The hard player: Mathieu Debuchy
Born on 28 July 1985 in Fretin, Mathieu Debuchy is a right-back whose career was anchored in the North of France: he spent a large chunk of his playing days at LOSC Lille, racking up 308 appearances and 18 goals – rare loyalty for a full-back. He had cut his teeth at Valenciennes first (54 matches, 1 goal), before truly flourishing at Lille.
His career then took him to bigger stages: Newcastle United (46 matches, 1 goal) and Arsenal (30 matches, 2 goals). A stint at Saint-Étienne (97 matches, 12 goals) rounds off a packed résumé. At youth level, he wore the France under-18 shirt in 10 matches, scoring once.
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PlayThe medium player: Sami Khedira
Born on 4 April 1987 in Stuttgart, Sami Khedira is a central midfielder who came through the ranks at VfB Stuttgart, making 132 appearances for the first team and 21 for the reserves. His performances in Germany then opened the door to Real Madrid, where he established himself over 161 matches and 9 goals.
Once his Spanish adventure was over, Khedira crossed the Alps to join Juventus: 145 matches, 21 goals in Serie A. On the international stage, he accumulated 77 caps and 7 goals for Germany, making him one of the most trusted midfielders of his generation.
The easy player: Rivaldo
Born on 19 April 1972 in Recife, Brazil, Rivaldo is an attacking midfielder who made Barcelona his own personal stage: across 235 appearances in blaugrana colours, he scored 130 goals, a ratio that speaks for itself. Before Barça, he had already made a name for himself at La Coruña, netting 22 goals in 46 matches.
After his Barcelona chapter, Rivaldo’s career took some unexpected turns. He moved through Olympiacos (101 matches, 43 goals), Palmeiras (97 matches, 60 goals) and FK Bunyodkor (76 matches, 42 goals), proving his eye for goal never left him wherever he went. With the Brazil under-20 side, he had already flashed his potential: 10 goals in just 9 matches.