Ivan Zamorano: Perfect XI

Goalkeeper
Rinat Dasayev
Dasayev was the safest goalkeeper I played with. He was really tall, but was great when he had to throw himself to the corner of the goal. Dasayev was also brilliant when he faced a forward in a one-on-one situation. He was perfect at that. I played with him at Sevilla, in my first season in Spain.

Right-back
Ivan Cordoba
Cordoba was the fastest defender I ever played with. It was impossible for an attacker to get past him. He is also great in the air, despite not being a tall player. Cordoba has a strong character too – a real South American mentality.

Centre-back
Fernando Hierro
I played with him at Real Madrid and I have to say that he was the best centre-back in the world. He passed the ball so precisely and I scored lots of goals thanks to him. Fernando had a strong personality too – he was a great leader, who managed the team on the field.

Left-back
Javier Zanetti
Zanetti is capable of playing in many positions. He can play as a midfielder, but is amazing as a defender. Javier is also a great marker, and it was a real surprise to me that he did not go to this year's World Cup with Argentina. He is still playing at a great level today, despite being 36. When I went to Inter, he helped me a lot.

Defensive midfielder
Fernando Redondo
Redondo was the best player in his position. He had an amazing technique with the ball. He knew when he had to slow down the game or when he had to play faster. He was a disciplined player, yet there was so much football in him.

Right midfield
Michel
Michel was the best team-mate I played with. We played together in Real Madrid and he set me up for so many goals. Michel had an amazing passing capacity – if you wanted the ball in a certain place, you only had to tell him.

Left midfield
Michael Laudrup
I always say that Laudrup had three eyes, not two like everyone else. As a forward, I had to be aware all the time, because he could make you a chance out of nothing and you had to be prepared for that moment. Michael was a magician and one of the greatest players ever. He was amazing in one-on-ones too.

Attacking midfielder
Roberto Baggio
I played with Roberto for two years at Inter. Baggio was a charismatic leader and the best player of an entire Italian generation. He even enjoyed those games where his team were losing, because he appeared at those moments and won games by himself. The fans and his team-mates loved him.

Striker
Ronaldo
So strong, but he had this great technique while he was running. I'm grateful I could play with him during his best moment as a player, when he came from Barcelona to Inter in 1997. He is also an amazing human being.

Striker
Marcelo Salas
Chile has to give thanks that Salas and I were born in the same generation. We were a great duo – for example, at the 1998 World Cup I looked at him and knew immediately what he was going to do. We understood each other so well. We also knew that Chile would play well as long as we did. An amazing forward.

Striker
Davor Suker
Suker had an unbelievable technique, despite being so tall. Davor was my partner when I went to Sevilla; we scored many goals together. He was also precise from free-kicks and used to score great goals with his left foot.

Manager
Jorge Valdano
I had many great coaches in my career, but Valdano was definitely the best. I grew as a player so much with him. He was an honest person and when I started to score, he trusted in me.

SUBSTITUTES:
Nelson Tapia
He was my team-mate in the Chile national team for many years. Not a spectacular goalkeeper, but a secure one. He was also a leader.
Clarence Seedorf 
Like Zanetti, he can play in many positions. He manages the rhythm in the team. He knows when the team needs to pause and when it needs to run.
Raul
He started to play when I was still at Real Madrid. He's really skilful but also has a big heart and works so much.
Jose Amavisca and Emilio Butragueno
Great players, great people. I played alongside them both at Real Madrid.
Christian Vieri 
Every team needs a player like Vieri. He had this ability to cause arguments between the defenders of the other side.

Interview: Federico Bassahun. From the August 2010 issue of FourFourTwo.