The hard player: Jermain Defoe
Born on October 7, 1982, in Beckton, in the London borough of Newham, Jermain Defoe is a striker with a razor-sharp poacher’s instinct. He cut his teeth at West Ham United, scoring 41 goals in 105 matches, before joining Tottenham Hotspur for the first time: 79 goals in 186 appearances, a lethal efficiency in the opposing box.
After a spell at Sunderland AFC (37 goals in 93 matches), he returned to Tottenham for an equally prolific second stint: 64 goals in 177 matches. His career also took him to Rangers FC, where he found the net 25 times in 52 matches. He was called up for England as early as the under-18s, making 7 appearances – the early signs of a career built entirely inside the penalty area.
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PlayThe medium player: Marcel Desailly
Born on September 7, 1968, in Accra, Ghana, Marcel Desailly honed his defensive craft at FC Nantes, where he made 178 appearances and scored 6 goals. Imposing and rock solid, he then moved to Olympique de Marseille (60 matches, 2 goals) before heading to Italy to write a new chapter.
At AC Milan, he established himself as a defensive cornerstone over 186 matches (7 goals), then joined Chelsea FC where he accumulated 222 appearances and 7 goals. At the end of his career, he headed to Al-Gharafa in Qatar for 28 matches and 6 goals. A French international from the junior ranks, he made 11 appearances for the national team – a reflection of an elite career spanning four major leagues.
The easy player: Luka Modrić
Born on September 9, 1985, in Zadar, Yugoslavia, Luka Modrić is a Croatian midfielder who swept up everything in his path. Developed at Dinamo Zagreb, he clocked up 130 appearances and 32 goals before crossing the Channel to Tottenham Hotspur, where he imposed himself in 160 matches (17 goals) as a true engine of English football.
It was at Real Madrid that his career reached another level entirely: 597 matches and 43 goals in the white shirt, a record that speaks volumes. Towards the end of his career, he landed at AC Milan (36 matches, 2 goals) and then HŠK Zrinjski Mostar for 22 more matches and 8 goals. He wore the Croatian national colours from the under-17s onwards, marking his allegiance to his homeland from a very early age.