#5 Atsuto Uchida

When we kiss, I see what's in your heart.

Key dreamy characteristics:

• J-pop good looks
• Great technical ability
• Fleet-footed

Atsuto Uchida is a Japanese international footballer. He currently plays for Schalke. He is an industrious, attack-minded right-back.

Atsuto Uchida was born in 1988 in Kannami in the central region of Japan. He was educated and played for Shimizu Higashi High School. Atsuto Uchida joined the J. League giants Kashima Antlers in 2006. He made his debut, aged 17 years in the season opener against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Atsuto Uchida scored his first professional goal during his debut season in a game against Ventforet Kofu. 

Kashima Antlers won three successive J. League championship titles between 2007 and 2009 and an Emperor's Cup in 2007. Atsuto Uchida made 178 appearances for Kashima Antlers and scored 6 goals.

Schalke signed Atsuto Uchida in the summer of 2010. The transfer fee was 1.3 million euros. Questions were raised about Atsuto Uchida's suitability to play in the Bundesliga. He is small in stature. Some critics suggested he wasn't physically imposing enough. These fears were quickly allayed. His excellent positioning and fierce determination won over critics. The right-back spot for Schalke was firmly his by the end of the 2010-11 season.

Atsuto Uchida made his senior debut for Japan in 2008, aged 19 in a friendly against Chile. In the same year, he scored his only goal to date for Japan in a World Cup qualifying match in a 1-0 win over Bahrain. He was a member of the Japan squads for both the 2008 Olympics and 2010 World Cup finals. He only played in the former. Atsuto Uchida tasted glory at international level when Japan won the 2011 Asian Cup. He played in 5 of the 6 games including the enthralling 1-0 extra-time victory over Australia in the final.

At Schalke, Atsuto Uchida has built-up a good rapport with the Jefferson Farfan on the right flank. Working together they have become a potent weapon for Schalke. This was exemplified against Arsenal in a Champions League game in 2012. Atsuto Uchida and Jefferson Farfan launched numerous attacks on the right flank. Schalke achieved a memorable 2-0 win.

Atsuto Uchida arguably played the best football of his career in the 2012-13 season. His impressive performances were recognised by being named in the Bundesliga.com team of the season. He beat Philipp Lahm and Daniel Carvajal to the right-back spot in a popular vote.

Atsuto Uchida's best game of the season came in a 2-1 win against Schalke's traditional rivals Borussia Dortmund. He assisted both of Schalke's goals. The first goal originated from an interchange of passes between Atsuto Uchida, Jefferson Farfan and Marco Hoger. These passes culminated with Atsuto Uchida receiving the ball after having made an overlapping run. He provided a dreamy pull-back to Julian Draxler. Julian Draxler found the net.

Atsuto Uchida's second assist came via a cross which Klaas-Jan Huntelaar powerfully headed into the goal. Klass- Jan Huntelaar acknowledged Atsuto Uchida's incisive delivery by running over to celebrate with him.

#4 Mario Gomez

Looks that appeal to both genders.

Key dreamy characteristics:

• Chiseled physique
• Perfect cheekbones
• Sharp-shooter

Mario Gomez is a German international footballer. He plays for Bayern Munich. He is a striker who scores goals like it's going out of style. Thus far in his career he has scored an astonishing 13 hat-tricks in the Bundesliga. Arsene Wenger has described him as "a great finisher who is often in the right place to finish off moves".

Mario Gomez was born in 1985 in Riedlingen in south-west Germany. He was raised in the nearby town of Unligen. Mario Gomez's childhood hero was Romario. He wanted to be like Romario. Romario was a forward who scored many goals.

Mario Gomez joined the youth academy at Stuttgart when he was 16 years old. Gomez started playing for clubs reserve team Stuttgart II during the 2003-04 season. He scored 6 goals. In his second season he scored an impressive 15 goals. Mario Gomez made some fleeting appearances for the first team.

Mario Gomez became a permanent member of Stuttgart's first-team squad in the 2005-06 season. He scored a modest 6 goals. His debut goal for Stuttgart was a late winner against Mainz.

The next season Mario Gomez established himself as one of the best strikers in the Bundesliga. He scored 14 goals. He scored a crucial goal in the penultimate league game against Bochum. This made the score 2-2. Cacau scored to win the game for Stuttgart. Stuttgart won their final game to win the Bundesliga for the first time since 1992. Mario Gomez's individual efforts were rewarded. He was named the German Footballer of the Year for 2007.

Stuttgart's level of performance fell the following season. Mario Gomez kept on scoring. He scored 19 goals in 25 appearances, including a superb hat-trick against Werder Bremen. He was the Bundesliga's second highest scorer. He scored 6 goals in the German cup.

