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The time has almost come to end the series. The penultimate* team has been submitted by TFT regular Ryan Keaney, a Manchester United-supporting Irishman who’s lived all around the UK and picked up footballing heroes along the way. There’s a clear red theme here, but a few famous names from around the world too.

Previous Favourite XI: Andrew Harding
Next Favourite XI: Born Offside

Goalkeeper: Jorge Campos (Retired)

Everyone has fond memories of their first World Cup. For me that was 1994, but even before Diana Ross had kicked a ball in anger I was obsessed with Mexico’s Jorge Campos. Not only was he busy diving across buildings as a mural in Nike’s excellent advert, but every World Cup preview I read mentioned his skills as a striker. A goalkeeper and a striker - what’s not to love? My eight-year-old self was hooked. He was reasonably disciplined from what I remember during the tournament, and didn’t try for his usual antics of dribbling to the half way line, but I’ll forgive him. The World Cup is the biggest stage; plus I’ve had more than my fill of Campos exploits thanks to YouTube.

Defender: Denis Irwin (Retired)

Being Irish and being a Manchester United player are two big plus points for Denis Irwin, and are easily the main reasons I love him. He always did a job at left back, got up and down the line well and was no doubt a big influence on the Neville brothers when they came through the ranks. He was also pretty decent from a set-piece, although I think he rarely got a look-in once David Beckham announced himself on the team. The other reason I’m a fan is his mumbling voice. He’s a shy man that has never tried to hog the limelight. A model professional that can, at times, mumble in interviews. Of course that makes him an ideal candidate to feature on the Irish equivalent of Match of the Day.

Defender: Franco Baresi (Retired)

I don’t remember a Sunday afternoon at home or at my grandparents’ growing up that didn’t feature Football Italia being on the television in the background. I loved football but when I didn’t care about the teams playing I generally did other things, except when Milan were playing and especially when Franco Baresi was leading the defence. I only really saw his later years but he was still pretty good and it was easy to spot him thanks to the distincitive bald patch. He and his back four just seemed to be three strides ahead of the other team at all times. It was joyous stuff to watch as a youngster.

Defender: Sol Bamba (Leicester City)

Sol Bamba should be pretty close to a complete centre half of the modern game. He is big and strong, powerful in the air and has decent feet, but he is a prone to one massive error in every game he plays. Every game. Without fail, Big Sol made a horrible mistake in every fixture he played for Hibernian and it was by massive fortune that it went unpunished as often as it did. It quickly got to a point where it just had to be expected as something that happened during a game, causing him to endear himself with the fans rather than frustrate them.

Defender: Colin Murdock (Retired)

Colin Murdock was a bit of a clumsy defender and never suited for the big occasions, but the songs that used to be sang about him by the Northern Ireland fans made me an instant fan. He was a big no-nonsense lad when he played but good value for it.

Midfielder: Dunga (Retired)

I love a good midfield anchor. If the actions of Barcelona’s players over recent months hadn’t soured Josep Guardiola for me, he’d probably be here, but instead I’ve got Dunga. He bossed the midfield without needing to put himself about early on in the game. He had a grace and an efficiency about him that was beautiful and, in 1994, he simply allowed the rest of his team to go on and play. I like him even more because he managed to keep his place in the national team for the 1998 World Cup despite plying his trade in the lowly J. League.

Midfielder: Kieran Richardson (Sunderland)

I think I’m the only person outside of the Richardson family to have “Richardson” on the back of my Man Utd shirt. When I asked for it in the printing shop, the guy checked with me five times that I meant Kieran Richardson. Don’t ask me why but a general feeling of goodwill for Kieran quickly developed into love. Yes, love. I’m always a little bit more interested in games that he plays in and excited when he is on the ball. Thankfully I was in the crowd when he scored his best United goal against Burton Albion before eventually moving on.

Midfielder: Kaka (Real Madrid)

When Kaka left Old Trafford following the first leg of the 2007 Champions League semi-final, I thought we’d done a really job of keeping him quiet. I decided on that night he couldn’t live with English teams and without him, Milan were going to be brushed aside at the San Siro. How wrong I was. He ripped us apart and since then I’ve been a fan. I always liked him but it was the ease with which he glided across the park that wrapped me up on that night. Even though he was doing it to my boys, I knew that I was watching something special; I had to give him praise even though he was dumping my side out of the competition.

Midfielder: Zlatko Zahovic (Retired)

This has nothing to do with how he was as a player and everything to do with Championship Manager. Playing in the hole behind a strikeforce of Andriy Shevchenko and Hernan Crespo for Milan, Zlatko Zahovic was my assisting machine. In one season of the game that I was addicted to as a teenager he provided 56 goals for my all conquering side. My biggest real memory of him is slagging off his national team and getting sent home from the World Cup but I don’t care about that. He was my greatest ever ‘discovery’ in ChampMan when I plucked him from Porto.

Striker: Ronaldo (Retired)

Ronaldo was literally (Jamie) a top, top striker and who couldn’t enjoy the most natural striker to ever grace a football pitch? I’m a sucker for players that rip my team to shreds.

Striker: David Healy (Rangers)

Being the only man from my home nation seemingly able to hit a barn door for quite a few years, David Healy is a massive hero of mine. He has never quite been able to do it at club level for one reason or another but in the green of Northern Ireland he’s been sublime. From 2004 until 2008 he was the single thing that I could be passionately proud about as a Northern Ireland fan.

Substitutes:

Peter Schmeichel

The guy has probably ruined any chances any future goalkeeper of Manchester United have of being really trusted in goal. I don’t even hold Edwin in the same regard. Big Pete was a glorious goalkeeper and his bacon adverts are pretty funny too.

Gary Neville

He gave everything he could to be as good as possibly could. He was a United fan desperate to play for United for as long as possible. He lived my dream.

Ray Houghton

Growing up with parents from both Ireland nations, I supported anyone and everyone in green. His goal against Italy in 1994 caught me off guard. I had been warned that it would be a tough game for the Republic so I didn’t expect that to happen.

Diego Forlan

Even when he wasn’t scoring for Manchester United, I could see that he was giving everything on the pitch. None of that mattered of course because he scored two great goals against Liverpool. After that, he could retire and I’d still love him.

Peter Crouch

The robot dance, the “Probably a virgin” answer on Soccer AM, the overhead kicks, #stayonyourfeet, Peter… I can’t help but like the guy.

* = not strictly true

Tags: Colin Murdock, David Healy, Denis Irwin, Dunga, Franco Baresi, Jorge Campos, Kaka, Kieran Richardson, Ronaldo, Sol Bamba, Zlatko Zahovic