Monday, 12 January 2004
French duo Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane have made it a glorious treble as
they take their places in uefa.com users' Team of 2003.

Familiar faces
With almost 1.5 million votes cast, the Arsenal FC striker and the Real Madrid
CF midfield player have been voted into uefa.com users' Team of the Year for the
third time in succession, and have now appeared in every one of our élite teams
since the
first poll in 2001.

Madrid quartet
Zidane was joined in the dream team by three other Madrid players. Roberto
Carlos was voted the left-back of the year for the second season running, Luís
Figo earned his first appearance and David Beckham - who was named in the Team
of 2001 while at
Manchester United FC - also made a welcome return to the XI.

Ruud awakening
Beckham's former United team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooij has made the team for the
first time after being overlooked in the 2001 and 2002 polls. He links up in
attack with Henry, his adversary from the Premiership.

Nedved honoured
The European Footballer of the Year, Pavel Nedved, makes it into the Team of the
Year for the first time in emphatic style. The Juventus FC playmaker won a
massive 65 per cent of the vote for his position to confirm that he was - for
the ordinary fans
as well as the experts - one of the greats of 2003.

Milan partners
Back in defence, AC Milan profited from their 2002/03 UEFA Champions League
triumph with Alessandro Nesta and Paolo Maldini being named as Europe's central
defensive partnership of choice, with Juve's Gianluigi Buffon taking the
goalkeeper's gloves
behind them.

Porto prestige
However, the man named as Europe's favourite right-back is more of a surprise.
With FC Porto succeeding in magnificent style with a league, Portuguese Cup and
UEFA Cup treble in 2003, both right-back Paulo Ferreira and coach José Mourinho
have made
their way into the Team of 2003. Mourinho polled 60 per cent of the coaching
vote to leave no doubt that uefa.com users' had shared in Porto's joy over the
course of last year.

uefa.com users' Team of 2003:
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus FC), Paulo Ferreira (FC Porto) Alessandro Nesta (AC
Milan), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid CF), Luís Figo
(Real Madrid CF), David Beckham (Real Madrid CF), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid
CF), Pavel
Nedved (Juventus FC), Thierry Henry (Arsenal FC), Ruud van Nistelrooij
(Manchester United FC).
Coach: José Mourinho (FC Porto).

uefa.com users' Team of 2002:
Rüstu Re?ber (Fenerbah?e SK), Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona), Alessandro Nesta (AC
Milan), Cristian Chivu (AFC Ajax), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid CF), Clarence
Seedorf (AC Milan), Michael Ballack (FC Bayern München), Zinedine Zidane (Real
Madrid CF),
Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers FC), Thierry Henry (Arsenal FC), Ronaldo (Real
Madrid CF).
Coach: Senol Günes (Turkey).

uefa.com users' Team of 2001:
Santiago Ca?izares (Valencia CF), Cosmin Contra (Deportivo Alavés), Sami Hyypi?
(Liverpool FC), Patrik Andersson (FC Barcelona), Bixente Lizarazu (FC Bayern Mü
nchen), David Beckham (Manchester United FC), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal FC),
Zinedine Zidane
(Real Madrid CF), Kily González (Valencia CF), Thierry Henry (Arsenal FC),
David Trezeguet (Juventus FC).
Coach: Gérard Houllier.
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FROM 210.32.0.*