Perotti: My all-time world Dream Team

This is his team...

Dida (Brazil)

“He was lightning-quick on his feet and pulled off some impossible saves when he was at 100%. I’ve always liked Brazilian goalkeepers, despite being Argentine myself.”

Cafu (Brazil)

“He was up and down that flank all day long. He was a fantastic footballer and could supply the perfect cross. I always liked him as a full-back, even when I was a youngster, plus I know he’s a legend at Roma…”

Roberto Ayala (Argentina)

“An Argentine defender, he’s a real source of inspiration for me on account of the effort and heart he put in on the pitch. I’ve admired him my whole life.”

Paolo Maldini (Italy)

“One of the best defenders I’ve ever seen. I was only little when he was playing, but I’ve seen lots of videos of him. He was a great footballing defender, strong with his feet and in the air. One of the most complete defenders ever to play the game.”

Roberto Carlos (Brazil)

“I’ve always liked how physically strong he was. He had a very powerful shot, but despite that he always managed to maintain extraordinary accuracy. Like Cafu, he was another that made the whole wing his own, quickly switching from defence to attack and vice versa. Incredible.”

Fernando Redondo (Argentina)

“He was an amazing player – he made the whole team tick around him. If he hadn’t had knee problems he could have become one of the greatest players of all time.”

Zinedine Zidane (France)

“A player of phenomenal class. Everything he did helped the team and he could be bearing down on goal in the blink of an eye. He was such a complete player, he really was. I love players with that kind of style.”

Diego Simeone (Argentina)

“I’ve chosen Simeone because in midfield you need someone to put the hard yards in and do the dirty work. The passion he had as a player is coming through in his managerial style too.”

Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina)

“He’s my trequartista. One of the best ever. He’s been my idol ever since I was a child and after Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona he’s one of the greatest of all time. I’ve always looked up to him and was even lucky enough to play with him at Boca Juniors when I spent six months there.”

Diego Armando Maradona (Argentina)

“The best of all time. There’s almost no point in trying to describe his talent. Aside from the fact he won the World Cup, he had unbelievable quality and brought unique grit and mental strength to the teams he played for.”

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

“After Maradona he’s the best. He scores even more goals than Maradona did, beautiful goals – with his right, with his left, from free-kicks. He’s the best player currently playing, no doubt about that.”