Mario Gomez has both German and Spanish citizenship. He could have played for either nation. He decided to play for Germany. His debut for Germany came against Switzerland in 2007. In a 3-1 victory he scored his first goal for Germany. Mario Gomez scored further goals and continued to impress in Euro 2008 qualifiers and in friendlies.

Mario Gomez was called up for the German squad for the Euro 2008. He played all the group games. He was dropped by the coach Joachim Low for the knockout stages. His performances drew criticism from the German media and fans. They were particularly angered that he had missed chances against Austria at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion. He would later return to the same stadium to score against the same opposition in a Euro 2012 qualifying match. Mario Gomez marked this goal by kissing the goalpost.

Mario Gomez played well for Stuttgart during the 2008-09 season. Notably he scored all 4 goals in a 4-1 win against Wolfsburg. Mario Gomez moved to Bayern Munich at the end of the season. The transfer fee was reported to be in the range of 30 to 35 million euros.

Mario Gomez only scored 10 goals in the league in his first season at Bayern Munich. Mario Gomez picked up his second Bundesliga winners medal. He was named in Joachim Low's squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He was limited 4 late substitute appearances.

Mario Gomez remained a starter at Bayern Munich for the 2010-11 season. He was the Bundesiga's top scorer. He scored 28 league goals, including 5 hat-tricks. Only Gerd Muller has scored more hat-tricks in a single league season. He was joint top scorer along with Samuel Eto'o in the Champions League. He scored 39 goals in all competitions.

Mario Gomez spoke out in favour of gay players coming out about their sexuality. The German Football Federation had warned gay players not to come out. Mario Gomez countered this view by saying that "being gay should no longer be a taboo topic".

Mario Gomez formed a formidable attacking line at Bayern Munich with Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben. The two dynamic wingers providing crosses and through-balls for Mario Gomez. He scored 26 goals in the Bundesliga in the 2011-12 season. His efforts were not enough to stop Borussia Dortmund winning the league for a second consecutive season.

Mario Gomez scored an amazing 12 goals in 12 matches in the Champions League last season. In the group stages he rattled Manchester City by scoring two first half goals. He scored a hat-trick against Napoli in a 3-2 win. He scored 4 goals in a Champions League quarter final tie against Basel. Mario Gomez continued to get amongst the goals. He netted against Marseille and Real Madrid to guide Bayern to the final of the Champions League. Bayern Munich lost the final on penalties.

Mario Gomez had to play second fiddle to Miroslav Klose during Germany's qualification for Euro 2012. He scored against 5 countries including two goals away to Austria. Gomez scored a fine header against Portugal in the group stages in Euro 2012.

In the following match he scored twice against Germany's great rivals, the Netherlands. For his first goal Gomez received the ball with his left foot with his back to goal. He turned to face goal in a dreamy balletic style and slotted the ball past the Dutch goalkeeper with his right foot. The second was a magnificent finish from a slight angle. Germany lost against Italy in the semi-finals.

#3 Gylfi Sigurdsson

Baby's got blue eyes, like a deep blue sea.

Key dreamy characteristics:

• Great technical ability
• Goalscoring midfielder
• Big blue eyes

Gylfi Sigurdsson is an Icelandic international footballer. He currently plays for Swansea City, on loan from Hoffenheim. He is an attacking midfielder. He likes to get among the goals and has gained a reputation for being a set-piece specialist.

Gylfi Sigurdsson was born in Hafnarfjordur in Iceland in 1989. He started his youth career playing for his hometown club HF. He later joined Breidablik in the nearby city of Kopavogur. He had trials with Preston North End and Arsenal but signed for Reading's Academy in 2005. He played for Reading's youth and reserve teams for three years.

Gylfi Sigurdsson became part of the first-team squad in the 2008-09 season. He played in a couple of League Cup games. He had loan spells at Shrewsbury Town and Crewe Alexander to gain valuable experience. The following season Gylfi Sigurdsson became a regular fixture in the starting line-up for Reading. He scored his first goal for the club against Burton Albion in the League Cup with a 35-yard strike. Shortly after he got his first goal in the league against Peterborough United.

Gylfi Sigurdsson was the driving force behind Readings impressive FA Cup run in 2010. He kept his cool under pressure to score an injury time penalty against Liverpool. This took the tie at Anfield to extra time. They went on to win the game 2-1. In the next round he scored the sole goal in a match against Burnley to take Reading through to the fifth round. Then against West Bromwich Albion he scored a dreamy 25-yard curler into the far corner to win the game.

His form was equally as good in the league. He was named the Championship player of the month for April after scoring 5 goals in 6 matches. He finished the season as the top scorer at the club with an outstanding 21 goals (and 9 assists) in 44 appearances. He made his debut for Iceland senior team in May 2010 against Andorra in a 4-0 win. Thus far he has 7 caps for Iceland senior team, scoring 1 goal which came against Portugal.

