits a mistake and is someone you can always rely on. Fernando Redondo would be the heart of my team. I always admired his quality and his passing ability, and he was maybe the best that I have ever seen in terms of covering the field. The most impressive thing for me was that he didn’t do that by running a lot, but rather with his tactical strength and organisation skills. Pablo Aimar would be my playmaker. What a talent! He is just so elegant and always has a trick up his sleeve to pull out at the right moment. Everybody will see at this World Cup what an amazing player he is - he can make the difference in our team. I would be in midfield with these guys, and ahead of us would be my strikers: Gabriel Batistuta and Claudio Caniggia. I would have them because it was always really beautiful to see the two of them playing together. Batistuta was the best striker of the 90s, no doubt about that. He came from nowhere and scored goals like no other; I admire him a lot. Caniggia, on the other hand, was the sort of player who would maybe only appear at some matches, but he had so many spectacular moments. And I will never forget his goal against Brazil at the 1990 World Cup. What a moment for all of us! I only need one more player to make my perfect team and that would obviously be Diego Maradona. There is only one player who should be in every team, and it’s Diego. What he did in Mexico has never been done before, and nobody will come even close to that again. In those few weeks he was better than everyone before him and everyone since.

First of all, I’d take Gianluigi Buffon in goal. I think he has amazing qualities. We’ve been playing in the same team for five years now and won a few titles together. He’s a truly incredible goalkeeper. Then, in defence, my right-back would be Cafu because he’s still fast and has many great qualities. I think he’s an amazing player. In the centre, I would have Lilian Thuram, a player I have known very well ever since we played together at Monaco. I think he has great qualities. Next to Thuram would be Paolo Maldini. No need to add anything. He has been on top for more than 20 years and all I can do is take my hat off to him and say:, 'Well done'. On the left, I would have Roberto Carlos because of his left foot. In his striking of the ball, he is exceptional. He also plays for a really good club and for a national team who always maintain a high level. In midfield, my first pick in the centre would be Patrick Vieira. I think Patrick is a truly extraordinary player. He’s a colleague of mine with France and Juventus and he’s such a strong player; someone who always shows his qualities. He’s strong mentally and tough physically, but in a good way. He’s an exceptional player. I’m someone who likes attacking, so on the right I’d put Zinedine Zidane, the master of football. There’s nothing else I need to say. Then, next to Zizou, I would put Ronaldinho. Voilà! Football! I think those are players we all like to watch, players people would come to matches just to see them play. That’s also very true for the player I would have just in front of the midfield: my idol, Diego Maradona. I think he’s the greatest, the crème de la crème. He’s done it all, he’s proved it all. In front of Maradona, well, there’s me to start with. It’s my team, so you’d expect that I would want to play in it! Then, I’d pick Thierry Henry because of his many qualities and because of all he has achieved with his club. He has scored more than 200 goals for Arsenal in a very difficult league and is also an excellent player for the national team. We get on very well. He’s a player who has showed what he is capable of and has improved massively.

My +10 team would start with Peter Schmeichel in goal. I remember how spectacular he was when he was the Manchester United keeper. At right-back, I’d say the player I’ve liked most in that position over the past few years has been Jorginho, the Brazilian who had such a great World Cup in 1994. In the centre of my defence, I would have Fernando Hierro and Franco Baresi: two great defenders, two captains and two guys who were really the bosses of their teams. Then, at left-back, I would have Roberto Carlos. For me, he is one the best players around today; a very good defender who can also score goals and who’s always capable of the spectacular. In midfield, I would start with player who I always liked very much, Lothar Matthaus, and I would play beside him in central midfield. On the right, I would have Zinedine Zidane, even though he could slot in anywhere. In the last few years, he has been the most creative player in Football; his style, the ease with which he moves – it has been a pleasure to watch. On the left wing, I would play Diego Maradona, someone I just couldn’t leave out of my team. What he did in the World Cup in ‘86, and also in Naples, was just incredible. I think he has been the greatest player of all time. Finally, in the forward line, I’d partner Pele with Marco van Basten. With both players, what makes them special is that, in my opinion, they changed football in their own ways. Both Pele and Van Basten succeeded in establishing a milestone in football terms.

