Roberto Di Matteo picked a five-a-side team of his former Chelsea teammates when he joined us for the latest OTB Sports' Cadbury FC roadshow.
After joining the London club from Lazio for £4.9 million in the summer of 1996, Roberto Di Matteo enjoyed four trophy-laden seasons with Chelsea before injury cut his career short.
Counting the FA Cup (twice), the League Cup, the Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and a Charity Shield among the prizes won, the Italian understandably played alongside some pretty special players.
Ruud Gullit, Gianluca Vialli and Mark Hughes are just a selection of the players who haven't made it into his dream Chelsea five-a-side team.
With the only rule being that he cannot pick himself, here's the five Roberto Di Matteo did decide upon and why.
Di Matteo's dream Chelsea five-a-side
Carlo Cudicini:
Something of a shoot-out between the Italian Cudicini and Dutch 'keeper Ed De Goey, Di Matteo opted for his compatriot.
"He was outstanding," Di Matteo recalled. "He came into the club not as a big signing and he was kind of a back-up at the time.
"But he worked his way up to the first-choice 'keeper and he was outstanding - he would make saves that left you with your mouth hanging open."
Frank Leboeuf:
One part of a defensive duo in Di Matteo's five-a-side team, Frank Leboeuf's exploits with the French national team and his partnership with Marcel Desailly pushed him into contention.
"The 1998 World Cup final pairing," he noted, "how could you not pick those two?"
That being said, Di Matteo recalled a defender who could play a bit too.
"He was a very smooth, elegant player," Di Matteo remarked. "He could pick a pass 50 yards but I think for five-a-side he has very nice technique."
Roberto Di Matteo and Frank Leboeuf celebrate in the 2000 FA Cup final | PA ImagesMarcel Desailly:
'The Rock' as Roberto Di Matteo remembers him, this one was a no-brainer for the Italian.
"We were very lucky to get him at Chelsea," he explained, Desailly arriving from AC Milan in 1998.
"He could read the game, knew exactly where to stand, what to do and he was just so strong, an ox. I thought I had big legs but his were... double my size!"
Dennis Wise:
Gianfranco Zola celebrates scoring a hat-trick with teammates Roberto di Matteo and Dennis Wise | PA ImagesSomething of the odd-man-out in his five-a-side team, Dennis Wise's time with Chelsea began when he moved there from Wimbledon in 1990.
A combative midfielder who could run all day long, Di Matteo believes the Englishman has been harshly judged and had a lot more about his game.
"We played so many games in midfield together," he explained. "You always wanted to have him by your side.
"He was a really tidy player too and I'm not sure he got the credit for his technique because he was quite sound a player, very good."
Gianfranco Zola:
"Do I need to say anything else," Di Matteo asked after naming his final selection. "In some games we would just say, 'OK guys, just give the ball to Gianfranco.' He will do the job."
Another Italian counterpart for Di Matteo, he was always convinced that Zola's arrival from Parma would be a great move for Chelsea.
"I was over the moon when we signed him," he recalled. "I knew he was going to be a hit."
Roberto Di Matteo was speaking at the first of this year's OTB Sports remote roadshows in partnership with Cadbury FC
Check out cadburyfc.com for updates on promotions and giveaways
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