Sports
James Milner’s ‘Perfect 11’ of Former Teammates
Summary
- Milner chose Alisson Becker as the best goalkeeper he’s ever played alongside, praising his all-around skills and impact on the team.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold was selected as the right-back, with Milner recognising his potential and achievements at such a young age.
- Milner’s choice of Jonathan Woodgate as a center-back over other top defenders shows his high regard for the defender, despite his injury troubles.
James Milner has had a wonderful football career. The Englishman broke through to Leeds’ first team at the age of just 16 in 2002. He went on to play for Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool, while also representing his country on 61 occasions. Now in the twilight of his career, he is still going strong at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Milner has played alongside so many world-class players during his illustrious playing career, but who does he think are the best players he has ever played alongside? The Englishman named his ‘perfect XI’ of teammates, both past and present, in an interview with FourFourTwo in 2020. So many legends feature, while a plethora of talent also misses out. View who he selected below…
GK: Alisson Becker
Played with Milner at: Liverpool
Milner had the pleasure of playing alongside Alisson Becker from 2018-2023. The Brazilian has been tremendous during his time at Liverpool, and he has already cemented himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Premier League history. Speaking about his choice to include Alisson, Milner said:
“Nigel Martyn at Leeds was certainly the best shot-stopper I played with, and Joe Hart was brilliant at Manchester City. But Alisson has got it all. Coming into a new squad and a new country isn’t easy, but he made us a better team. He’s a bit too good-looking, though. We all avoid being pictured next to him!”
|
Alisson’s Liverpool Statistics |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Goals Conceded |
Clean Sheets |
|
314 |
1 |
289 |
132 |
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RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Played with Milner at: Liverpool
There may be questions over Alexander-Arnold’s defensive capabilities, but what he offers going forward is just extraordinary. Not many players in his position have the ability to step into a midfield role and control the game in the way the Englishman has started to do for club and country. Milner was full of praise for the former Liverpool full-back, saying:
“Gary Kelly, Luke Young, Micah Richards, Glen Johnson: all great right-backs, but I see Trent becoming a great footballer and that’s why he gets the nod over the other four. That said, what he’s already achieved is so impressive.”
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Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool Statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
354 |
23 |
92 |
CB: Jonathan Woodgate
Played with Milner at: Leeds United, England
A surprising choice, given Milner also played alongside the likes of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Vincent Kompany. Woodgate played for the likes of Leeds, Newcastle, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur in his career, while he also made eight appearances for his country. The pair were teammates in Milner’s younger years, but he was still full of compliments for his ex-colleague, stating:
“Woody was exceptional at Leeds and so unlucky with injuries, but before that we all thought he was a superstar. Put it this way: I’m leaving both Rio Ferdinand and Vincent Kompany out of my side, which shows just how much I thought of him.”
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Jonathan Woodgate’s Leeds and England Statistics |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Team |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
Leeds United |
139 |
5 |
3 |
|
England |
8 |
0 |
0 |
CB: Virgil van Dijk
Played with Milner at: Liverpool
Again, the English midfielder has lined up alongside a vast array of talented centre-backs, but one of the more recent names made it into the XI. Virgil van Dijk was colossal for Liverpool at the height of their success under Jürgen Klopp. In Milner’s final season at Anfield, the Dutch defender suffered a dip in the lofty performance levels he had previously set himself, but this did occur after the former Reds’ vice-captain had selected his team. It is unlikely that his mind would have been changed based on the way he spoke of his former teammate:
“He’s some player; great with the ball at his feet and commanding. It’s a surprise when you see the big man having to get out of second gear. He’s got the deepest voice I’ve ever heard, but when you hear it you know everything’s going to be OK.”
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Virgil van Dijk’s Liverpool Statistics |
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|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
344 |
30 |
13 |
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LB: Ashley Cole
Played with Milner at: England
Rounding off a sensational backline is former Arsenal and Chelsea left-back, Ashley Cole. Milner didn’t play in the same club side as Cole, but the pair were part of the same ‘Golden Generation’ of English football. Both men pulled on the famous white shirt of the Three Lions, and it is hard to argue he is the best player in his position to have played alongside Milner. Andy Robertson may have been the back-up plan, but Cole is widely regarded as the first-choice left-back in the greatest Premier League XI of all time. Milner said:
“A world-class full-back. I played with him for England, and against him, and he’d attack and defend all day long. Ashley was the fittest footballer around and always did the job that was expected of him.”
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Ashley Cole’s England Statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
107 |
0 |
7 |
CM: David Silva
Played with Milner at: Man City
One of the greatest passers of the ball in Premier League history is the first midfielder on the teamsheet. Milner won two league titles while playing in the same side as David Silva and the Spanish playmaker clearly left an impression on his fellow midfielder. There was a side to Silva’s game that the ex-Valencia man wasn’t recognised for, but Milner shed light on this as he explained:
“With him, it was always about the weight of a pass and spotting things nobody else could. But he also loved a tackle! David could decide a game on his own with three assists, but he’d come off buzzing if he won the ball. ‘Did you see my tackle?!’ he’d say afterwards. He was so funny.”
