Team of the Year 2007
Friday, January 14, 2011
Article summary
In the seventh part of our series marking a decade of UEFA.com users' Teams of the Year we look back at 2007, when eight clubs were represented, led by European champions AC Milan.
Article top media content
Article body
Eight different clubs were represented in the seventh UEFA.com users' Team of the Year in 2007, with only UEFA Champions League winners AC Milan commanding more than two positions.
Filippo Inzaghi struck twice as the Rossoneri avenged their 2005 defeat by Liverpool FC in the final, though the success was as much down to the inspirational Kaká. The Brazilian playmaker registered ten goals en route to Athens to finish as the tournament's leading scorer: a massive 80% of the 280,000 UEFA.com users who selected Teams of the Year plumped for him as playmaker.
Team-mate Alessandro Nesta was selected at centre-back for the fourth time while Clarence Seedorf returned to the side in left midfield after five seasons away. Steven Gerrard, who was selected for a third time, was the only player from beaten UEFA Champions League finalists Liverpool to feature and one of only two survivors – along with Kaká – from the 2006 XI.
English clubs were to the fore, with Chelsea FC's John Terry – selected in 2005 – chosen to partner Nesta in the heart of the defence, his team-mate Didier Drogba in attack and Manchester United FC's Cristiano Ronaldo in right midfield. Ronaldo's then club manager Sir Alex Ferguson was belatedly selected for the first time, recognition of his achievement in guiding United to a ninth Premier League title.
Another somewhat belated newcomer was Real Madrid CF goalkeeper Iker Casillas, while FC Barcelona left-back Eric Abidal, FC Internazionale Milano striker Zlatan Ibrahimović and right-back Daniel Alves, a UEFA Cup winner with Sevilla FC, were also selected for the first time.
UEFA.com users' Team of the Year 2007
GK: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid CF & Spain)
RB: Daniel Alves (Sevilla FC & Brazil)
CB: Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan & Italy)
CB: John Terry (Chelsea FC & England)
LB: Éric Abidal (FC Barcelona & France)
RM: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United FC & Portugal)
CM: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC & England)
AM: Kaká (AC Milan & Brazil)
LM: Clarence Seedorf (AC Milan & Netherlands)
FW: Zlatan Ibrahimović (FC Internazionale Milano & Sweden)
FW: Didier Drogba(Chelsea FC & Ivory Coast)
Coach: Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United FC)
The UEFA.com users' Team of 2010 will be revealed on Wednesday
