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Football

24th Jan 2016

Patrick Vieira’s dream team XI features a formidable frontline

And Mourinho as coach

Robert Redmond

Patrick Vieira’s dream team of former teammates features frighteningly good frontline.

The former Arsenal and Juventus midfielder selected Thierry Henry up front, ahead of Dennis Bergkamp and Zinedine Zidane.

Vieira, who selected Jose Mourinho to coach the team, rather than his old Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, selected an XI from former teammates at both club and international level.

Goalkeeper David Seaman and Dennis Bergkamp are the only two players exclusively from Arsenal, as Thierry Henry and Emmanuel Petit also played with Vieira at international level.

Vieira, who also played for Cannes, AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester City, also selected Claude Makelele in midfield.

While Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Fabio Cannavaro and Paolo Maldini make up the back four.Vieira XI

On selecting Mourinho as coach, Vieira said: “His detail was unbelievable; everything was so clear about what he wanted from each player.”

“Arsene is more concentrated on his own team. He gives freedom to players to express themselves. It’s a different style.”

Vieira is currently New York City FC manager, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be looking to take players on-loan from Arsenal.

When asked if he sought advice from Wenger, the former midfielder said: “He’s a busy man. I didn’t speak to him in quite a long time.”

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