Carlo Cudicini has named Ruud van Nistelrooy as the toughest Premier League opponent he faced during his career and admitted to being scared of Thierry Henry.
The former goalkeeper made 161 Premier League appearances across 13 seasons for Chelsea and Tottenham. During his time at Stamford Bridge he won two FA Cup’s, two Football League Cup’s and the community shield.
Despite his achievements, Cudicini said he would always be weary of Van Nistelrooy as his ability to be in the right place at the right time made him ‘special’. Cudicini also said that Henry was a ‘genius’ as he was ‘unpredictable and difficult to read’.
Carlo Cudicini named Ruud van Nistelrooy as the toughest Premier League opponent he faced
Speaking to Ladbrokes, Cudicini said: ‘I had the pleasure of playing alongside one of the best Premier League strikers of all-time in Didier Drogba; I had to face him every single day in training and it’s so easy to see why he’s so highly rated.
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‘I then played against him in the FA Cup when I signed for Tottenham – he scored against me in the semi-final. Having trained with him for all those years at Chelsea, I can only sympathise with every goalkeeper who has ever had to face him.
He said Van Nistelrooy’s ability to be in the right place at the right time made him ‘special’
‘Aside from my teammates, it’s hard not to mention Ruud van Nistelrooy when I think about the toughest opponents I’ve come up against.
‘He just had this unbelievable way of always seeming to be on the end of any ball that was put into the box. Somehow he was always in the right position, and that’s what made him so special.
‘But for me, the one name I’m not afraid to say I feared was Thierry Henry. A lot of people don’t like to use that word ‘fear’ in football, but I absolutely hated playing against Henry.
He also said that Thierry Henry a ‘genius’ as he was ‘unpredictable and so difficult to read’
Cudicini also credited his former Chelsea team-mate Drogba (right) as an exceptional player
‘He was a genius in so many ways; he was so unpredictable and so difficult to read. His speed and intelligence were second to none; he had everything.
‘At that time, it was Arsenal and Chelsea who were always battling it out at the top of the table, so whenever we played them it was a huge occasion, and you just knew he was the sort of player who thrived under those circumstances.
‘I played quite a few times against him and I don’t think I’ve come up against anyone better.’