Maicon: My Brazilian Dream Team

Julio Cesar

“I played with him for so many years and you could always rely on him to come up with the goods when it mattered. There's no way I could leave him out of my Brazilian Dream Team. When we played for the national team together, he wasn't called into action that often because we were very tight at the back but he never switched off and we knew that he'd pull off an important save when he had to.”

Cafu

“He's an icon in our country because he has done so much for Brazil and every other team he's played for. He's also a wonderful human being off the pitch. For a Brazilian, there's not much more you can ask for than winning the World Cup twice!”

Aldair

“I was 13 years old when I watched him play at USA '94. He formed a center-back partnership with Marcio Santos and left a big impression on me. Obviously I know he's a legend here at Roma too and that makes me even more pleased to have him in my XI.”

Roque Junior

“He was the difference in defense when we won the World Cup in 2002. I got into the national team the following year and was lucky enough to play a bit with him. I was just a little boy surrounded by all those champions on the training pitch, including him. He was quite simply a rock at the back.”

Roberto Carlos

“What can you say about Roberto Carlos as a footballer? Anyone playing on the left for Brazil cannot help but have him as their role model. As a defender, he taught me so much. When he started out in Brazil, he would get forward at every opportunity but in Italy he had to develop and grow as a player. His marking, for example, was excellent. When I moved to Europe, I looked up to him a lot because I had to make the same progression.”

Dunga

“He had bags of character as a player and commanded whatever team he played in. He achieved so much when he was captain of the national side as well. I've actually played under him as a coach, but even when he was still playing you could see what he was about and how much he wanted to do well. He was already a coach out there on the pitch.”

Thiago Motta

“I know he's a naturalized Italian-Brazilian but he was born in my country so I'll pick him. He really struck me in the two years that we played together. He's a central midfielder who shields the defense really well, but when he steps out with the ball at his feet, the ability he has is there for all to see.”

Ronaldinho

“We grew up together in the youth teams at Gremio. The skills he had were frightening – unpredictable dribbling and assists that came out of nowhere! He had this way of holding onto the ball and then suddenly giving it to a forward – it was amazing. He made everything look easy.”

Rivaldo

“This is a player who needs no introduction. Technically sublime, his reading of the game was perhaps even better. I've put him next to Ronaldinho in central midfield in my dream team. He scored so many goals in 2002 and was practically untouchable that year.”

Adriano

“Physically he was a beast - you had to put two defenders on him. Even in training, he was unstoppable. When we played together, from back in defense I'd watch him change games for us. When you got up close, you really understood just how strong he was.”

Ronaldo

“I don't need to say too much about this player because for me he'll always be the best ever - for everything he achieved and everything he had to go through. Without a doubt, he was a cut above the rest. A phenomenon.”