Gianfranco Zola was the best footballer I played with – but one England legend was technically superior

Gianfranco Zola may be considered one of the most technical players in the Premier League, but Glenn Hoddle is in a league of his own.

That’s the opinion of former Chelsea left-winger Scott Minto, who described the England legend as “absolutely sensational”.

Minto spent a season alongside Zola at Stamford Bridge, with the duo 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 then-player/manager Glenn Hoddle in 1994 and finished his time 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 move from Chelsea in 1997, Minto then returned to Blighty to join West Ham in 1999, with Paolo Di Canio leaving a lasting impression on him.

Commenting on the best footballers he has played with, the 52-year-old told talkSPORT.com: “I always say in reverse order, Di Canio, Gullit, Zola, so Zola number one.

“Gullit’s knees were apparently affected when he arrived at Chelsea in 1995 and he was half the player he was.

“Well, if he was half the player he was, how good was he back then? Obviously he was the World Player of the Year (Ballon d’Or, 1987 ).

“Di Canio was brilliant, again not the fastest, but I really admire people who aren’t necessarily blessed with that natural physique, but can still dominate matches because they are that good. And Di Canio was that.

“Zola just told me, ‘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 five-a-side dream team, did not claim the top spot in Minto’s list of technical teammates.

That honor went to Tottenham icon Hoddle, a two-time FA Cup winner with Spurs, who also won the Ligue 1 title with Monaco under Arsène Wenger and whom Dennis Bergkamp admired when he was child.

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 player/manager.

“Peter Shreeves (former Chelsea assistant) would do the training, and we would do this drill where you keep the ball with three touches.

“So it would be like using your foot, your thigh and your head, we would all try, there would be balls bouncing, but most of us could do it.

“Then it was on the outside of the boot, the shoulder and the back of the neck, so the balls were bouncing absolutely everywhere.

“Glenn was the only one where, using the left foot or the right foot, the ball never fell. He was absolutely sensational. Glenn was blessed, simple as that.”

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Minto then suggested he strongly believed Hoddle was taking over the England reigns from Gareth Southgate after spending three years in charge of the national team between 1996-99.

The Charlton cult hero said: “He was also the best tactical coach I played under.

“And until his heart attack (in 2018), I still thought he should have been the next England manager. Obviously Gareth has done very well.

“It’s probably passed him by now, but it’s a shame he couldn’t come back and become England manager again because he still has a brilliant footballing mind.”