The hard player: Dietmar Hamann
Born on 27 August 1973 in Waldsassen, West Germany, Dietmar Hamann is a German defensive midfielder who built his reputation away from the limelight, through hard work and quiet efficiency. Before signing for Liverpool, he had already worn the shirt of Bayern Munich (124 matches, 10 goals) and Newcastle United (31 matches, 5 goals), two clubs where his style was already clear: little noise, a lot of substance.
It is at Liverpool FC that he spends the bulk of his career: 283 matches for 11 goals, a ratio that sums up his profile perfectly – not there to fill the scoresheet, but to anchor the midfield and let others shine. After Liverpool, he joins Manchester City for 71 matches and 1 goal, before ending his career at Milton Keynes Dons across 13 matches. At youth level, he wore the German under-20 shirt in 3 matches. A discreet profile, a solid career: 50% of players still managed to track him down.
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PlayThe medium player: Miroslav Klose
Born on 9 June 1978 in Opole, Poland, Miroslav Klose is a German striker whose career is a masterclass in consistency. He worked his way up at FC Kaiserslautern, first in the reserves (25 goals in 49 matches), then with the first team (52 goals in 147 matches). The machine was up and running. He then established himself at Werder Bremen with 63 goals in 132 matches, proving he could find the net in any context.
A move to Bayern Munich followed, where he scored 53 goals in 150 matches, before closing his career at Lazio Roma with 64 goals in 171 matches – his most-played club by appearances. For the German national team, he delivered with remarkable regularity: 71 goals in 137 caps, making him the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Mannschaft.
The easy player: Romário
Born on 29 January 1966 in Rio de Janeiro, Romário is a Brazilian striker who made the penalty box his personal playground. He built his European reputation at PSV Eindhoven, scoring 127 goals in 142 matches – numbers that made him one of the most feared attackers on the continent.
Back in Brazil, he split his time between Rio’s two biggest clubs. Romário turned out for Vasco da Gama twice: 80 goals in 141 matches on his first stint, then 131 goals in 135 matches on his return – better than a goal a game. He also wore the Flamengo shirt twice: 81 goals in 94 matches, then 68 in 79. With the Brazil under-20 side, he scored 11 goals in 11 matches, a perfect strike rate that set the tone for what was to come.