My goalkeeper has to be Peter Schmeichel, someone I was lucky enough to play with at Manchester United. He was a very commanding goalkeeper, a huge presence on the pitch and, for that United team, just incredible. At left-back, Roberto Carlos is the only choice to my mind. He’s an incredible player attacking-wise, but he’s also immense defensively, and that for me makes him one of the best left-backs in the world. One of my two central defenders would have to be the great Bobby Moore, of course. At the moment, he’s the only English captain to have ever won the World Cup for our country, so I would be honoured to have him in my team. Next to him would be Franz Beckenbauer. He was immense on the pitch, just incredible. I never played against him obviously, but I have met him quite a few times and he’s a very nice man. At right-back, I would have a good friend of mine, Gary Neville. I don’t think I’m being biased when I say that he’s one of the best right-backs around. He’s someone I always have full confidence in when we’re playing in the same team, as we did for a long time with Manchester United and now with England. On the right wing, I suppose I would have to pick myself as it’s my team, and it would certainly be special to have a chance to line up alongside the players I’ve picked. My first central midfielder would be Lothar Matthaus, a player who was excellent getting forward and scored goals but was also brilliant at defending and stopping the other team from attacking. An incredible player and a very nice man as well. Next to Matthaus would have to be a ball-player-type midfielder, and the greatest one that I can think of is Zinedine Zidane, the best player I’ve ever played with. I’ve been lucky enough to have played in the same team as Zizou for a few years and I would be honoured to have him in this side too. On the left, it would have to be George Best, one of the Manchester United greats. George was an incredible player, a great person, and his talent was absolutely immense. The first striker I have picked is Ronaldo. He is definitely one of the best forwards I’ve ever played with and, again, it would be an honour to have him in this team. Then, last but not least, I would have Diego Maradona. He was one of the best players ever, if not the best.

Well, to begin with, Stefan Wessels would be in goal. Let's say that he is a great person and a superb goalkeeper. And, of course, he's a former team-mate of mine with Cologne. At left-back, I would have Roberto Carlos, who has been one of the best players in that position for a long time now. Then, as central defenders, I would have my father, who was a professional footballer himself playing alongisde Lucio. I think that Lucio is one of the best defenders in the world at the moment with a lot of pace going forward, but my father was also an excellent defensive player in his time. The right-back in my team would be Cafu, who also applies a lot of pressure up front and is simply a superb defender. As for my number six, it would have to be Patrick Vieira, and alongside him would be Ronaldinho and Bastian Schweinsteiger. On the left, I couldn’t pick anyone else but Pavel Nedved. As for up front, I have to tell you that I would would love to play next to Ronaldo. When it comes to football, he is one of my all-time idols.

In goal, I would play AC Milan’s Dida. To me, he's the best goalie in the world and it would, of course, give confidence to the whole team if we had him behind us. At right-back, I would have another player from AC Milan, Cafu. He’s a brilliant defender and, as old as he may be, he still plays at an extremely high level. I really admire that. In central defence, I'd probably have Alessandro Nesta, and alongside him I’d go for one of my team-mates in the Swiss national team, Philippe Senderos. He is young, but is already a very strong player and he will have a great future in football. On the left, I'd have Roberto Carlos. He is very strong both defensively and offensively and has proved his quality over a number of years. I like the fact that he is a player who never gives up, particularly when you think that he has won all titles that you could possibly want to win as a footballer. On the right of midfield, I'd have myself. That's where I play best and feel most confident. In centre, just in front of the defence, I would play with Andrea Pirlo, another AC Milan player. He has amazing technique and is the perfect modern-type footballer. My No.10 would be the great Zinedine Zidane, to me the best player ever - definitely one of my heroes. On the left, there are a lot of strong players to choose from. One I particularly like is Robert Pires, who used to play for Arsenal and has now moved to Villarreal. He plays on the left a lot even though he is right-footed and has a very elegant style of play that I like very much. Up front, I'd put Thierry Henry and Ronaldo together. Both are very strong players who continue to score over and over again. Any team would love to have those two strikers in their squad.

