Carlo Ancelotti’s all-time XI: Parma, Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich — but who makes it into stellar fantasy team?
Three-time Champions League-winning Italian has managed many of greatest players of his generation — so who's in?
AS CARLO ANCELOTTI makes it a stunning 1,000 matches in management, we take a look at who makes his all-time XI.
You're not a great if you haven't been managed by the three-time Champions League-winning Italian.
Ancelotti's first gig was the take charge of the stellar Parma team in the mid-1990s, before managing Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and now Bayern Munich.
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Some of his choices have been allocated to other bosses in our all-time XI series — in the essence of fairness.
So makes the cut? There can only be 11.
Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Buffon
Ancelotti has managed the likes of Edwin van der Sar, Dida, Petr Cech, Iker Casillas and now Manuel Neuer.
But there can only be one — and it was right at the very start.
Buffon was his No.1 at Parma back in 1996.
And over 20 years later, he's still one of the best around.
Defence
Lilian Thuram
ANOTHER from his Parma days — that was some team.
The brilliant Frenchman was sensational on the pitch and almost impossible to get past.
Juventus made him the most-expensive defender in the world in 2001.
Just beats Cafu, who played under Ancelotti at Milan.
Fabio Cannavaro
THIAGO SILVA, Jaap Stam and Paolo Montero were excellent defenders who deserve a mention.
But a third Parma players make the list.
Cannavaro is a Ballon d'Or winner and one of the best centre-backs of his generation.
Alessandro Nesta
CANNAVARO'S international centre-back partner was Ancelotti's rock at Milan.
Nesta became the world's most expensive defender when he was signed in 2002.
A classy player and perfect foil to Cannavaro.
Together, they won the Champions League twice.
Paolo Maldini
SIMPLY the greatest left-back of all-time.
Or possibly even centre-half. Play him wherever.
Maldini gets into any team. A real football legend.
Ancelotti's captain at Milan.
Midfield
Clarence Seedorf
A FOUR-TIME Champions League winner with three clubs.
Seedorf was a superstar — and the best period of his career was working under Ancelotti at Milan.
His mesmeric performance against Manchester United in the 2007 Champions League semi-final will take a long time to forget.
Andrea Pirlo
JUST beats off competition from Xabi Alonso, who Ancelotti managed in La Liga and now in Munich.
Pirlo was the hallmark of elegance and oozed coolness under pressure.
The Italian magician was able to conjure up chances out thin air with his incredible accurate passing.
Honourable mention goes to Manuel Rui Costa, who was superb at Milan.
Zinedine Zidane
WOULD surely get into any team in any generation.
A simply marvellous player who won everything there was to win in the game.
Zidane worked under Ancelotti at Juventus.
An honourable mention goes to Ronaldinho who was at Milan for one season under the Italian.
Kaka
FORGET his swansong at Real Madrid.
Kaka at Milan, under Ancelotti was one of the best around.
The deserved winner of the 2007 Ballon d'Or and the difference-maker in that season's Champions League win.
Forwards
Alessandro Del Piero
ANCELOTTI made him captain at Juventus, taking the armband away from Antonio Conte.
Although their time together was blighted by injury, Del Piero still showed his class.
It was far from the best spell of his career,but he just beats off competition from Ronaldo — who made a late cameo under Ancelotti at Milan.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Christian Vieri are among the other strikers who miss out.
Andriy Shevchenko
IT'S so difficult to leave out Filippo Inzaghi, but one had to go.
The end to Shevchenko's career at Milan may not have been the best.
But he was sensational to begin with and his penalty won the 2003 Champions League final.
A year later, he won the Ballon d'Or as Ancelotti claimed his only Serie A title.
Sir Alex Ferguson's all-time XI