The hard player: Papa Bouba Diop
Born on 28 January 1978 in Rufisque, Senegal, Papa Bouba Diop was a defensive midfielder who criss-crossed Europe from club to club. He spent his longest spell at Fulham (84 matches, 9 goals) before moving to Portsmouth (72 matches, 0 goals). Prior to the Premier League, he had already made a name for himself at Lens (59 matches, 8 goals), Grasshopper Zurich (36 matches, 5 goals) and AEK Athens (37 matches, 4 goals).
With the Senegal national team, he amassed 63 caps and 11 goals – a solid international record for a defensive midfielder. A name that rings a bell for anyone who followed African football closely during the 2000s, and a career that spanned the Premier League, Ligue 1 and several other European leagues with remarkable consistency.
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PlayThe medium player: Kevin-Prince Boateng
Born on 6 March 1987 in Berlin, Kevin-Prince Boateng is an attacking midfielder / forward who chose to represent Ghana internationally. His career took him to AC Milan (66 matches, 14 goals), Schalke 04 (59 matches, 7 goals) and Eintracht Frankfurt (36 matches, 6 goals). He also wore the Hertha Berlin shirt on two separate occasions: 53 matches and 5 goals, then 38 matches without scoring.
Before committing to Ghana at senior level, he had represented Germany at under-16 level, earning 11 caps and scoring 3 goals. Born in West Germany, international for Ghana: Kevin-Prince Boateng is the embodiment of players who build their identity between two cultures, with an attacking profile that left its mark across Europe’s top leagues.
The easy player: Roberto Carlos
Roberto Carlos was born on 10 April 1973 in Garça, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A natural left back, he built his reputation primarily at Real Madrid, where he played 527 matches and scored 68 goals. Before arriving in Madrid, he honed his craft at União São João (66 matches, 6 goals) and Palmeiras (162 matches, 15 goals).
After his time in Madrid, Roberto Carlos continued his career at Fenerbahçe (104 matches, 10 goals) before returning to Brazil with Corinthians (61 matches, 5 goals). With the Brazilian national team, he made his debut at the age of 20, earning 5 caps. A left back whose spell at Real Madrid remains the defining chapter of his career.