Former Barcelona midfielder Deco won the Champions League twice as a player, with the Catalan club in 2006, and with Jose Mourinho’s Porto two years earlier, so there aren’t many players that are more qualified perhaps, to select a best eleven from Europe’s premier competition, as he has done in the Daily Mail.
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The Brazilian playmaker – who also played for Chelsea – featured in the Champions League 103 times, scoring 19 goals, but he does not include himself in the line-up, though six of his former teammates have been selected.
Manuel Neuer
The Bayern Munich stopper won the competition at Wembley in 2013. He has become the blueprint for the modern goalkeeper.
Carlos Puyol
The now-retired centre back won the Champions League three times with Barcelona, the first of which came alongside Deco.
John Terry
Terry recovered from the heartbreak of missing the potentially decisive penalty in the 2008 final in Moscow, to lift the trophy in 2012, though he did not feature in that final.
Ricardo Carvalho
In more recent times, Ricardo Carvalho has been part of the Monaco side that has progressed to the last eight of this year’s competition. But the 36-year-old won the trophy alongside his countryman in 2004 also.
Diego Simeone
The Atletico Madrid manager has never won the competition as a player, or whilst in the dugout. However, Deco said, “Diego Simeone was a really tough competitor; he would always let you know he was there. He wasn’t just tough though, he had a really excellent range of passing.”
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes won the competition twice – in 1999, and 2008 – and played in another two finals. His goal in the 2008 semi-final knocked Deco’s Barcelona side out.
Xavi
The midfielder maestro won the Champions League three times during his illustrious career.
Zinedine Zidane
Zidane proved all his doubters wrong with one of the greatest goals in a Champions League Final. His wonderfully-anticipated volley gave Real Madrid the title in 2002 at Hampden Park.
Lionel Messi
If Barcelona clinch another Champions League victory, the resurgence of Lionel Messi will have been crucial to Luis Enrique’s side. He scored in both his last two finals, and has three medals overall.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid’s talisman guided the club to La Decima last season, and in the process won the competition for a second time in his career.
Ronaldinho
Perhaps surprisingly, Ronaldinho only won the competition once – with Barcelona in 2006. But, Deco is in no doubt that he is the greatest of his generation.
“He done things that you just think are not possible with a football, he is the best I have ever played with.”