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David Silva’s Manchester City Statistics |
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|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
436 |
77 |
140 |
CM: Steven Gerrard
Played with Milner at: England
A man who often makes his way into XIs selected by former colleagues, Steven Gerrard is among the greatest midfielders to grace the Premier League, if not the best. The Englishman was all-action as he could do it all. Score, assists, tackle, and cross, you name it and he could pull it off. Despite both representing Liverpool, the pair only just missed out on being teammates on Merseyside as Milner signed in the same transfer window that Gerrard moved on to LA Galaxy. Instead, the duo formed part of the same England midfield.
“The best all-round footballer I’ve ever played with: left foot, right foot, heading, shooting, defending. It’s scary to think about it, as you could have played him anywhere and he would have excelled.”
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Steven Gerrard’s England Statistics |
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|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
114 |
21 |
23 |
CM: Frank Lampard
Played with Milner at: England, Man City
Frank Lampard’s inclusion means that only one man in the famous Gerrard, Lampard and Paul Scholes debate misses out. It wasn’t just on the international stage that the two men played together, as Lampard joined Manchester City on loan towards the end of his playing days. Milner was a key part of the Citizens’ team at the time and often started games ahead of his former England colleague. Full of praise for the 45-year-old, Milner highlighted the goalscoring prowess of the Chelsea hero.
“The number of goals that Frank scored from midfield gets him into this team – we’d find a way to make him and Stevie work together! I can tell that Lamps will do well as a coach, because his attitude as a player was always second to none.”
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Frank Lampard’s Manchester City and England Statistics |
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|---|---|---|---|
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Team |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
Manchester City |
38 |
8 |
4 |
|
England |
106 |
29 |
12 |
RW: Roberto Firmino
Played with Milner at: Liverpool
Liverpool boasted one of the best front threes in recent memory with Roberto Firmino maybe not being the most glamorous of the three players. His work often went unnoticed due to the goalscoring exploits of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, but Milner appreciated the work the magical Brazilian did for the team. Having such a selfless nature and always putting the team’s success ahead of his own personal adulation is an admirable quality that Firmino certainly possessed.
“The lowest-maintenance footballer I’ve ever known. He simply works really hard, smiles and does everything that’s asked of him. His work-rate without the ball is something else, but his ability with the ball at his feet gets him into my line-up.”
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Roberto Firmino’s Liverpool Statistics |
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|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
362 |
111 |
79 |
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LW: Sergio Aguero
Played with Milner at: Man City
Aguero and Milner played alongside each other at Man City. The Argentine went down in history as one of the best strikers to ever play in the Premier League, bagging 184 English top-flight goals. One of the main forces in the Citizens’ team that won the aforementioned league titles that Milner lifted, the ex-Atletico Madrid forward was one of the most lethal players English football has seen. There is a special moment that Aguero is fondly remembered for, and it is one that sticks in Milner’s mind.
“I remember the ball falling to Sergio in injury time against QPR, when Man City won the league in 2012. It was hard to know from my angle how good a chance it was, because when you saw him pulling his leg back, you had to be confident he was going to hit the back of the net. Fantastic.”
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Sergio Aguero’s Manchester City Statistics |
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|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
390 |
260 |
73 |
ST: Alan Shearer
Played with Milner at: Newcastle
Another player from Milner’s early playing days, the Premier League’s top goalscorer of all time, had to make it into the team after being part of the same Newcastle side as Milner in the early 2000s. His record of 260 goals is unlikely to be beaten any time soon after Harry Kane departed the division for Bayern Munich in 2023. A man born to score goals, Shearer was the deadliest forward we have seen since the conception of the division in 1992.
“Alan lived to score goals and was the best at it. When you think about all the great players who have followed him since he retired and yet he still has the Premier League goals record, then you appreciate how exceptional he was.”
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Alan Shearer’s Newcastle Statistics |
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|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
405 |
206 |
58 |
Manager: Jurgen Klopp
Managed Milner at: Liverpool
At the time of the interview, Milner was still a Liverpool player and, as such, he had to keep the manager onside with his answer. Klopp would likely have been his first choice anyway, as the German has become one of the best managers the league has ever seen. There were one or two heated exchanges caught between the pair amid emotional moments on the pitch, but there was always a smile at the end and a classic Klopp hug. The Reds’ boss was always reliant on Milner being one of the main leaders in his dressing room.
“I’d better pick the boss or he’ll get upset. Terry Venables gave me my debut and comes a close second. Jurgen is intense, but what you see is what you get and he’s a pleasure to work with.”
James Milner leaves out huge names including David Beckham and Mohamed Salah
The downside of picking an XI made up of players you have played with over a 20-year career is surely the big-name players that need to miss out. Mohamed Salah is considered one of the greatest players in Premier League history, but there was no room in the prestigious Milner XI. The Egyptian fired Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2019 and Premier League success in 2020 and 2025 as the main talisman of the side.
