Dennis Bergkamp names eight Arsenal icons in his dream XI but snubs Arsene Wenger’s most ‘underrated’ signing

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Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp played with a number of incredible players during his career.

The Dutchman was one of the best in the world in his prime. He helped transform the Gunners after joining them and was a key player for the great Netherlands side as well.

Having played with and against so many incredible players, Bergkamp’s dream team was always going to be star-studded.

The 56-year-old has now revealed that lineup, and Arsenal fans will be very familiar with eight names from his eleven.

Dennis Bergkamp’s dream team includes eight Arsenal greats

Dennis Bergkamp only played for three clubs in his career.

The Dutch icon started at Ajax in his home country before making a move to Inter Milan. His spell in Italy wasn’t great, but he played with some brilliant players there.

Then, Bergkamp moved to Arsenal and became the legend he is today.

Under Arsene Wenger, Bergkamp played with several historic players, and he has now named eight of the regular starters from the legendary Invincibles side in his dream team, while speaking to Ballon d’Or’s social channels.

Those players are Jens Lehmann, Lauren, Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure, Ashley Cole, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires and of course, Thierry Henry.

The three non-Arsenal players he picked are Dutch greats Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane.

Bergkamp’s dream XI: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Vieira, Rijkaard, Zidane, Pires, Van Basten, Henry.

Bergkamp snubs Arsene Wenger’s most underrated signing

Only three players from Arsenal’s legendary Invincibles side failed to make it into Bergkamp’s dream team.

One of them is himself, while the other two are Freddie Ljungberg and Gilberto Silva.

The latter was one of the most important players in that squad. Vieira wouldn’t have been as good as he was without Gilberto covering for him.

That is why Wenger named Gilberto as his most underrated player ever.

When asked to name the ‘most underrated’ player he ever coached, Wenger told Sport Bible in 2021: “Gilberto Silva!

“He was naturally discreet. I remember when I bought him in 2002, he was in Japan at the World Cup. I looked at him and thought, ‘he doesn’t make anything special’.

“…And then to think ‘Who won this ball?’ Gilberto Silva, ‘Who played this ball?’ Gilberto Silva.

“I tried to buy him, and after that, I would say, in the Invincibles, nobody speaks about Gilberto. He’s the kind of player that you see only how much you miss them when they don’t play. When they play, you find it all natural.”