Rivaldo’s Shocking England Player Selection: The Brazilian Legend’s Surprising Choice
Former Barcelona and Brazil forward Rivaldo once revealed the England player he would have taken in the Selecao national team.
Rivaldo, now 52, established himself as one of football’s greatest talents during his Barcelona tenure from 1997 to 2002. During this remarkable period, he contributed an impressive 130 goals and 46 assists across 235 appearances for the Catalan giants.
His career peaked in the late 1990s, culminating in the prestigious 1999 Ballon d’Or award after helping Barcelona secure back-to-back La Liga championships between 1997 and 1999.
However, Rivaldo’s greatest achievement came on the international stage during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. As part of Brazil’s golden generation that included:
- Ronaldo Nazario
- Ronaldinho
- Kaka
The Selecao captured football’s most coveted prize after previously finishing as runners-up in 1998.
En route to their triumph, Brazil faced England in a memorable quarter-final clash. Rivaldo equalized just before half-time after Michael Owen had given England an early lead. Ronaldinho then secured Brazil’s victory with his infamous free-kick that caught goalkeeper David Seaman off guard.
The Unexpected Choice: Why Rivaldo Picked Heskey Over England’s Stars
When asked which England player he would select for the Brazil national team, Rivaldo had numerous world-class options to choose from, including:
- David Beckham
- Frank Lampard
- Steven Gerrard
Surprisingly, he opted for Emile Heskey – a choice that raised eyebrows among football pundits and fans alike.
Speaking to talkSPORT in 2019, Heskey recalled: “We played against Brazil in the 2002 World Cup, and Rivaldo did a piece about who out of the England team would get in the Brazil side? He picked me… I was fine with that! I knew I could fit into that Brazil team well, but I was ridiculed for it.”
The selection seems less surprising when considering that Heskey faced Rivaldo five times during his playing career, primarily during Liverpool’s Champions League encounters with Barcelona.
“I played against him for Liverpool against Barcelona,” Heskey explained. “We drew away and beat them at home, so he has seen everything I brought to a team.”
In a 2002 interview with Liverpool.com, Rivaldo elaborated on his admiration for Heskey’s playing style:
“Heskey may be heavily criticised by some English fans but I don’t see it like that. I played against him a couple of times for Barcelona against Liverpool in the Champions League and realised what a quality player he is.”
The Brazilian continued: “It wasn’t long before I began thinking what weight of character and strength Heskey possessed. I told the other players in Brazil how dangerous he was. I admire the way he attacks the Premiership. So when you ask me which Englishman I think would be able to cope with playing in my team, Brazil, I say Heskey.”
This endorsement from one of football’s greatest talents offers a fascinating perspective on Heskey’s abilities that went underappreciated by many English supporters during his career.
Want to discover more surprising footballer endorsements and untold stories from the beautiful game’s greatest legends? Subscribe to our weekly football newsletter for exclusive insights and nostalgic moments from football’s golden eras!