Gylfi Sigurdsson started the 2010-11 campaign at Reading. He moved to German club Hoffenheim on the last day of the transfer window. The fee is believed to be about £6.5 million. He expressed sadness about leaving Reading having been at the club since he was 15. He was ready for a new challenge.

He made his Bundesliga debut for Hoffenheim against Schalke coming on as a substitute. He got his first goal a week later against Kaiserslautern with a free kick from 20 yards out. He played 30 games but often found himself starting the game on the bench. Despite this he scored 10 goals and got 2 assists. He was voted as player of the year by Hoffenheim fans.

In the summer of 2011, Gylfi Sigurdsson played at the European Under-21 Championships for Iceland. He had played a significant role in getting his country to the championships. He had scored two stunning goals in a play-off against the Scotland Under-21's. But at the championships in Denmark, he was unable to help his team qualify from their group.

Gylfi Sigurdsson fell out of favour at Hoffenheim in the first half of this season (2011-12). He was loaned out to Swansea City in the January transfer window. The then Hoffenheim manager Holger Stanislawski deemed him surplus to requirements.

At Swansea City he was reunited with manager Brendan Rodgers. Gylfi Sigurdsson knew him from their shared time at Reading. He made an instant impact. Against Arsenal, he provided a slick pass to Danny Graham who scored the winning goal in a memorable 3-2 victory. He got his first goal for Swansea against West Bromwich Albion. He also provided another assist for Danny Graham in the same game.

He made the headlines with two goals away to Wigan Athletic. The first being a long range strike. The second being a sumptuous free kick. He got another brace against Fulham a couple of weeks later. He was rewarded for his exploits by being named Premier League player of the month for March. He is the first Icelander to win the award and also the first Swansea player to do so.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's future is uncertain. He has expressed a desire to play in the Premier League. Brendan Rodgers seems keen to sign him on a permanent deal. Brendan Rogers may have to compete with some of the top Premier League clubs for his signature. Added to this, Gylfi Sigurdsson's excellent form hasn't gone unnoticed at Hoffenheim. The newly appointed manager Markus Babbel has said Gylfi Sigurdsson is part of his future plans.

#2 Edinson Cavani

Smouldering piece of man-flesh.

Key dreamy characteristics:

• Slim build
• Strong jawline
• Quick

Edinson Cavani is nicknamed 'El Matador'. He is a Uruguayan international footballer. He currently plays for Napoli. He is a striker.

Edinson Cavani was born on Valentine's Day in 1987. He was born in Salto, a provincial city in Uruguay. He had a humble upbringing. His parents had to work hard to give him the opportunity to train. At a young age Edinson Cavani was attracting attention from the big clubs in Uruguay. To keep him grounded, his father did not allow him to move to Montevideo to join an academy until he was 12 years old.

When Edinson Cavani moved to Montevideo he joined Danubio. Despite feeling homesick he flourished in their academy. He broke into the senior team in 2006. In his debut season he scored 9 goals as Danubio won the Apertura.

Edinson Cavani impressed for the Uruguayan Under-20 national team at the 2007 South American Youth Championship. He became a transfer target for a number of Europeans clubs. Juventus and Milan were among the teams who pursued him. It was Palermo who clinched his signature.

He scored on his debut for Palermo. It wasn't until the departure of Amauri and the forming of a partnership with Fabrizio Miccoli that Edinson Cavani could show his ability. He scored 14 goals in the 2008/09 season.

Due to having Italian heritage, Edinson Cavani could have represented Italy. He stuck with Uruguay. In 2008 he made a goal scoring debut for Uruguay in a 2-2 draw against Columbia. At the 2010 World Cup he was part of a dreamy attacking line with Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan. Uruguay's impressive run in South Africa saw them reach the semi-finals.

Edinson Cavani scored an impressive 37 goals in 117 games for Palermo. He departed for Napoli in June 2010 on a one-year long loan. In his first season for Napoli he scored 26 goals in Serie A. This made him the highest league goalscorer in a single season in Napoli's history. Notably he scored hat-tricks against Juventus, Sampdoria and Lazio.

Edinson Cavani was part of the Uruguay team that won the 2011 Copa America. Injury limited his involvement. He made a substitute appearance in the final. Edinson Cavani's great finishing ability has continued to be on display so far this season (2011-12). Another dreamy hat-trick, this time against Milan had him pronounced as 'King Cavani' in the sports daily newspaper Corriere dello Sport.

Arguably his most spectacular feat this season (thus far) is his crucial brace against Manchester City. This all but guaranteed Napoli a place in the Champions League round of 16 at the expense of their opponents.

#1 Robert Pires

Poetry in shorts. Smooth, effortless, rhythmical.

