The hard player: Sidney Govou
Born on 27 July 1979 in Le Puy-en-Velay, Sidney Govou is a French international footballer of Beninese origin. A natural right winger, he built most of his career at Olympique Lyonnais: 406 appearances, 73 goals, and above all seven consecutive French league titles between 2002 and 2008 – a sequence etched into French football history.
Capped 49 times for France between 2002 and 2010, he won the Confederations Cup in 2003 and played in the 2006 World Cup, where Les Bleus reached the final. After leaving Lyon, he had spells at Panathinaikos (24 matches, 3 goals) and Évian Thonon Gaillard (43 matches, 2 goals) before retiring in 2013. Away from football, he moved into civic life and was elected to the municipal council of Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d’Or in the 2020 local elections.
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PlayThe medium player: Dimitar Berbatov
Born on 30 January 1981 in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, Dimitar Berbatov began his career at CSKA Sofia before drifting across Europe with a nonchalance that almost masked his ruthless efficiency in front of goal. At Bayer Leverkusen (201 matches, 91 goals), he grew into a club that finished second in the Bundesliga and lost a Champions League final against Real Madrid in 2002. He then moved to Tottenham (102 matches, 46 goals) before Ferguson brought him to Manchester United to anchor his final golden era.
At Old Trafford (149 matches, 56 goals), his languid style and clinical touch won over the Mancunian crowd. He picked up two Premier League titles (2009 and 2011), two League Cups (2009 and 2010) and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2008. After a spell at Fulham (54 matches, 20 goals), he called time on his career. With 48 goals in 78 caps, he shares Bulgaria’s all-time scoring record with Hristo Bonev.
The easy player: Lionel Messi
Born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina, Lionel Messi started playing football at the age of five at his local club. Diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency requiring treatment, he joined FC Barcelona at thirteen and spent seventeen seasons in the first team: 778 appearances, 672 goals, ten Spanish league titles and four Champions League trophies. A monument to the game.
After a stint at Paris Saint-Germain (75 matches, 32 goals) and two French league titles, he settled at Inter Miami, where he has already clocked up 99 appearances and 85 goals. With Argentina, he won the 2022 World Cup, the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, and the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. Over 900 career goals, more than 400 assists: the most decorated footballer in history with 48 official collective trophies.