The Italian includes former team-mates from Inter, Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa, and squeezes in a Ballon d’Or winner he helped to hit the big time
Sean Cole
GIANLUCA PAGLIUCA
“It was between him and David James, who often asked me to do shooting practice with him after training, but I’d say Pagliuca was a bit better. He joined Inter to replace Walter Zenga, a Nerazzurri hero, and quickly helped the fans to forget about him leaving.”
JAVIER ZANETTI
“Zanetti was perfect. He could be a defender, midfielder, striker – also the goalkeeper! He could do anything. If you gave the ball to him, you knew it was safe. Playing alongside big champions makes everything easier for you.”
FABIO CANNAVARO
“There’s just one thing to say: Ballon d’Or! He won the World Cup, too. Fabio always thanks me because Marcello Lippi began to play him more at Napoli after a match against Torino, my team at the time. Lippi wanted Fabio to man-mark me, even if I needed a piss! After that game, he never left the side and went on to become the world’s greatest defender.”
DES WALKER
“Des was nearing the end of his career when we played together at Sheffield Wednesday, but he showed everybody the true meaning of experience. He was legendary in England. People loved him and so did I – as a person and as a player. He defended the goal like it was his own house.”
ROBERTO CARLOS
“Roberto kicked a ball like no one else in the world. If he wanted to smash it into the top corner, he could do it. He played for Inter at a difficult time, when Massimo Moratti was rebuilding the club; Roy Hodgson claimed he wasn’t a good defender and decided to sell him. He went to Real Madrid and proved how special he was.”
WIM JONK
“We were team-mates for only a year, but I still saw what a key player he was – his technique, his vision and his professionalism, ready to offer pieces of advice every day in training. Wim was a quality all-round footballer.”
PAUL INCE
“Aggression and fire! Now that I’m a coach, I want all of my players to be like Paul Ince. His passion was magnificent. He tried to win every game, including five-a-side in training. I always remember that, even when it was freezing cold in winter, he wouldn’t put his shirt on until a few seconds before entering the pitch. I loved Paul.”
PAUL MERSON
“‘Magic Man’. Paul could create something from nothing with his passing and quality – he could
