Thursday, 18 December 2003
uefa.com Team of 2003 nominee Henrik Larsson of Celtic FC selects his own Team of the Year.
uefa.com Team of 2003 nominee Henrik Larsson of Celtic FC selects his own Team of the Year.
Here are my selections from the uefa.com shortlist:
Goalkeeper: Francesco Toldo
It's important that you have complete confidence in your keeper and Toldo inspires that in the players in front of him. He's strong in every department and brave as well.
Right-back: Lilian Thuram
The best right-back of the last ten years. He has a great awareness of the game around him and is always calm under pressure. He's a player who links well and he doesn't give attackers any space to operate in.
Left-back: Roberto Carlos
He's a fantastic player, with amazing skill, and does things at left-back that no other player in that position would contemplate.
Centre-backs: Alessandro Nesta and Paolo Maldini
As a striker the AC Milan duo are the players that I would hate to have to face in any game. They obviously work brilliantly together and know each other's game inside out. These two players are the best example of exactly what you want in central defence. They don't panic under pressure, they can deal with threats in the air, and are both very strong in the tackle.
Right Midfield: Luís Figo
He is a great passer of the ball, can cross well, and does all the simple things really well - you rarely see him waste a ball. He can play a solid, unspectacular game, or do something special and that makes him a wonderful player.
Central Midfield: Edgar Davids
I love his creativity and eye for the killer ball. Davids is a very strong player who doesn't get knocked off the ball easily and can score goals himself.
Attacking Midfield: Zinedine Zidane
Zidane has all the skill in the world on the ball, he's technically very gifted but also unselfish. If there are players in a better position than he is he will find them. He can take defenders on and score goals from just about anywhere.
Left Midfield: Ryan Giggs
Giggs has a great football brain and is a joy to watch. He is another player who can run with the ball, beat defenders, pass, cross and score goals himself. He shows amazing skill in tight situations and does the simple things well.
Forwards: Thierry Henry and Ronaldo
It would be really interesting to see Henry and Ronaldo playing together in the same team. In my view Henry has shown over the last few years that he is one of the best strikers in the world - you can't give him an inch or he will punish you. He's the sort of forward that it is almost impossible to defend against because he has so much variety in his game. Ronaldo continues to be a decisive finisher for Madrid and is a player for the big occasions. He is lethal around the box, with amazing balance and awareness for where the goal is.
Coach: Marcello Lippi
Obviously here at Celtic we have a great coach in Martin O'Neill, but I think I shouldn't be biased so I'll go for Lippi of Juventus [FC]. If you have the best players in your team you need the coach that has the experience to bring them together. I think Lippi is the man who could do that.