Firstly, I should say that my dream team will be set up in a 4-3-3 formation. Also, I have decided that I am only going to pick people I've actually played with. I'd have Gianluigi Buffon as my goalie because I've been playing in the national squad with him for ten years and I think he's the number one in that position. Then I'd have Cafu, a very experienced Brazilian and a very good skipper. Paolo Maldini would be my left defender and then in the middle I would have Jaap Stam, because you always need someone powerful in your team. I would play on the left side of central defence beside Stam. In midfield, I'd have Pavel Nedved, a great player with whom I played when I was at Lazio, and beside him I would play Juan Sebastian Veron and Andrea Pirlo. Up front, my first pick would be Andriy Shevchenko, an amazing player whose scoring record at the highest level is excellent. Then I'd have Christian Vieri, another great attacker. Finally, I’d have Beppe Signori, whom I played with at Lazio, to make up my attacking. He's a bit smaller, but was a very fast, tricky player to come up against.

In goal, I would have Petr Cech. He is the best goalkeeper I have ever played with. My right-back would be Cafu, a fantastic player in this position. He has won an awful lot during a great and very long career, and is very solid and strong. In the centre, I would have Jaap Stam and John Terry. I played with Stam in the Dutch team and he’s unbelievably strong; someone you can really depend on. I obviously play with Terry now at Chelsea and I think he’s one of the best central defenders in the world. I also really appreciate him as a captain, I think he’s doing a great job in that role. At left-back, I would have Paolo Maldini - and for the same reasons as Cafu. Maldini has won the Champions League four times, which is incredible, and is obviously a player with real class. In midfield, on the left, I would play myself. Then, in the centre, I would have Romario and Zinedine Zidane. Romario would be in there because he was always my idol, I really enjoyed watching him play. As for Zidane, for the last number of years he has been the best footballer in the world without any doubt. On the right, I would have Dirk Kuyt. It is not really his position, but he has played there quite a few times for the Dutch national team and done well. And yes, he’s a very good guy, a good friend of mine. Up front, I would play Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff. For me, these two guys are the best players that the Netherlands have ever produced and definitely the two best strikers in football history.

In goal, I'll have Oliver Kahn. Not only because he was my team-mate at Bayern, but because every day in the national team I'm a witness to his ambition, his charisma and his willingness to succeed. He has achieved so much, he's been playing at the top level for years and he's been voted the best goalkeeper in the world on a number of occasions, which speaks for itself. At right-back, I would choose Cafu. Not only is he a very strong defender, but I totally admire his ability to play dynamically, to come in at the right moment on one of his long, overlapping runs. It’s incredible how fit he still is considering his age. He certainly isn’t Brazil captain and a world champion for nothing, and that's why he'll be my right-back. In the centre of my defence, I would start with Jurgen Kohler because he had such an impressive career. He was a player with truly German virtues, absolutely classical, and was a strong man-marker. I think he put the fear in a lot of strikers. Then I would have Lucio, whom I played with at Bayern Munich and Leverkusen. He has such a great personality and is the epitome of a winner. He is also incredibly dynamic as a defender and very strong on the attack, so all in all, I think we would have a good central defensive partnership with him and Kohler. On the left I'd play Paolo Maldini because, like Cafu, he has been very strong in that position for more than a decade. Andy Brehme is another player I completely admire in that position, but with Maldini would be a good choice because he has such a tremendous personality and is a great sportsman. Emerson would be my defensive midfielder. I played alongside him at Leverkusen and he was one of the strongest players I've ever seen. He's got it all: power, dynamism, a goal threat, composure, charisma. All in all, he’s an amazing presence on the pitch and makes very few mistakes. I've always been impressed by that. He's also still maintaining that high standard, that's why he is my top man for this position. I would be in the middle with Emerson, of course, and my left-midfielder would be Ze Roberto, whom I have been playing with for a long time. To me he's one of the best dribblers around and is very skilful. When he's fit you won’t find a better player for this position. On the right, I'd play Ronaldinho. He's more of an offensive player, of course, but I have to find a place for him somewhere because he is one of the best players in the world at the moment. He's got amazing technique, is very dynamic and can do anything with the ball. That's it in a nutshell, and that's why I think there's really no contest for his position. Up front, I'd like to see Marco van Basten in this team. I know he's not playing anymore, but I think that, as a striker, he was absolutely perfect - he could do anything. Next to him, I think would have to be Pele. What a feast for the eyes he was. Pele was simply one of the all-time greats, so he would have to be in my team.

