The hard player: Mart Poom
Born on 3 February 1972 in Tallinn, in the Estonian SSR, Mart Poom is the most iconic goalkeeper in his country’s history. After starting out at Tallinna Sport (59 appearances) and Flora Tallinn (22 appearances), he crossed the Channel to make his mark in England. He first settled at Derby County, racking up 157 appearances, before moving on to Sunderland for 64 more – where he even managed to score a goal, a rare feat for a keeper who left his mark in more ways than one.
A cornerstone of the Estonian national team, he earned 120 caps for his country, a testament to his longevity and central importance for a nation still finding its feet in international football. After retiring as a player, Poom joined Arsenal’s coaching staff, working as goalkeeping coach alongside Arsène Wenger.
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PlayThe medium player: Esteban Cambiasso
Born on 18 August 1980 in Buenos Aires, Esteban Cambiasso is an Argentine defensive midfielder who built his reputation in Europe after starting out in his home country. He came through Independiente (98 appearances, 14 goals) and Real Castilla (42 appearances, 4 goals) before joining Real Madrid, where he made 67 appearances and scored just once – enough time to learn, before finding his true home. It was at Inter Milan that he truly shone: 391 appearances and 47 goals in nerazzurri colours, a remarkable return for a defensive midfielder. He rounded off his European adventure at Olympiakos (48 appearances, 6 goals).
At international level, Cambiasso wore the Argentina shirt from the youth categories, including six appearances and one goal for the under-17 side.
The easy player: Bobby Charlton
Born on 11 October 1937 in Ashington, England, Bobby Charlton stands as one of the defining figures of 20th-century English football. An attacking midfielder spotted early by Manchester United, he won the English championship in his very first season in 1956-57. He survived the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958, then helped rebuild the club before lifting another league title in 1964-65. He went on to be part of the first English club to win the European Cup, alongside Denis Law and George Best, before leaving United in 1973 for Preston North End (45 appearances, 10 goals).
On the international stage, Charlton featured at the 1962, 1966 and 1970 World Cups. At the 1966 tournament on home soil, he scored a decisive brace in the semi-final and contributed four assists across the competition, playing a direct role in England’s only World Cup triumph. He retired as both the most capped player and the all-time top scorer in England’s history, with 49 goals in 106 caps. That same year he won the Ballon d’Or. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994, Bobby Charlton passed away on 21 October 2023 in Macclesfield.