Everyone loves picking an all-star team, even professional footballers.
There’s something very captivating about assembling an XI of your favourite stars, even though they’ll almost certainly never take to the pitch in real life.
Daniel Sturridge is the latest to indulge himself the fanciful activity, peppering a line-up of the usual suspects with some frankly bizarre choices in certain positions.
GK: Petr Cech
With Simon Mignolet being the only other realistic option in terms of former teammates, Sturridge was always going to select Petr Cech based on their time together at Chelsea.
RB: John Terry
Most players who’ve lined up in a team captained by John Terry have no hesitation in claiming he’s one of the greatest leaders in the game.
Despite choosing to field the Stamford Bridge legend out of position, Sturridge is no doubt well aware of his qualities.
LB: Ashley Cole
Similar to Terry, Ashley Cole has rarely failed to convince teammates of his world-class ability and Sturridge is no different to countless others.
"For me he's the best left back of all time,” he said, per the Liverpool Echo.
CB: Thiago Silva
Sturridge goes for Thiago Silva at centre-back – a popular choice in all-star sides because of his attractive combination of defensive solidity and Brazilian flair.
CB: Vincent Kompany
Kompany lines up as the no-nonsense partner to Silva in central defence, completing what looks a pretty handy backline excluding Terry on the right.
CM: Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard has got to be the first name on the team sheet for any Liverpool fan or player picking a dream team.
Having played with the Anfield great for two years, Sturridge had to give him the nod.
"Stevie is a striker's dream," he said.
"He's someone who could pick a pass out from 40/50 yards, onto your toe without you needing to break your stride."
CM: Andrea Pirlo
Controlling possession would be a breeze with Andrea Pirlo and Gerrard in midfield, though it’s safe to the latter would be doing most of the running.
RW: Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are often clear choices for any modern player.
The Barcelona superstar would walk into any side, all-star or otherwise.
LW: Cristiano Ronaldo
Sturridge isn’t afraid to pick a Manchester United despite his ties to both Liverpool and Manchester City.
Describing why he selected Messi and Ronaldo on the flanks, Sturridge simply said: "They're outrageous, the pair of them.”
ST: Didier Drogba
Sturridge has resisted the temptation of putting himself in his own dream team, instead nominating Didier Drogba as one of his two strikers.
"He was ridiculous, I can't lie," he says.
"As target men go, he was unstoppable. You can't look past the man who delivered on the biggest stage possible.”
ST: Nicolas Anelka
With one slot left to fill up front, Luis Suarez seems to be the obvious choice.
However, Sturridge opts for a left-field pick in Nicolas Anelka while revealing his deep admiration for the Frenchman in the process.
"Growing up I was an Arsenal fan, and Anelka was my favourite striker," the 28-year-old reveals.
"I have an affinity with him, and when I played with him (at Chelsea) he helped me out a lot and give me a lot of advice."
Despite being an unorthodox selection to round off an ultimate XI, his inclusion certainly doesn’t damage its overall quality.
It looks unstoppable on paper, but how would the team far on the pitch?
Not well, Sturridge predicts.
"Those four attackers are not doing much defending," he said.
"So we'd probably lose!”
Considering only five Premier League clubs have conceded more goals than Liverpool this season, it’s an all too familiar problem for Sturridge and his teammates.
Who would you pick in an ultimate XI? Share your team in the comments!