My goalkeeper would have to be Iker Casillas because he is a very good friend of mine off the pitch. I also believe that he is among the top five goalkeepers in the world at the moment. On the right of my defence, I would play Cafu. Although I do not know him personally, I consider him a fantastic football player. Despite his age and all that he has achieved, he is still the best right-back in the world. The first of my two central defenders would be Carles Puyol because, apart from being a very close friend, I think he is currently the best defender in the world as he really loves to defend, and this is difficult to find in football these days. The other central defender would be Paolo Maldini because he is a really exceptional football player, he has been playing for so many years at an extraordinary level, and for me he has been a benchmark in modern and world football for a long time. Roberto Carlos would be my left-back because he really is one of the greatest players in the world right now. Moreover, he has enjoyed a very good career and has great power when he shoots. Apart from being a defender, he can also be a striker for his team, which is wonderful. I would put myself as a central midfielder because I think I have the qualities, which I focus to the benefit of the team. I am a player whose job is to pass the ball and I especially like having the responsibility of linking the team together. Having the ball pass through me is one of my strong points and I like taking that responsibility. Alongside me in midfield, I would put Deco, who, for me, is the complete footballer. He has everything. He has strength, he has power, he shoots well and is aggressive. He has really surprised me because I did not know much about him before he came to Barcelona, but now that I have played beside him I can see that he is a great player. The right winger in my team would be Ludovic Giuly. He is a player who just goes out and runs, and as a player who is always looking to pass the ball, I find that his approach is very good for me because it gives me good opportunities to play long, forward balls. Having such a fast player in your team is very important given the way the game is played today. Up front, I would have Ronaldinho, giving him total freedom. I think right now he is the best footballer in the world. He has shown that, and he still has many years to go. Beside him I would have Samuel Eto’o, who I think is the ideal modern player. He has speed, spark, a winning personality and scores goals. I would also have Ronaldo in my team because he is a determined player, and despite all the injuries he has suffered, he remains an exceptional footballer. I think in front of the goal, faced with a one-on-one situation, he is really the best.

It is always tricky to choose a team like this, but I would start with Fabien Barthez in goal because I’ve played with him and, to me, he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He was one of our key men when we won World Cup and the European Championship and his reactions on the line and quality in one-on-ones is impressive. At left-back, I would pick Paolo Maldini. He should be a role model for every young athlete, not only for footballers. He has already achieved what every player should dreams about by playing at the highest level for 20 years. Maldini is unbelievable, and I respect him a lot. His ‘twin’, at least when it comes to football, would be Cafu. Like Maldini, he is also still playing as if he were 22. Four World Cup finals in a row, two-times champion, captain of Brazil and a real athlete – what more can I say? These players who keep their level of performance high for so many years are an example for everybody else. Then I would probably pick Franco Baresi because, to me, he represents sheer elegance. He was also a born leader, not because of his mouth, but because of his skills and cleverness on the field. For me, the name Baresi is still a synonym for intelligent and professional football. Beside Baresi in the middle of my defence, I would have Basile Boli, a French player who always played with strength and determination. He won the Champions League with Marseille and was one of those defenders that nobody wanted to play against. It is essential to have such a player in any team. I would pick Frank Rijkaard as my defensive midfielder because I always loved the elegance and simplicity of his play. He was the first really modern number six. The player links who the offensive and defensive parts of a team is really important. He can make the difference, and Rijkaard did. Beside him, I would play myself and then, ahead of us, there would be Zinedine Zidane. I think he’s one of the best players in the world, probably one of the few where you do not have to give any explanation why you picked him and not somebody else. He will be remembered as one of the best players in history for obvious reasons. I am really happy that I played together with him so many times because it has been a real pleasure. Then, on Zidane’s right, I’d put Luis Figo because I really love his style. He’s such a great player and pure talent, puts in great crosses, dribbles well, has God-given technique and has been one of the best players over the last ten years. It is a really tough decision to pick my strikers, but I would need to have Pele in there because he’s probably the best goalscorer of all time. That is a pretty important fact, don't you think? I would love to see him playing now, to have the chance to enjoy such an extraordinary player. That would be great. Beside him would be Johan Cruyff because he’s cool and elegant and knows how to make other players shine. He was one of these players who were never afraid to go one-against-one, to take the risk of a dribbling - I actually think he always was looking for an opponent to go up against. He would do that time after time without ever being afraid of losing the ball. I love that mentality. So this would be my +10 team. Pretty impressive, wouldn't you say?

