Joe Cole played with some of the greatest players football has ever seen. The midfielder started his career at West Ham United before enjoying a successful seven seasons at Chelsea. He also played for Liverpool, Lille, West Ham, Aston Villa, Coventry and Tampa Bay Rowdies during an impressive club career.

He also played 56 times for England, representing them – and scoring – in major tournaments. He was one of the most naturally gifted players England have ever had. Cole’s incredible technical ability on the ball made up for the fact he was just 5 ft 7 in.

But who are the best players he’s played with during his 20-year career? Well, FourFourTwo asked him to name the best XI of players he’s played with at club and national level and explain his picks.

Goalkeeper: David Seaman

Teams played in together: England

Interestingly, Cole has gone for David Seaman over none other than Petr Cech – who he played with on 166 occasions at Chelsea and won multiple trophies with. A big surprise. Seaman was an incredible goalkeeper, though, enjoying great success throughout his career. He was Arsenal’s starting goalkeeper for 13 seasons, making 564 appearances for the club and helping them to 12 trophies. The Englishman was also capped 75 times by his country.

“I remember watching Euro 96 as a kid, and Seaman was a hero of mine. Getting to come through the ranks and actually play with him for England was an honour. He was a terrific goalkeeper: great in the air and an excellent shot-stopper. A national treasure.”

Right Back: Paulo Ferreira

Teams played in together: Chelsea

Labelling him as one of the ‘most underrated players’ in the fabled history of the Stamford Bridge-based outift, Cole opted for the sometimes-forgotten Paulo Fereira, whom he played 106 times alongside.

“Paulo is one of the most underrated players in Chelsea history – he was so secure in and out of possession. He never gave a pass away and could get stuck in as well. He had lovely hair, too – he looked like a movie star! He still does, come to think of it…”

Not too many surprises here, as Ferreira was a brilliant right-back at Chelsea for many years. The Portuguese defender signed for the club in 2004 and made 217 appearances before his departure in 2013. He got the nod ahead of the likes of Glen Johnson and Gary Neville.

Centre-Back: Rio Ferdinand

Teams played in together: England and West Ham

Cole played with Rio Ferdinand at both West Ham and England and his inclusion is very understandable – at both club and international level. After all, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history, having enjoyed a plethora of success and silverware at Manchester United.

“On the right I’d have Rio. He and John Terry were extraordinary for England – defensively, Rio was top notch. He was elegant and calm with a ball at his feet, and had bags of pace. He was impossible to get past.”

Given that he is one of the greatest defenders to grace the English top flight, you have to say that it’s a wise pick from the deft winger.

Centre-Back: John Terry

Teams played in together: England and Chelsea

John Terry captained Cole at both Chelsea and the national side, so he was another obvious pick. Well-equipped with the English behemoth’s ways, the two enjoyed plenty of success together on the domestic stage.

“JT obviously gets in my team. The man was a leader, simple as that – dominant in the air and good with the ball. He was an old-school centre-half out of possession, but he could build play from the back as well as anyone.”

While he was incredible at the back, Terry was also a major threat from attacking set-pieces. He scored 68 goals at club level and also hit the back of the net six times for England.

Left-Back: Ashley Cole

Teams played in together: England and Chelsea

Before joining the west Londoners, Cole had the great displeasure of being marked by his namesake, Ashley Cole. The Chelsea legend is one of the best left backs football has ever seen – with him perhaps just behind the likes of Roberto Carlos, Marcelo and Paolo Maldini. Cole played alongside his namesake for many years for the Blues and with the England national team.

“I played against Ashley so many times before I joined Chelsea and you’d never get any change out of him. Playing with him was brilliant, as he was constantly making runs forward; I played on the left wing a lot and he’d give you the option to drive inside. One of the all-time great left-backs.”

Defensive Midfielder: Claude Makelele

Teams played in together: Chelsea

Claude Makele’s influence on the game was so seen that they even named a position after him. Cole did also play with defensive midfielders Michael Essien and Michael Carrick, but Makelele – inarguably one of the best defensive midfielders in Premier League history – was something else.

“The governor. The main man. What a footballer. Makelele made that role in front of the back four his own. His short passing range rivalled the best players in the world – he’d always pick out a pass in space, even if it didn’t look like one was even on. And he did all of this with size six and a half feet. They were tiny!”

Central Midfielder: Frank Lampard

Teams played in together: England, West Ham and Chelsea

There is simply no former Chelsea player on earth that would not include Frank Lampard in their team. A presence in both boxes, the central midfielder was one of the greatest of his generation – as evidenced by his healthy goal tally in England.

