The hard player: Emmanuel Amunike
Born on 25 December 1970 in Eziobodo, Nigeria, Emmanuel Amunike was an attacking midfielder equally capable of playing as a forward. His club career took him to Zamalek SC, where he scored an impressive 56 goals in 71 matches, before spells at Sporting CP (51 matches, 17 goals), FC Barcelona (26 matches, 1 goal), Albacete (17 matches, 1 goal) and Al-Wehdat (22 matches). A career spanning Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
With Nigeria he earned 27 caps and scored 9 goals. After retiring as a player, Amunike moved into management, notably serving as head coach of the Tanzania national team.
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PlayThe medium player: Steve McManaman
Born on 11 February 1972 in Bootle, a district of Liverpool, Steve McManaman was a dazzling winger who plied his trade between 1990 and 2005. A loyal Liverpool servant, he made 364 appearances and scored 66 goals for the Reds before heading to Real Madrid – a move that made him a true pioneer: he became the first Englishman to win the UEFA Champions League with a non-English club.
At the Bernabéu, he made 158 appearances and scored 14 goals before rounding off his career at Manchester City with 44 games. He earned 37 caps for England and scored 3 goals. After hanging up his boots, McManaman turned pundit, becoming a sports analyst for ESPN in the United States, notably covering MLS fixtures. A transatlantic career all the way to the end.
The easy player: Cesc Fàbregas
Born on 4 May 1987 in Arenys de Mar, Cesc Fàbregas was trained at FC Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy before being snapped up at 16 by Arsène Wenger to join Arsenal. He made his first-team debut in 2003 and quickly established himself in the London midfield, breaking several club records along the way. He is the third-highest assist provider in Premier League history and the Spanish player with the most appearances in the competition.
In August 2011, he returned to Barcelona before joining Chelsea in June 2014 – Arsenal’s great rival. In 2019, he linked up with AS Monaco under his former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry. He ended his playing career at Como 1907 in July 2023 before stepping into the dugout as manager. Internationally, Fàbregas was a cornerstone of Spain’s golden generation that swept the historic treble of Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, earning 111 caps for La Furia Roja.