We at Balls.ie were recently fortunate enough to have the chance to sit down and pick the brain of an icon of European football in Patrick Kluivert.
The big Dutchman will forever be a Champions League legend having scored the winner in the 1995 final for Ajax at just 18 years of age, and we asked him to take a look back over his career and give us his views on some of the players he played with and against over his storied career.
After revealing that Marcel Desailly was the toughest defender he ever played against, we asked him who the toughest Irish player that he played against was, fully expecting to hear Roy Keane, or perhaps Paul McGrath, but he surprised us by revealing his admiration for Richard Dunne.
I think Richard Dunne, he was maybe not the best player with the ball, but as a defender I think that he really was focused on defending the striker, and he was one of the biggest defenders of Ireland that I played against.
Also, I think he is a little bit underestimated, I only can say what is my impression, and he's strong, and even though he doesn't look quick, he is quick.
You're a man after our heart here at Balls.ie, Patrick.
There was further praise for Irish players when we asked him about his time at Newcastle, as he described Shay Given and Stephen Carr as 'great lads' before admitting that he wasn't too familiar with Andy O'Brien.
I still have on and off contact with Shay, he's a great goalkeeper, a great man, he's doing great things also for charities.
And Carr, a great right-defender Steven Carr, a great lad. O'Brien I don't really know, but Stephen Carr, Shay Given... Great lads.
Sorry, Andy.
If you would like to watch the interview in full you can do so below, and please don't judge Patrick for thinking that Gareth Bale was Irish, we all had an early start that day.
A massive thanks to Doritos Ireland and Pepsi Max UK for making this interview possible.
Patrick also spoke to Second Captains on the day and was part of a truly remarkable experience as he tricked a number of Irish football fans into thinking he would appear to speak in Dublin before informing them that they had all won a trip to London to meet him and watch Arsenal vs Barcelona in the Premier League, which proved to be an unforgettable day for all involved:
