The hard player: Vladimír Šmicer
Born on 24 May 1973 in Děčín, Czechoslovakia, Vladimír Šmicer was an attacking midfielder who quietly carved his path through European football. He came through at Slavia Prague before heading to France with RC Lens (120 matches, 22 goals) and later Girondins de Bordeaux (36 matches, 5 goals).
His longest stint came at Liverpool FC, where he played 184 matches and scored 19 goals. On the international stage, he earned one cap for Czechoslovakia, without scoring. Born in a country that no longer exists, Šmicer perfectly embodied the post-Iron Curtain generation: technically gifted, widely travelled, and often underrated.
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PlayThe medium player: Bebeto
Born on 16 February 1964 in Salvador, Brazil, Bebeto was a striker who made his mark across continents. With the Brazilian national team, he earned 75 caps and scored 38 goals, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous forwards his country has produced.
At club level, his finest European chapter was written at Deportivo La Coruña: 154 matches and 102 goals in Galicia. He also starred at CR Vasco da Gama (115 matches, 59 goals), Botafogo FR (37 matches, 27 goals), EC Vitória (20 matches, 18 goals) and CR Flamengo (18 matches, 7 goals).
The easy player: Wayne Rooney
Born on 24 October 1985 in Liverpool, Wayne Rooney is an English forward who built the bulk of his legend at Manchester United: 559 appearances and 253 goals in the famous red shirt. Developed at Everton, it was with the Red Devils that he truly exploded onto the European stage and became the benchmark striker of English football for over a decade.
After a return to Everton (40 matches, 11 goals) and a stint at DC United (52 matches, 25 goals), he wrapped up his playing days at Derby County (35 matches, 7 goals). Internationally, he was involved from a young age, representing England Under-15s with 2 goals in 4 matches.