Posted: Thursday August 29, 2002 4:38 PM
Updated: Friday August 30, 2002 3:46 PM
Oliver Kahn, Goalkeeper
Country: Germany Club: Bayern Munich Born: June 15, 1969
Kahn was a unanimous choice among voters, one of two players to appear on the team for the second straight year. He became the first goalkeeper ever to win the Golden Ball as the most valuable player at last summer's World Cup. What seemed to be his only blunder of the year helped cost Germany the title as it lost to Brazil 2-0 in the final.
He saved three penalties in a shootout to win Bayern the Champions League in 2001.
Germany's undisputed No. 1 since Andreas Koepke retired after the 1998 World Cup finals, Kahn replaced Oliver Bierhoff as captain this year. After making his professional debut for Karlsruher SC in 1987, he transferred to Bayern in 1994 for a record fee of 1.6 million pounds.
With the addition of Michael Ballack and Ze Roberto, Bayern is determined to avoid another trophyless season. A spectacular goalkeeper and true fighter who sometimes gets carried away, he has been booked several times for needless fouls.
Roberto Carlos, Defender
Country: Brazil Club: Real Madrid Born: April 10, 1973
It's hard to top a year when you win the World Cup and the Champions League title. Those honors helped make the Brazilian a unanimous choice among voters. He is known for his trademark powerful free kicks, but his pesky defending has helped make him the best left back in the world.
He has been arguably Real's most influential player since leaving Inter Milan in 1996. His speed allows him to push into attack wide on the left and still get back into defense.
The 29-year-old appeared in six of Brazil's seven World Cup matches this summer, scoring one goal. A regular fixture at left back, he has been criticized for alleged aloofness and before the World Cup hired an assistant to try to improve his image back home.
Lucio, Defender
Country: Brazil Club: Bayer Leverkusen Born: May 8, 1978
A teammate of Roberto Carlos with World Cup champion Brazil, the central defender likes to go forward. The 24-year-old led his German side to the brink of three titles last season -- finishing as runner-up in the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League.
He made headlines in the Sydney Olympics for punching a teammate but insists he has changed his attitude since moving to the Bundesliga. Strong in the tackle and good in the air, his performances under Luiz Felipe Scolari guaranteed him a place in the starting lineup.
Rio Ferdinand, Defender
Country: England Club: Manchester United Born: Nov. 7, 1978
Elegance and grace are words not normally associated with central defenders, but Ferdinand's got it all -- including toughness. He is a target for corner kicks and scored on one for England at this year's World Cup, helping his national side advance to the quarterfinals.
Ferdinand struck gold when he left Premiership challenger Leeds United for the richest club in the world -- Manchester United. The fee -- US$47-million -- is a world record for a defender.
Groomed by Harry Redknapp at West Ham United, he made his England debut against Cameroon in 1997 just eight days after turning 19, but was dropped for Euro 2000. He joined Leeds in November 2000 for 18 million pounds, then a British transfer record and world record for a defender.
Cafu, Defender
Country: Brazil Club: AS Roma Born: June 16, 1970
Proving the world loves an attacking defender, the third Brazilian in the back line is Cafu. He and Lucio were the only Brazilian defenders to play every minute of every match (7) at the World Cup. At 32, he retired from international play after lifting the Cup, becoming the only player to have played in three straight World Cup title matches.
He has been Brazil's right back almost unchallenged since coming on 17 minutes into the 1994 World Cup final. His performances have not always been convincing and his crossing can be erratic. Groomed at Tele Santana's Sao Paulo in the early 90s, winning two Copa Libertadores titles.
This past season, his club, AS Roma, was runner-up in Italy's Serie A.
Ballack is the only unanimous choice in the midfield. If Kahn single-handedly stopped goals for Germany at the World Cup, it was Ballack who created them, notching three goals and four assists. He had 17 goals as an attacking midfielder for Bayer Leverkusen's "Nearly Men" last season. The 25-year-old midfielder, an offseason transfer to Germany's Bayern Munich, missed the World Cup final due to suspension.
Nicknamed "The Little Kaiser" by fans, he stood out during World Cup qualifying with scintillating displays in two playoffs against Ukraine last November. The performances helped him shake off his tag as gifted but somewhat erratic, and lacking in work rate.
