My team is going to play a 4-4-2 diamond, because that's my favourite formation at the moment, and also it's the best way to fit in all the players I want. So here we go...
Goalkeeper: Angelo Peruzzi
In the 1990s Italian football was almost as important to me as the English game. I still have fond memories of James Richardson sitting outside a cafe in the sun with a cappuccino, and I think everyone around my age still remembers the Football Italia theme tune (GOOOOLAAAZOO!). Juventus were my favourite team, and as a one time aspiring goal keeper I used to think Peruzzi was great. I'd still say that he's the best goalkeeper I've seen in my lifetime, although he will probably be overshadowed in history by his successor Gianluigi Buffon. As far as goalkeepers go though, Angelo Peruzzi will always be my childhood number 1.
Right Back: Cafu
Another player choice influenced by my early attraction to Serie A, but my memories of Cafu, as with a lot of other players throughout this team, also come from the 1998 World Cup. Cafu is the model of what would be considered the perfect right back. Many have tried to be like him, but they have not succeeded. An excellent defender who also bombed forward time and time again. He never looked tired at any point in his career, even when he was about 40 he still played the same way he did when he was 20.
Centre Back: Lilian Thuram
Again, a selection entirely influenced by my interest in Serie A and the 1998 World Cup. Thuram was as solid a defender as you will ever see. A rock at the back yet he was also mobile and versatile enough to play as a rampaging right back or in midfield. Not only that, the Frenchman could score goals, and very important goals at that, as seen in the 1998 World Cup semi final when he scored the two goals that allowed France to beat Croatia after being a goal down.
Centre Back: Marcel Desailly
Another solid defender who won the World Cup with France in 1998. Of course, my main childhood memories of Desailly come from his time at Chelsea, but as hard as it is to believe now Chelsea were actually quite a likeable team back then, when they weren't backed by a Russian Billionaire, had a lot of good and fair players, and didn't win anything important. I think in a partnership with Thuram in defence this team would have been hard to break down.
Left Back: Roberto Carlos
Cafu's partner in crime, and just like his compatriot he seemed to spend more time in the opposition's half than his own. However, when the time came he new how to defend. Again, a player who would probably be considered the model for a modern left back. He's probably most remembered for his incredible free kick's and shooting technique, a particular childhood memory of mine being the famous swerving free kick he scored in the 1997 Confederations Cup.
Defensive Midfield: Patrick Vieira
Another member of the France 98 World Cup winning team, but I also got to watch him on Match of The Day every week playing for Arsenal. In his role in midfield he was integral to both of them teams, and they were both great teams, I'd argue that Arsenal's 98 double winning team was even better than their invincible one. One of the original box to box midfielders, he also operated successfully in a more defensive role. In this team I think he'd work well playing in front of his two international team mates.
Central Midfield: Zinedine Zidane
Part of the great France team and also the great Juventus team of the late 90s. I still feel it's one of the greatest crimes in football that Juventus lost the 1998 Champions League final with the team that they had. Zidane was central to the creativity of that team, and also his national team. Not much else needs to be said about this man, as there aren't many people who wouldn't put him in their best team.
Central Midfield: Rivaldo
Another member of the 1998 Brazil squad, but my best memories of Rivaldo are of him playing as part of a fantastic Barcelona team. I saw him live in 2001 when he played a huge part in Barcelona destroying Liverpool, and he returned to Anfield in 2004 with Olympiacos and he still hadn't lost it. His creativity, vision, versatility and goalscoring ability would make him a dangerous addition to this team.
Attacking Midfield: Dennis Bergkamp
My early memories of Bergkamp come from the 1996 European Championships and 1998 World Cup, where he scored some ridiculously good goals, and also being part of that fantastic Arsenal team I previously mentioned. A creative player who never seemed to score a scrappy goal, and not only that he'd make the most important of goals look beautiful. Bergkamp retired after Arsenal won the FA Cup in 2005 and they didn't win another trophy for 9 years, which says a lot about how important he was to them.
Striker: Ronaldo
Not just one of the greatest players of my childhood, but one of the greatest players of all time. Strength, power, speed, skill and unrivalled goalscoring ability. Ronaldo was the perfect striker. He plied his trade at some of the biggest clubs in Europe, at Inter Milan during the golden days of Serie A, then he became a symbol of the Galacticos era at Real Madrid. Again, anyone my age would not be leaving Ronaldo out of any team.
Striker: Alessandro Del Piero
My first hero in football. He burst onto the scene as a teenager in the 1990s and became a huge part of Juventus dominance of Europe and domestically. Creative and clinical, I think he would have been a great partner for Ronaldo, and would work well in this team after already proving he had an excellent understanding with Zidane, My childhood team wouldn't be complete without my first favourite player.
So that's my childhood 11, here's how they'd line up on the pitch:
Honourable mentions (substitutes):
David Seaman
Ivan Campo
Fernando Hierro
Michael Laudrup
Edgar Davids
Marc Overmars
George Weah
Like I said at the start, this was just a bit of fun whilst I was bored, but it might spark a bit of nostalgia amongst some. Let me know what you think of the team and if you'd do it differently what would you do? Thanks for reading.
@adamheath
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