Gianfranco Zola was the best footballer I played with – but one England legend was technically superior
Gianfranco Zola may be regarded as one of the Premier League's most technical players - but Glenn Hoddle is in a league of his own.
That's the opinion of ex-Chelsea left back Scott Minto, who has labelled the England legend as 'absolutely sensational'.
Minto spent one season alongside Zola at Stamford Bridge, with the pair helping the Blues end the club's 26-year wait for a trophy by lifting the FA Cup.
The former Chelsea left-back was brought to the club by Glenn Hoddle in 1994, who was the player/manager at the time, and finished his spell in west London under the tutelage of Ballon d'Or winner Ruud Gullit in the same role.
After becoming the first Englishman to play for Benfica following his Chelsea exit in 1997, Minto then returned to Blighty to link up with West Ham in 1999, with Paolo Di Canio leaving a lasting impression on him.
Commenting on the best footballers he played with, the 52-year-old told talkSPORT.com: "I always say in reverse order, Di Canio, Gullit, Zola, so Zola number one.
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"Gullit's knees were apparently shot when he came to Chelsea in 1995 and he was half the player he used to be.
"Well if he was half the player he used to be, how good was he back in the day? Obviously he was World Player of the Year [Ballon d'Or, 1987].
"Di Canio was brilliant, again not the quickest, but I really admire people who aren't necessarily blessed with that natural physique, but can still dominate games because they are so good. And Di Canio was that.
"Zola was just, 'Give the ball to Zola as much as possible,' because he was brilliant - especially in that first season."
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However, Zola, who was recently named in Eden Hazard's dream five-a-side team, didn't claim top spot in Minto's technical teammate list.
That honour went to Tottenham icon Hoddle - a two-time FA Cup winner with Spurs who also won the Ligue 1 title with Monaco under Arsene Wenger and whom Dennis Bergkamp admired when he was growing up.
Minto said of the former Three Lions manager: "But technically the best player I ever played with was Glenn Hoddle.
"He brought me to Chelsea, and he was player/manager in my first season and his last season as a player/manager.
"Peter Shreeves [ex-Chelsea assistant] would take the training, and we'd do this drill where you keep the ball up with three touches.
"So it would be like using your foot, thigh and head, we'd all try it, there'd be some balls bouncing around, but most of us could do it.
"Then it would be outside of the boot, shoulder and catch on the back of the neck, balls then were bouncing absolutely everywhere.
"Glenn was the only one, where using the left foot or right foot, the ball would never drop. He was just absolutely sensational. Glenn was blessed, simple as that."
Minto then suggested he was a firm believer in Hoddle taking back the England reigns from Gareth Southgate having enjoyed three years in charge of the national team between 1996-1999.
The Charlton cult hero remarked: "He was the best tactical coach I played under as well.
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"And up until his heart attack [in 2018], I still thought he should have been the next England manager. Obviously Gareth has done really well.
"It's probably passed him now, but it's a real shame he wasn't able to get back and be England manager again, because he still has a brilliant football mind."