Summary
Roy Keane once named the greatest XI of players he ever played against.
The Irishman snubbed the likes of Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.
Multiple Champions League and World Cup winners make the team.
There are very few players who had the same impact on English football in the 1990s and early 2000s quite like Roy Keane. The instrumental Manchester United skipper was as brilliant in the tackle as he was in dictating play for his team, and his leadership was crucial in helping the Red Devils dominate domestically and become one of the biggest forces in European football.
During the height of his career, his ventures both with United and in international football saw him come up against some of the very best on the planet. And the former Republic of Ireland international once named a starting XI comprised of the toughest opponents he had faced off with during his career.
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Goalkeeper and Defenders
Oliver Kahn, Lilian Thuram, Ronald Koeman, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini
The defensive line assembled by Keane would be almost unbreakable if they ever featured all together. In between the sticks is Oliver Kahn who, despite being one of the most unlucky footballers to have played the game, was an all-time great goalkeeper for Bayern Munich and Germany.
On either flank is arguably the greatest right and left-back in history. Lilian Thuram takes the former role, with the French World Cup winner starring for Les Bleus as well as the several top-tier clubs he played for, including Barcelona, Juventus and Parma. Meanwhile, legendary one-club man Paolo Maldini slots in on the left and would in theory also be immaculate cover to fill in centrally if needed.
For Keane's team though, it is Maldini's partner in crime Franco Baresi who starts at centre-back, alongside Dutch defender and goalscoring machine Ronald Koeman.
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Midfielders
Didier Deschamps, Steven Gerrard, Zinedine Zidane
Keane knows all about what makes a top midfielder, and more importantly, he knows exactly what is needed to create a perfect midfield unit. It starts with a player who is disciplined and will help out defensively, which is where Didier Deschamps comes into play. Deschamps excelled in that role, which helped him win top honours for club and country during his career.
Then a player who can help out on both ends of the pitch is needed. And for his box-to-box midfielder, the Irishman has opted for Steven Gerrard, who could put in a tackle when needed to go with his thunderous strikes and often underrated vision.
That combination as a pivot would allow for a certain Zinedine Zidane to have freedom further up the pitch. One of the greatest attacking midfielders there has ever been, Keane has set up this XI to allow 'Zizou' to operate in the areas he is most effective in more frequently.
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Attackers
Gheorghe Hagi, Hristo Stoichkov, Ronaldo
The attack misses out some major names, with Keane opting against including the likes of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp despite having some of his toughest matchups against the Arsenal side that the duo spearheaded.
On the right, Keane went for an underrated shhttps://www.givemesport.com/ai-has-named-former-real-madrid-star-as-the-most-underrated-footballer-of-all-time/out in Gheorghe Hagi. The Romanian often doesn't get the credit he deserves for his technical quality due to being from Romania and the fact that some of the best years of his career were spent away from Europe's top leagues. However, his inclusion is a testament to the respect he garnered from other professionals.
On the other flank is the recipient of the 1994 Ballon d'Or, Hristo Stoichkov who, like Hagi, also enjoyed success at Barcelona. As did the final piece of the attacking jigsaw.
One-upping Stoichkov with two Ballon d'Or triumphs is the mercurial and dominant Ronaldo Nazario. Whether it be at Barcelona, Inter Milan or Real Madrid, the Brazilian was no stranger to leaving people in awe, and that extended further than just the fans in the stands. Often his colleagues could do nothing but appreciate his talent, which is exactly what Keane has done by selecting him as his number nine.