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Midfield superstars Yaya Toure and David Beckham also failed to make the cut after playing with Milner for Man City and England respectively. Beckham is one of England’s best midfielders of all time but doesn’t make it in ahead of Gerrard and Lampard. Toure misses out on the XI despite being one of the top African players to have played in the league.
All statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt (Correct as of 03/01/2026)
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A World Cup full of controversy has been rocked by another revelation involving Argentina following their 3-2 comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16.
Lionel Messi came to the fore once again, equalising in the 83rd minute in a thriller at Atlanta Stadium. The reigning world champions were two-nil down heading into the final 15 minutes of normal time.
A superb header from Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez in the 90+3rd minute broke Egyptian hearts and sealed a last-gasp victory. Lionel Scaloni now prepares his side for a quarter-final clash with Switzerland on Sunday (July 12th).
Argentine FA Under FBI Investigation
Off the pitch, more chaos is ensuing, though, as the Argentine Football Association (AFA) are currently under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). An ongoing investigation is determining whether there is possible money laundering involving the AFA, per the Argentine newspaper La Nacion.
It’s claimed that a preliminary investigation began in 2025 to gather information by taking testimony regarding the AFA’s financial operations. The AFA’s figurehead is Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia, who was charged with tax evasion following a complaint filed by Argentine President Javier Milei’s government.
The FBI’s investigation is headed by federal prosecutors Patrick Gushue and Christopher Ting. Michael Berger is also involved and took part in the prosecution of the convicted former Ecuadorian Comptroller General, Carlos Ramón Polit Faggioni, for money laundering in Miami.
Hundreds of millions of dollars, estimated at around $300 million in total, are believed to have been channelled. The investigation focuses on whether these alleged operations may have resulted in crimes, such as money laundering or fraud, that fall under US jurisdiction.
The FBI wants to speak to witnesses who could have direct knowledge of the involvement of the AFA during Tapia’s and Pablo Toviggino’s regimes with the footballing federation. Former officials from Milei’s government may also be approached during the investigation.
This relates to the possibility of those officials having had access to sensitive AFA information while overseeing operations with TourProdEnter LLC. This is a Miami company owned by Theatre producer Javier Faroni and handled AFA’s international commercial revenue.
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World Cup History Quiz
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Uncertainty Over Wire Transfers
Faroni and wife Erica Gillette allegedly moved hundreds of millions of dollars through bank accounts opened at US financial institutions Citibank, Synovus, Bank of America, JPMorgan, and PNC Bank. Documents show that TourProdEnter LLC managed at least $260 million in revenue from the AFA.
Only a small portion can be directly linked to Tapia’s operating expenses during his reign back in 2017. There is no valid reason given as to why $57 million had reportedly been distributed to various people and companies.
Some of the companies that received wire transfers appear to be controlled by individuals who received social welfare benefits and resided in Buenos Aires or Bariloche. Tovigginio and his family have also been linked to other financial transfers and to a ‘spiritual guide’ for the Argentina team.
This is the latest controversy to unfold during a chaotic World Cup. FIFA have come under fire for suspending Folarin Balogun’s red card after US President Donald Trump called Gianni Infantino and asked for the one-game ban to be reviewed.
Manchester United are looking to strengthen their midfield options this summer, and they have now opened talks to bring in a second signing.
The club have already completed an agreement with Atalanta to sign Brazil star Ederson in a deal worth £38m including add-ons, with a medical the only thing still to be done before he puts pen to paper on a long-term contract.
But United are also now in the hunt to bring one of his Brazil teammates to Old Trafford following their elimination from the World Cup, as they look to secure a bargain signing that Premier League fans may recognise.
Man Utd Open Talks to Sign Danilo Santos
According to Brazilian media outlet O Dia, via Sport Witness, Man Utd have opened talks with Botafogo over a deal to sign central midfielder Danilo Santos.
Danilo, who has previously featured in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest, was part of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad during the World Cup, but managed just 44 minutes during the tournament, as he fell behind Lucas Paqueta, Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes, and Gabriel Martinelli in the pecking order in the centre of the pitch.
Botafogo had been hopeful that the 25-year-old would have a good tournament in order to raise his value ahead of a transfer away this summer, but his lack of game time means they are now unlikely to even be able to fetch the €40m (£34m) they had been demanding prior to the tournament.
Danilo has made it clear that his preference is a return to Europe’s top leagues after an injury-hit spell in England previously, and United are reported to have been paying attention to his situation over recent months.
Now talks have been opened to find out the conditions of a deal, and then the Reds will make a decision on whether to proceed with a deal or look at alternative options instead.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Man Utd Looking at Wildcard Options
After missing out on top options Elliot Anderson and Matheus Fernandes for the midfield, Man Utd have been forced to begin looking at alternative options to fill the void left by Casemiro’s departure.
Danilo has enjoyed a fine goalscoring return to Brazil which earned him a call-up to the national team, but he is also capable of doing the hard yards in a deeper role, and ticks the boxes that Michael Carrick wants as an all-action midfield player who can play alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes.
The club are clearly casting their net far and wide to ensure they bring in the players they feel they need, and this is one to pay attention to in the coming weeks now that Brazil are out of the World Cup.
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