Former Everton player Joseph Yobo has named Robbie Keane as his toughest ever opponent.
Speaking during a radio interview in his native Nigeria, Yobo said Keane's movement and on-field awareness is what elevates him above other the strikers he came up against.
The few times I played against him, I was not very fit, I wasn’t so ready. He is very clever. He is not one of those that you can just pick and mark.
He knew where the spots were, where to get the ball, what to do. He was one of the most intelligent players I played against.
Thierry Henry is regarded by many as the greatest striker ever to play in the Premier League, but Yobo feels that an opponent such as Henry was much more predictable than the Republic of Ireland's record goalscorer.
With Henry and other players, you know they are quick, you know they will try to dribble but with Robbie Keane, it was so difficult to say what he had in mind. I spoke to my colleagues also and they said he is difficult.
When looking at the Nigerian's record against the Tallaght native, it becomes clearer why he holds him in such high regard.
Keane netted a hattrick for Tottenham in 2004 against Yobo's Everton, a game in which the defender had a bit of a nightmare, with two goals coming directly from his duels with the striker.
Their paths also crossed during Keane's brief time on Merseyside, where he provided two assists as Liverpool came out on top on a 2-0 scoreline over their local rivals.