In goal, I would have Petr Cech. He had a good EURO 2004 and has had two very good years with Chelsea. He is the complete goalkeeper, the best in the world: tall, safe and my favourite. My right wing-back would be Cafu. He has been playing a high-level game for many years and is a very good player. He goes forward well and also defends well. My centre-halves would be the Chelsea pair John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho. They are both good players who complement each other well and, in defensive terms, no-one else can beat them. Then, for the left wing-back role, I would have Roberto Carlos. He's fantastic, a complete player. Fast when attacking, fast when defending, he has a powerful shot and is very intelligent. He has been best left wing-back for the past few years now. My first midfielder would be Patrick Vieira of Juventus. He is very good player, excellent defensively, tactically intelligent, and he can also score goals. Then, beside Vieira, I would have Frank Lampard: fantastic player, good finisher with the right foot, scores many goals, tactically perfect. On the right, I would have my Portugal team-mate, Luis Figo. For me, he is perhaps the best-ever Portuguese player after Eusebio. He has also been my idol since I was a child. Figo has a great personality and is very strong physically and psychologically. My last midfielder would be Zinedine Zidane. He is the kind of player that any football supporter loves to watch. Goalkeepers become anxious just seeing him touching the ball. He is a very good finisher, very good at taking on players and has been the best player around over the past five years. On the left, Simao, of course. The number 11. Finally, my main striker would be Marco van Basten. He was best striker in the world: the best finisher, the best all-round forward. A very good player who was excellent with both feet and with his head.

With so many great players from the past and present to choose from, I would find it impossible to choose just ten. So I’m going to go for the team I played in that won the U-20 World Cup last year in Holland. That would mean that, in goal, I would have Oscar Ustari, who is a fantastic guy and a good friend. Then, at the back, I would have Ezequiel Garay, Gabriel Paletta, Gustavo Cabral and Lautaro Formica. Those four guys make up a great defensive line which is always really solid and very difficult to break through. In midfield, just like in the U-20 tournament, I would have Fernando Gago, Rodrigo Archubi and Pablo Zabaleta, all excellent players. Then, up front, would be Sergio Aguero, Pablo Vitti and myself. I think that that was a great team and one I would always be happy to play in. Apart from those ten players, I am very lucky that I already play with the footballer I most admire at the moment, Ronaldinho. I’d love to carry on playing with him forever because he’s a great player to watch, and to play with. The same goes for another Barcelona player I like a lot, Deco. He has great skills. Rafael Marquez is also someone I’ve always admired and wanted to play alongside, and I’m delighted to have that opportunity.

As goalkeeper, I think Gordon Banks would be the man for the job. He was one of the best-ever and I think everyone remembers his amazing save from Pele's header in the 1970 World Cup. At right-back, I would have my old Sweden team-mate Roland Nilsson - an amazingly good defender. He is a good person, too. Then, in the centre, I would start with Bjorn Lilius, whom I played with in Helsingborgs. He was a good footballer and a close friend of mine. Next to him, I would play Johan Mjallby. We played together for many years in Celtic and in the national team and he was always a guy you could depend on. On the left, it would have to be Leonardo from that Brazil team which won the World Cup in 1994. He was an excellent left-back. Then comes my left winger. Who did I put there again? Of course, Ryan Giggs. He has been a fantastic football player, a great crosser of the ball. As a striker, I'd love to have him in my starting 11. Inside of him, I would have Lino Boriero, another former team-mate of mine at Helsingborgs. Lino was an incredibly skilful player and an excellent passer of the ball, really great. Alongside him in the centre I'll go for Patrik Sundstrom. We played together in Hogaborg, my first club, and later for Helsingborgs too. He was a good footballer, and excellent on free-kicks. To Patrick’s right, I think I would play the Brazilian, Kaka. He’s an incredible footballer. As for my fellow striker, it couldn’t be anyone else but my all-time hero, the great Pele.

