Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has tried his hand at management by picking his favourite eleven – but as many United stars made it into his side as Blues.
But Nasri, who suffering selection issues with France boss Didier Deschamps before he retired from the national team after being axed from the World Cup squad in the summer, opted to slot Fabien Barthez and Patrick Vieira in to his 4-4-2 system.
And he even snubbed ex-Old Trafford hero Cristiano Ronaldo by picking his eternal rival Lionel Messi and the Brazilian Ronaldo up front.
“For me, there is only one Ronaldo and it’s him,” said Nasri on the three-time World Cup winner.
“He had everything and he was in advance of his time. He could do anything, I never knew of a striker with that much talent.”
Fellow Brazilians Cafu and Roberto Carlos also made the cut while the great Pele missed out to Messi.
The original legendary Argentinian number 10 Diego Maradona take his place on the right of midfield with talismanic Dutchman Johan Cruyff on the left and Italian centre-half Paolo Maldini at the back.
Elsewhere, it was a case of the french connection with World Cup 1998-winning heroes Lilian Thuram and Zinedine Zidane joining former City man Patrick Vieira and eccentric Red Devil Fabien Barthez in rounding out the eleven.
Nasri praised Vieira, who still works with the club’s development squad, for his leadership.
“He’s a great leader. Good on the ball, aggressive – he has everything. And at the same time he is a friend,” said Nasri.
On ex-keeper Barthez – who is more at home in a cockpit than a goalmouth these days after winning the French GT championship and competing at the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race this year – Nasri claims he was top of the stops.
“He was the best goalkeeper I have ever seen,” said Nasri.
“I played with him at Marseille and saw just how good he was. He’s good in the air and was good on the ball too.
“He was amazing and gave me a lot of advice for my career.”
There was no space for any of his Etihad team mates, even though they have scooped two Premier League titles in two seasons.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men are looking to get back to winning ways after their shock home reverse against Stoke before the international break.
They face a test at Arsenal tomorrow morning after the Londoners added two-goal England man Danny Welbeck to their ranks on transfer deadline day.
