18-year-old Irish international Evan Ferguson will be playing European football next season for Brighton. The Seagulls qualified for the Europa League after finishing sixth in the Premier League, following a superb league campaign.
Ferguson attended a star-studded Champions League (UCL) fan event presented by LiveScore in Dublin on Tuesday, where he discussed qualifying for the Europa League, and also revealed who was in his 2023 UCL Team of The Season.
At the event, Ferguson revealed who he thinks will win this year's Champions League Final between Manchester City and Inter Milan.
The Ireland striker believes Manchester City will go on to lift the trophy against their Italian opponents.
"'They can have a special moment from De Bruyne, who can just switch it on or off, or Bernardo Silva. Then the squad depth that they have, they can just bring Mahrez on or Phil Foden on. I think they have just got the better team and I think they will do it on the night'' Ferguson said.
Here's Evan Ferguson's Champions League team of the season.
Evan Ferguson's Team Of The Season
Goalkeeper - Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Courtois had a strong Champions League campaign with semi-finalists Real Madrid. He managed to keep a clean sheet in five out of the ten games he featured in for the Spanish side. He accumulated a total of 42 saves in the whole competition, which was the second-highest amount just behind Inter Milan's Onana who made 45 saves but played two games more than Courtois.
A top class save from Courtois, or a bad miss from Erling Haaland? #MCIRMA
Watch every UEFA Champions League Game for free on the @LiveScoreIE app*. *Registered ROI users only. #Ad pic.twitter.com/QcK3dtYDXc— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) May 17, 2023
Left-back - Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Although Walker only managed to feature in four games for his side this season in the tournament, his impressive performance against Vinícius Júnior in the semi-final is probably why Ferguson chose him for right back. Vinícius Júnior who had a successful tournament and ran rings around defenders throughout the tournament attempted only two dribbles against Walker in the semi-final, both of which were unsuccessful. Júnior also lost possession 17 times in the game, the most of any Madrid player that night.
🏃♂️💨@kylewalker2 👏 pic.twitter.com/4muBlXlQy4
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 18, 2023
Centre back - Thiago Silva (Chelsea)
Silva played an instrumental role in Chelsea's defence this season, making it no surprise that he is featured in Ferguson's squad. Silva was Chelsea's top player for ball recoveries and also clearances made from their defensive area. Silva's experience, composure and calm head whilst defending, made him one of the top defenders in the tournament this season.
Centre back - Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid)
Rudiger could potentially be overlooked by many people when it comes to discussing their standout players from the tournament but Evan Ferguson recognises the hard shift Rudiger puts in each game, especially against Haaland in the first leg of the semifinal tie.
Right back - Theo Hernandez (AC Milan)
Hernandez had a great campaign for AC Milan. He was brilliant in both defence and attack for the Italian giants, causing havoc on the wings whether it was making superb tackles or breaking up the wings and fizzing in a perfectly targeted cross.
Midfield - Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva has had a stellar season for Manchester season, Champions League included. He has scored three goals and one assist for the side who are hoping to lift the trophy for the first time. Not only has he been prolific in attack but he has been one of the key distributors of the ball to his teammates, controlling the game in midfield.
Bernardo Silva finally beats Thibaut Courtois at The Etihad!
Watch every UEFA Champions League Game for free on the @LiveScoreIE app*. *Registered ROI users only. #Adpic.twitter.com/VJRfZUsJNa— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) May 17, 2023
Midfield - Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
One player that no one should have no arguments about being included in Evan Ferguson's team of the season is De Bruyne. The Belgian national once again has been a prolific part of Pep Guardiola's side's success. Ahead of the final, De Bruyne has registered seven assists and two goals so far for his team.
This De Bruyne goal against Real Madrid was Pure anger😩
It was hit with violence 😭 pic.twitter.com/I1nWklwNTJ— Nkotanyi James (@NkotanyiJames12) June 1, 2023
Midfield - Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Modric has run any opposition's midfield ragged he has played against for years. Even at 37 years old Modric is still one of the top midfielders in the world, his ability to change a game with the kick of a ball or a darted run makes him a nightmare for teams to come up against.
Left Wing - Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan)
Inter Milan's Martinez rightfully gained a spot in Ferguson's squad. The winger's explosive pace and skill has made it difficult for defenders to defend against him. Ahead of the final on June 1oth, Inter's frontman Martinez has led by example scoring three goals and registering three assists for this year's finalists.
Striker - Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Haaland has been an unstoppable force in the Champions League since his debut back in 2019, scoring 35 goals in just 29 games. He has been a thorn in most teams' sides throughout the tournament this year with his explosive pace and positioning. He has now scored an impressive 12 goals, making him favourite to win the tournament's golden boot.
Right Wing - Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
Another player who should be included in everybody's team of the season is Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior. Vinícius had a stellar campaign for last year's Champions, scoring an impressive seven goals. He also provided six assists for Madrid, falling one short of the tournament's top spot for assists which is occupied by De Bruyne who has seven.
— Hala Madrid (@HalaMad67519111) May 28, 2023
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