The goalkeeper I would choose for my team is Iker Casillas. I think he’s a great keeper and he’s also a good friend. He definitely has some impressive qualities and he’s still very young. My first pick in defence would be Paolo Maldini because I think he’s one of the greatest professionals there has ever been at world level. His career has been faultless. Next to him I’d have Fernando Hierro, more or less for the same reasons, and because I’ve been lucky enough to play with him and there have been many times when he’s helped me a lot. At left-back, I would have Roberto Carlos because in that position he’s the best, he continues to be the best, and it would be difficult to find another player with his qualities. On the right, I’d have another Brazilian, Cafu. It seems that the older he gets, the faster he runs, and his performances remain impressive. In midfield, Fernando Redondo would wear the number 5 shirt because to me he’s a very special person and, apart from that, he has all the qualities, both human and professional, to be in this team. I’d also have Zinedine Zidane in there because of his elegance and for the fact that he’s a player of a different stature who’s great to watch and who would teach me a great deal. After that, they’re all forwards, so we’d have a mixture. First, Roberto Baggio, because he’s one of my idols. I always enjoyed watching him play, he was a real quality player. I also played against him once and I’ve got his shirt as a souvenir. After that, I would have another childhood idol of mine, Paulo Futre, who played for Atletico Madrid. I enjoyed watching him very much when I was a young boy because in those days, of course, I was a fan of Atletico. The last one would be the player I’ve most loved watching, and that’s Diego Maradona. I would have loved to play with him and I think that if he was in the team, we’d have a good time playing together. To play in a forward position alongside him would be a huge honour.

First of all, I would pick Fabien Barthez to be my goalkeeper. I think that he has been one of the best in the world over the past ten years and we have obviously won a lot of important titles together that neither of us will never forget. Then, at left-back, I would go with my friend Bixente Lizarazu. The same reason applies: we played together for a long time and I always felt really confident having him in my team. In the middle, I would put Carlos Mozer, a Brazilian who played for Marseille in the early 90s, in beside Laurent Blanc. Both were like rocks and a nightmare for any striker they came up against. At right-back, I would play with Lilian Thuram. I know that I could easily put him in the middle as well, but I really want this back four in my team, and Lilian is the most able of them all to play on the right. Ahead of the backline, my defensive midfielder has to be Claude Makelele. This is the most important position in any team, I think, so I pick him because he is one of the best in the world at performing this role and is always there when you need him. He is forever covering my back. To his right, I would put my idol, Enzo Francescoli – he had to be in my team. Francescoli enjoyed a great career in Europe and South America, and is still called ‘El Principe’. I loved, and still love, his elegance on the ball. Then, on the left, I would have another player who made me dream as a child, Chris Waddle. He was a fantastic player, brilliant during his time with Olympique Marseille, and I really liked him. The team's number 10? Easy. That would be me! Up front, my strikers would have to be Diego Maradona and Ronaldo. Maradona, because he’s unique - he would be the leader of this team. I have never seen so much talent on the football pitch, he was just amazing. Ronaldo, because he came back from so many injuries and still managed to be the best player on earth and win the 2002 World Cup. I really respect and admire him for his strength to never give up and never lose the hope that he would play football again.

My goalkeeper is quite a strange choice: my personal press officer and manager, Sadato Nishizuka. In truth, he is not a great goalkeeper, but he is a good friend and manager. At the back, I would start with Naoki Matsuda, whom I played with when we were together at Yokohama Marinos. The main reason is that he is strong and fast. His technique is also good, though, and he would be the spiritual rock of the team. He is a fine player. Alongside him would be Masami Ihara. When I joined Marinos, Ihara showed me how a professional footballer should be. I learnt a lot from him. He was a great player who won many caps for the Japanese national side. On the left would be Atsuhiro Miura. He really is a midfielder but he has also played in defence for the Japanese national team. He has tremendous technique and a fantastic shot. He amazed me when I saw him play for the first time. For the right side of my defence, I would have Kunio Nagayama, another former team-mate of mine at Marinos. He was never a flash player but he took the basics very seriously, even in training. I saw how he trained and thought to myself that this kind of player, with the example he sets, is just invaluable. The fact that he was still playing in the first team at Marinos long after he was 30 shows that he was doing the right things, and he is a player to be respected by anyone. In midfield, I would start with Emerson, the first foreign player in my team. During my time at Reggina, I played against him when he was with Roma and I remember that he was wearing moulded studs on a slippy, muddy pitch. Again, he was not a flash player, but he had a vision. He saw how the game was going. I saw immediately that he played the game at a very high level with a fantastic speed of thought. I felt it right next to me. He was very impressive. Then, alongside Emerson - and myself, of course - I would have Daisuke Oku. We were together for only six months with Marinos, but I really enjoyed playing with him and we have also played together in the national side. He knows the game inside out and, personally, I feel that I’ve improved my game while playing with him. The other midfielder could be Zico, my coach with the national team. I’ve seen videos of him playing and he played the game very well as an attacking midfielder, almost like a forward. I've also seen him head many goals in the Brazilian league on video. If we played together, I think I could definitely learn something from him. As for forwards, the first would be Dragan Stojkovic. When he was playing in Japan with Grampus, I really wanted to play in the same team with him. Unfortunately, I never had the chance, not even in All-Star games. He always played against me. Stojkovic was a very skilful, very creative footballer. By playing together with someone, I want to improve myself as a footballer and I think that playing with a guy like Stojkovic would help me do that. The last player in my team would actually be my first choice, Diego Maradona. I would love to just pass the ball to him and watch what he would do with it. If I could play in this line-up, it would be great fun.