Key dreamy characteristics:

• Long hair
• Flair player
• Agile

Robert Pires is a former French international footballer. He is most well-known for his time playing for Arsenal. He predominantly played on the left wing. Sometimes he played as a support striker.

Robert Pires was born in 1973 in Reims. He has a Portuguese father and a Spanish mother. As a boy he wore the shirts of both Benfica and Real Madrid. He inherited his passion for football from his father. He watched his father play for a local team each week. When he was 15, Robert Pires left school to begin a sports degree course at Reims. Due to being in the C team, he considered quitting football. His mother convinced him not to.

He spent a year in the Metz academy. Robert Pires made his senior debut in 1993. At Metz he scored 43 goals in 162 matches. He helped the team win the Coupe de la Ligue in 1996. It was clear to all that he had a great deal of technical brilliance. People questioned if he could replicate his form at a bigger club.

Robert Pires made his debut for France in 1996. Two years later he played a supporting role in France's triumph at the 1998 World Cup. In the same summer he signed for Marseille, the biggest club in France,. The transfer fee was £5 million. He thrived in his first season at Marseille. They finished runners up in both Ligue 1 and in the UEFA Cup. His second season did not go so well. He sought to leave the club.

At the European Championship finals in 2000, Robert Pires was limited to a supporting role in another triumph for the national team. He provided a crucial assist for David Trezeguet's golden goal in the final after coming on as a substitute. French team-mate Nicolas Anelka encouraged Robert Pires to start sporting his now signature facial hair. A narrow vertical strip from his bottom lip to his chin. He also grew his hair longer.

That summer Robert Pires had a choice of moving to either Arsenal or Real Madrid. Nicolas Anelka and Emmanuel Petit advised him to move to Arsenal. Arsene Wenger convinced him to sign for Arsenal in a £6 million move. In his first season at Arsenal he struggled to adapt to the physical and quick nature of English football. The English press were not sympathetic to Pires' plight. They described him as a "coward" and a "nancy boy".

It would not be long before he proved them wrong. Towards the end of the season Robert Pires was starting to show signs of what was to come. Memorably, after spurning a couple chances against Tottenham Hotspur in an FA Cup semi-final clash, he scored the winner to send Arsenal to the 2001 FA Cup final. Robert Pires would go on to score 8 times in 12 games in total in North London derbies. This endeared him to the Arsenal's fans.

In the 2001/02 season, it was noticeable that Robert Pires had hardened up. He had learnt how to deal with tough challenges by opposition players. Robert Pires had started to build a great understanding with Ashley Cole and Thierry Henry down Arsenal's left side. He produced many outstanding moments such as his goal against Aston Villa. In a race with George Boateng, he deftly flicked the ball over his head. He then effortlessly lobbed the ball over Peter Schmeichel and into the net.

Arsenal won the Premier League and FA Cup that season. Robert Pires' contribution to their success was huge. His brilliance was recognised when he was awarded the Football Writers' Association Football of the Year. In March of the same season Robert Pires suffered a serious knee injury. It kept him out the game until the start of the following season. He missed the 2002 World Cup. His absence from the national team was noticeable. France failed to progress from the group stage.

The next season Robert Pires fired Arsenal to glory in a 1-0 win in the FA Cup final against Southampton. He had to be content with this as Arsenal were pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester United. In the 2003/04 season, Arsenal went undefeated for the entire league season. Pires scored 14 league goals, including a dreamy winning goal against Liverpool at Anfield.

At the 2004 European Championships Robert Pires played in each game for France. The team did not play to their potential. They were knocked out at the quarter final stage. He made 79 appearances for his country. His international career came to an end later that year after a dispute with the new manager Raymond Domenech. In the 2004-05 season, Robert Pires again scored 14 league goals. He and Arsenal had to settle for second place in the Premier League behind Chelsea and a FA Cup final win against Manchester United.

In the 2005-06 season, Robert Pires faced increased pressure for a place in the Arsenal team. In a Premier League match against Manchester City, Pires famously fluffed up a penalty. He tried to pass to Theirry Henry from the penalty spot. He failed to kick the ball properly and then the referee awarded a free-kick against him. Robert Pires helped Arsenal reach the UEFA Champions League Final in 2006. Arsenal lost to Barcelona. He was substituted early on in the match after goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off. This would be his last appearance for Arsenal. He scored 84 goals in 284 games for them in total.

Robert Pires felt that he was no longer considered a first choice player by Arsene Wenger. In the summer of 2006, he moved to Villareal. Robert Pires returned to Arsenal with Villareal in 2009 in a UEFA Champions League match. He received a warm reception upon his return by the Arsenal fans. He was released in the summer of 2010 by Villareal. Later that year he was signed a 6 month deal with Aston Villa. He is currently seeking a new club.