Rivaldo had no doubts when naming the only England player who would get in Brazil’s World Cup-winning team

Rivaldo, a former forward for Barcelona and Brazil, once disclosed the name of the English player he would have selected for the Selecao national team instead of other players.

Rivaldo, who is now 52 years old, is most well-known for his time spent at Barcelona between the years 1997 and 2002. During that span, he managed to score 130 goals and provide 46 assists while playing for the La Liga club.

In the late 1990s, he won back-to-back league titles between 1997 and 1999, which led to him being awarded the Ballon d’Or in 1999. It is arguable that he reached his peak during this century.

However, the Catalan team was not the only one with which he was able to win silverware. His greatest victory to date came at the 2002 World Cup, which was held in South Korea and Japan. A talented Brazilian team, which included Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho, and Kaka, won the tournament. Prior to that, Brazil had finished in second place in 1998.

Brazil’s quarterfinal match against England was a crucial step on the path to the championship match. Rivaldo scored just before halftime, cancelling out Michael Owen’s early strike. Ronaldinho then scored a wonder goal from a free kick that fooled England keeper David Seaman. Rivaldo’s goal was the first to be recorded in the match.

After some time had passed, Rivaldo indicated that he would select one player from the England team to represent Brazil.

Although he had the option of selecting David Beckham, Frank Lampard, or Steven Gerrard, he ultimately decided to go with Emile Heskey.

When we were competing against Brazil in the World Cup in 2002, Rivaldo wrote an article in which he speculated about which members of the England team would be selected for the Brazil team. In 2019, Heskey stated to talkSPORT it was.

“I was chosen by him… That didn’t bother me at all!

Despite the fact that I was aware of my potential to be a good fit for that Brazil team, I was ridiculed for it.

Throughout his playing career, Heskey competed against Rivaldo on five separate occasions.

Heskey continued, “I played against him for Liverpool against Barcelona,” referring to the match.

He has seen everything that I brought to a team because we were able to draw away from them and beat them at home.

According to a statement made by the Brazilian to Liverpool.com in 2002, he “admired” the way that Heskey played.

“Heskey may be heavily criticised by some English fans but I don’t see it like that,” Rivaldo stated in his interview.

“I had the opportunity to compete against him on a couple of occasions for Barcelona in the Champions League match against Liverpool, and I came to the realisation that he is an exceptional player.

I didn’t have to think about it for very long before I started to consider the weight of character and strength that Heskey possessed.

“I conveyed to the other players in Brazil the level of danger represented by him. I am impressed by the manner in which he plays 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.”