Freddie Ljungberg, Midfielder
Country: Sweden Club: Arsenal Born: April 16, 1977
Seventeen goals from midfield, including a superb strike in the FA Cup final, underlined the dynamic Swede's immense contribution to Arsenal last season and helped to make him English Premier League player of the year. A selfless runner with a determination to get himself into the box, he scored goals when the team really needed them. He was hugely important to Arsenal's double-winning campaign, especially after Robert Pires was injured.
The energetic and dynamic dribbler with a reputation for getting behind defenses has superb ball control at speed and great stamina. He is known for colorful hairstyles.
Ljungberg's World Cup run with Sweden was hampered by injury.
David Beckham, Midfielder
Country: England Club: Manchester United Born: May 2, 1975
England captain David Beckham makes the squad despite a broken foot having limited his late-season impact for both club and country. At least two memorable moments stand out -- the stunning last-minute freekick in a 2-2 draw with Greece that put England into the World Cup finals, and the penalty that beat England's old enemy Argentina in group play.
Known for his pinpoint crosses and swerving free kicks, he had his best goalscoring effort last season, tallying 11 times for Man Utd.
Having won everything at club level with United, he failed to find glory with England after becoming captain under Peter Taylor in November 2000, going out in the quarterfinals at the World Cup.
Under Sven-Goran Eriksson, he led England through miraculous World Cup qualifying turnaround.
Off the pitch, he is a major national celebrity as is his wife, Victoria, a former Spice Girls singer.
Zinedine Zidane, Midfielder
Country: France Club: Real Madrid Born: June 23, 1972
Along with Oliver Kahn, he is one of two players to make the squad two years running. He was troubled by injury during a miserable World Cup for France, but led Real Madrid to the Champions League title, scoring an amazing goal in the 2-1 final win over Leverkusen. He has won it all in his career and has twice been FIFA world player of year.
Signed for a world record US$66 million from Juventus in the previous offseason, he started to look the part almost immediately, bossing the midfield with trademark elan. Zidane was immense in big European games and made it third time lucky against Bayer after two Champions League final defeats with Juve in 1997 and '98.
"Zizou" made his name with Cannes before moving to Bordeaux in 1992 and helping it reach the UEFA Cup final in 1996, bringing him to the attention of Europe's elite. A summer move to Juventus was sealed, allowing Zidane to perform well in Euro '96 and help France reach the semifinals. Juve won the Scudetto in both 1997 and '98, with Zidane the essential figure. His crowning glory came at the 1998 World Cup, as he netted two headers in the 3-0 win over Brazil in the final.
Ronaldo, Forward
Country: Brazil Club: Inter Milan Born: Sept. 22, 1976
He hardly touched a ball for Inter after another injury-ridden season, before turning it on in the summer, scoring a tournament-best eight goals in leading Brazil to the World Cup title. His two goals in the final helped him become the first person since Gerd Muller in 1970 (10) to score eight in a single tournament.
Since then, speculation about a transfer to Spain has tarnished his image, but one thing is certain -- any team featuring the world's best has to include Ronaldo.
The former World Player of the Year recovered from an exasperating sequence of muscle injuries after getting over two knee operations. His strangely lethargic performance in the last World Cup final after suffering a fit before the match had left a lasting mark and, until this summer, he had never appeared to be the same player.
Raul, Forward
Country: Spain Club: Real Madrid Born: June 26, 1977
The quicksilver striker has the priceless ability to make something of the most meager chances, hitting the back of the net 14 times for Real Madrid last season. He scored six in Madrid's triumphant Champions League campaign, including one in the final.
Recently installed as Spain's captain at age 25, he finished third in the last FIFA player of year voting.
The golden boy of Spanish football helped his country get to the quarterfinals with three goals in the World Cup, where the side went out controversially to co-host South Korea on penalties. He had a little something to prove at the World Cup after failing to do justice to his immense talent in France four years earlier or at Euro 2000, when his last act was to blast a penalty over the bar in the final minute against France in the quarterfinals.
CNNSI.com wire services contributed to this report.