I want my team to be made of players I actually know, so no older stars or guys I have never played with. I’ll start in the back with my goalkeeper, Heurelho Gomes. I played for a year with him at PSV and he is a fantastic keeper. On free-kicks, on crosses, he is excellent, and he is also a super shot-stopper. In short, he is just an excellent goalkeeper. At the back, I would start with only two players: Andre Ooijer and Jaap Stam. Ooijer would be in there because he’s a friend and, besides that, a very good player. He is a guy you can always use in your team. With Stam, I don’t need to elaborate. He is a super player; big and strong. I’m happy that I have played with him in the Dutch team and I would be comfortable having just those two guys in my defence. Now to my area of the pitch, midfield. In the defensive holding role, I would play with Johan Vogel, who has always been very important for his teams and for me personally when we played together at PSV. He always covered my back. Sometimes I let a man go - quite regularly, in fact - but he covered all angles. To the left of me, I would have Phillip Cocu, who is always an important guy to have alongside you. I have played with him for a year at PSV and several times in the Dutch team and it has been a pleasure to do so. On the right, I would play myself. I’d be grateful just to be a part of this team. In front of the three of us, there would be Luc Nilis, another guy I’m honoured to have played with. Luc was an exceptionally good player for Belgium and PSV who unfortunately had to stop playing prematurely because of injury. For me, he was one of the best offensive midfielders to ever play in the Dutch league. On the right wing, I would have Park Ji-Sung in an attacking role. He had a tough start at PSV, but after that he gained a lot more confidence and quickly became a super player. He now plays with Manchester United, of course, and will be a big player for Korea Republic this summer. Arjen Robben would be my choice on the left and I don’t have to clarify that one. Arjen is doing a great job at Chelsea. I played for two years with him at PSV and I think he is going to become one of the best players in the world. Up front, I would play with two strikers: Mateja Kezman and Ruud van Nistelrooij. Kezman always works very hard for the team and I would need him to do that in this team - after all, we only play with two defenders! He’s with Atletico Madrid now and scored the winning goal against Barcelona this season, which I was not happy about, but I’ll place him in my team in any case. As for Van Nistelrooij, everyone knows what his record is like in the Champions League and the goals he has scored for Manchester United and the Netherlands. He has hit the net wherever he has gone and would do so for any team. With these players, I think that this would be a great team.

My goalkeeper would have to be Peter Shilton. He's the best keeper England have ever had in my opinion, so I think we’d be very strong in that department if I were to pick him. Right-back is a difficult one because there are so many good players in that position, but Cafu just edges it. He’s still going strong at 36 now and, personally, I think he’s been the best around in that position for many, many years. At left-back, I would play another Brazilian, Roberto Carlos. I think he’s got a great engine, he gets up and down the pitch, defends well and also scores good goals. What more can you ask? In the centre of my defence, I’d have to go for Bobby Moore, the former England captain. He’s a legend back home and, having watched videos of him action, I can see that he was a great leader. Alongside him would be John Terry, who is obviously a team-mate of mine with England. He’s a great leader and an awesome player. On the right of midfield, I would go for Luis Figo. He has been named both FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year in the past and he is still a fantastic footballer. On the opposite wing, my choice would be John Barnes. He was a big hero of mine when I was a kid for Liverpool and, when he was at his best, he was a really exciting and very skilful player to watch. Zinedine Zidane would be the man I would have alongside myself in the centre of midfield. For me, he is the best attacking midfielder in the world. Up front, I would pair Marco van Basten and Thierry Henry together. I think Van Basten scored the best goal I’ve ever seen in the final of the European Championships in 1988. As for Henry, he is the best player in the Premiership at the moment in my opinion.

