The 1990s are regarded as one of the most star-studded eras of football.

While the modern game might be dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the final decade of the 20th century seemed to be saturated with a whole range of world-class players.

Besides, you know there was some top-quality football going on when icons like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, Paolo Maldini and countless others are rubbing shoulders.

The joy 1990s football

And with Serie A on television screens in the UK and some of the wildest kits ever produced hitting the shelves, it's also an epoch for which so many fans hold a great nostalgia and fondness.

However, one reason that the 1990s isn't exactly remember for is the brief playing career of Thomas Tuchel who is now world-famous as one of the best managers in the sport.

But before Tuchel was pulling the strings at Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, he was trying to make the grade at Stuttgarter Kickers and SSV Ulm 1846 in the early 1990s.

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Tuchel's 1990s experience

Sadly, injuries ensured that Tuchel never made the grade as a player, but he was nonetheless part of an era where many superstars in Germany and further afield thrived in the beautiful game.

As such, the Chelsea boss could be called something of a connoisseur in 1990s football or at least he appeared to be during a fascinating recent interview with Blues sponsors Three.

That's because Tuchel was asked to name his ultimate 1990s XI of players in European football, picking from a series of options given to him by the presenter in each position on the pitch.

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Tuchel picks his ultimate 1990s XI

Throw in the fact that Tuchel just happens to be a Champions League winner with one of the best tactical minds in the business and it's fair to say his opinion was one that carried weight.

So, without further ado, check out the XI that he settled upon down below:

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Starting XI: Peter Schmeichel, Javier Zanetti, Marcel Desailly, Ronald Koeman, Roberto Carlos, Didier Deschamps, Clarence Seedorf, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Rivaldo and Raul

No Ronaldo?! What were you thinking, Thomas?!

No place for Ronaldo?!

While there's no denying that Raul is one of the greatest strikers of the modern era, topping the goalscoring charts for Spain and Real Madrid, he never reached the dazzling peak of Ronaldo.

However, there might have been some suspicious work at play because when Tuchel was asked to justify his decision, he gave the rather fishy answer of: "I met him!" Tut, tut, tut.

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That probably has something to do with the similarly controversial decision of picking Roberto Carlos over Maldini, but to be fair to the Chelsea boss, he still selected a pretty formidable XI.

Besides, you know your team is looking strong when you can call upon Ronaldo as an impact substitution. Geeze.