MIKA Immonen has hailed Europe's line-up for the 2009 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup as 'The European Dream Team'.

Europe have won the team competition for the last two years but Immonen believes the current five-man team is the strongest ever.

"All five of us are World Champions and that's a pretty good statement," said Immonen, who won the Most Valuable Player Award in 2008.

"The European standard has been rising over the years and the lines have deepened so that brings the best players out there.

"We've had a lot of consistency and performing outside of Europe as well.

"Europe has proven their dominance and we our World Champions in every pool discipline as the 9-ball, 8-ball, 10-ball and straight pool World Champions are all European.

"I've not won the Mosconi Cup in the US so for me it would be a virgin experience and it would be nice to continue our recent dominance.

"I think we've a pretty good chance of winning and we've got the European Dream Team.

"Me, Ralf Souquet, Niels Feijen and Thorsten Hohmann have been the most solid players in Europe for the recent years so to add Darren Appleton to that completes the circle.

"Darren has proven his consistency and I feel we're a very united team."

Immonen has tasted the highs and lows of the competition as he missed a chance to win the cup for Europe in 2006 before returning two years later as the star of the team.

"Last year was great and it was a landmark moment in my career," added Immonen.

"Coming from the US open then a victory in Japan and capping it off with winning the Mosconi and getting the MVP gave me wings. And for this year I've kept the same momentum going.

"Deep down the Americans are scared but they would never admit they're scared. Actually, I don't know if scared is the right word but they know what their up against.

"But we're trying to not get too cocky. On paper we look good but the Mosconi is a different animal."