First of all, I would have Markus Grunberger as my goalie. He and I used to play together for quite a long time in Bayern’s reserve team and I would prefer having him in goal to anyone else. My left-back, believe it or not, would be Michael Rensing. Although he is an excellent goalkeeper and number two at Bayern to Oliver Kahn, he is also a very good outfield player. When we have old versus young games in training at Bayern, it is great fun playing with him. For the centre-back positions, I would pick Lucio and Alessandro Nesta. Lucio is obviously another one of my team-mates at Bayern and I know him very well, while Nesta has shown for Milan and Italy that he is really hard to play against. They are superb in the air and I consider both to be great defenders. My right-back has to be Willy Sagnol because he is a superb and very professional player. I personally think that many other players underestimate him, but I can tell you that he is a much stronger player than many people think. In central midfield, Patrick Vieira would be the perfect man to start with. He is so strong that having him in your team is like having two players in one. He is also very experienced at the top level and would be able to provide great support for the rest of the players. Alongside Vieira, I would have another Frenchman, Zinedine Zidane, the best midfielder in the world without any doubt. It would be magnificent to play in the same team with him, a real honour. The right midfielder would definitely have to be David Beckham. He is a superb crosser of the ball who can decide a game with a set-piece and it would be fantastic to have him in my +10 team. He is also such a cool personality. For the first of my strikers, I really can’t choose between Lukas Podolski and Roy Makaay. Roy, of course, is a superb finisher with a magnificent record in front of goal, but I’m sure Lukas will one day be just as great as Roy is just now. At a young age, he is already well up there with the best and I am sure that he will make it all the way to the top. To complete my perfect team, I would choose my brother Tobias. It is a dream of mine to play alongside him in the Bundesliga and I believe it will happen one day. He has been playing in the German third division with VfB Lubeck for a while but I really believe that he will manage to get up to the top league, hopefully to play alongside me one day.

Firstly, my cusodian would be Iker Casillas. Though I had (Petr) Cech and (Gianluigi) Buffon in mind I had to pick Iker (Casillas) as he has achieved so much and gained so much fame at such an young age of 24. Roberto Ayala, Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta would operate in the centre of my defe3nce with (Fabio) Cannavaro on the Right Centre-Back position, (Roberto) Ayala in the Centre-Back position and Alessandro Nesta in the Left Centre-Back position. My mid-field would have David Beckham on the right flank, Diego Maradona on the left with Michael Ballack taking the central midfield role. My number six i.e the holding mid-fielder role wouyld be taken up by the un-sung hero of France, Dr.Claude Makelele. I just love the way he plays. And believe me his role is very crucial and tough to play in. Just in front of the midfield would be Zinedine Zidane or as I prefer to call him 'Zizou' who will be the play-maker of my team. In front of him would be the best pair of strikers I have ever seen in this world, Fernando Morientes, who is srtong in the air and is a fox in the box and Raul Gonzales who according to me has the potential to become the best ever player the footballing world has seen.

Throughout my life, I have had a double identity. I have two hearts: one for my home and the other for Portugal.

While I sometimes had to take a zig-zagging course on the football pitch, I have always followed a straight path in life.

In Africa, I have ceased being Cameroonian. For African people, I am a representative of the entire continent.

Like many other footballers, my destiny is split between two continents - Africa and Europe. And that is not always easy. Footballers should work more in campaigns against illiteracy and AIDS, because children will listen to them more than other people.

Only once during my career did I feel as though I had really reached the heights of the game. It was the day when I made my debut in the Argentine first division... I was so happy because I felt that my life was packed with fans.... That sunday would have been perfect if we had won. But it wasn't to be and Talleres beat us thanks to the goal from Luduena.