“He guaranteed you goals and his longevity was incredible. Season after season, Frank did the business for club and country. To score so many goals from midfield is astonishing, and his Chelsea record may never be beaten.”

Cole played alongside Super Frank at West Ham, Chelsea and England, appearing in 341 matches together in total. Lampard scored over 300 goals in his football career, with 211 coming for Chelsea and a further 29 in an England shirt.

Central Midfielder: Steven Gerrard

Teams played in together: England and Liverpool

When Lampard is about, Liverpool hero Steven Gerrard is never far behind with their names embroiled in one of the biggest football-inspired debates to date. And so, it’s to little surprise that Cole’s third choice in central midfielder is Scouser, who he played with at Liverpool and England.

“Stevie was Roy of the Rovers, wasn’t he? He could do anything he wanted with a football and could play anywhere: full-back, midfield, upfront, probably even in goal! His tackling, passing, shooting and leadership skills were phenomenal. I think he’s the most complete player I ever played alongside.”

Cole’s spell at Liverpool wasn’t particularly successful and was short-lived, but he was still clearly impressed with Gerrard, who was one of the greatest midfielders of his generation.

Right-Wing: Arjen Robben

Teams played in together​​​​​​​: Chelsea

Cole played with a number of talented wingers but, for him, Arjen Robben was among the very best. You can be forgiven for forgetting the Dutchman’s three-season spell at Chelsea where he won six trophies before moving to Real Madrid. He went on to establish himself as a legend of the game during an incredible 10-year spell with Bayern Munich.

“Arjen didn’t exactly have the best barnet in the world, but he’s got Paulo behind him so I’ve balanced it out! There was no one better at cutting in off the right wing and shooting with his left foot. We didn’t see him for long enough in the Premier League, because the demands of English football weren’t suited to him.”

Suggesting that Jose Mourinho’s reserved system, perhaps, restricted the winger’s bright talent, Cole said: “Chelsea played a 4-1-4-1 system under Jose Mourinho, meaning he had to work hard defensively. He runs Eden Hazard a very close second in terms of ability, though.”

Centre Forward: Didier Drogba

Teams played in together​​​​​​​: Chelsea

Didier Drogba is nothing short of a Chelsea legend, and it was almost impossible to leave the Ivorian out. However, in picking Drogba, it means Cole has snubbed Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Nicolas Anelka – but, in his defence, he suggested that nothing fazed the big-game player.

“His hold-up play was just on another level – I saw him bully so many centre-halves. Didier [left] was a big-game player and nothing fazed him, but he saved that mentality for matchday. In training he was calm. He was a leader, and this team is full of them.”

Hernan Crespo, Michael Owen, Andriy Shevchenko, Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres and the like were also snubbed in the process – but among the plethora of talent that Cole has had the pleasure of playing with, Drogba is the go-to man.

Left-Wing: Eden Hazard

Teams played in together​​​​​​​: Lille

Imagine a winger pairing of Cole and Eden Hazard. Poise, know-how and the combined low centre of gravity needed to weave in and out of players with relative ease – it would be joyous to watch.

“I was at Lille with Eden – the most talented team-mate I ever had. He carried that side when he was only young, before moving to Chelsea and becoming the main man there too. It’s not worked out for him yet at Real Madrid, but he’s played over 700 games for club and country and in most of those people have kicked lumps out of him.”

As Cole mentioned, it was actually Lille – not Chelsea – where he played alongside Hazard. The Belgian was only a youngster and at the start of his career with the Ligue 1 club, but those 39 matches together before Hazard’s move to Chelsea were enough to convince Cole that he was a special talent.

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Manager and Substitutes

Team to be lead by Jose Mourinho

Who else but the self-proclaimed Special One? Cole played under a number of top managers, including Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink, Carlo Ancelotti and Fabio Capello, but Jose Mourinho got his pick. The Portuguese has won nearly almost every trophy there is to win in his managerial career and is one of the most successful managers in football history.

“Jose’s still a top boss and his record speaks for itself. I won four trophies with him at Chelsea. Don’t be surprised if he makes a big comeback at Roma and does something really special.”

In terms of those available to come off the bench, there’s a very strong three-man triumvirate. He played alongside Carvalho at Chelsea, with Rooney at England and with Defoe at both West Ham and with the national side. Rooney is especially unlucky to miss out, but Cole simply couldn’t leave out Drogba.

Cole’s side is so strong that Paul Scholes doesn’t even make the bench. Others to be omitted from his side altogether include Sol Campbell, Michael Ballack, Michael Carrick, Anelka, Crespo, Owen, Shevchenko, Suarez and Torres.