So who is in your World Cup XI?

We could make this easy- throw in the Spanish, the Germans, and Diego Forlan. But here is my World Cup XI picks. Remember this is a sort of subjective opinion of the best players, so what their team accomplished although influential, has less bearing. We could have put the whole Spanish defense in because they obviously won the World Cup but that’s not the point.
Manuel Neuer.png
Manuel Neuer (goalkeeper: Germany): Not even his country’s first choice, Neuer had a flawless World Cup. He was calm, collected, showed great reflexes and fantastic ball distribution. Germany’s quick counterattacking style had much to do with Neuer’s ability to pick out the best player to carry the ball forward. John Terry found that out much to England’s detriment. Neuer beats out Iker Casillas purely on this strength. And yes, he also made some pretty great saves against Serbia and Spain. Both losses but not because of him.
Fabio Contreao.png
Fabio Coentrao (left back, Portugal): Anyone following Benfica should be familiar with his name. On a Portugese team that seemed devoid of endeavour except for that North Korea game, Coentrao made these bombing runs down the left and whipping in quality crosses to Hugo Almeida. He was also very quick at tracking back and showed he could tackle and make timely clearances. Ashley Cole came with a bigger reputation but really did not do justice.
John Mensah.png
John Mensah (right center back, Ghana): Powerful and battling. Mensah was out there in full force matching the Germans and the Uruguayans in defensive intensity. It took an inspired goal by Mesut Oezil and a spectacular free kick by Diego Forlan to bypass that obdurate heart of the Ghanaian defense. Against Uruguay, Mensah neutralized Luis Suarez and made Germany feel Klose’s absence. He may have missed that PK but Mensah gave Ghana’s defense the shape and discipline against their higher flying opponents.
Madjid Bougherra1.png
Madjid Bougherra (left center back, Algeria): A surprising choice. But Boughie was a rock in a decidedly underwhelming Algeria team. Go beyond Algeria’s first round exit and you will see why Algeria ground England to a draw and made USA sweat agonizingly for one of their most famous wins. He won all his tackles. Cleared the ball out of danger effectively and used his height and physicality to disrupt the fast running Americans and neutralize Wayne Rooney. No wonder they love him at Rangers.
Jorge Fucile.png
Jorge Fucile (right back, Uruguay): One tough uncompromising dude. Does anyone remember him flying through the air and landing sickeningly on his head? That was a scary, scary moment but Fucile was up within moments and battling the Mexicans. He shut down the left against the Germans and forced them to go right to win third place. Fucile will never be mistaken for a goalscorer like Maicon but for general all round disruption, running end to end, chasing balls, and saving a goal through a timely tackle – he is your man.
Xabi Alonso1.png
Xabi Alonso (center midfielder, Spain): He continues to show why Liverpool miss him- Alonso also showed why you don’t have to be Mark Van Bommel to successfully hold midfield. A disciplined presence anchored in the center of midfield, Alonso proved to be a seamless relay between the backfield and supporting Xavi, the creative engine of the Spanish midfield. Not afraid of letting fly from distance, he provided the Netherlands with a clear choice – his clean, hard tackling.
Bastian Schweinsteiger.png
Bastian Schweinsteiger (center midfielder, Germany): Schweini was a peripatetic midfielder, roaming through the length and the breadth of the pitch, involved with virtually every aspect of attack and defense- providing the assists for Mueller and Klose to pick apart Argentina. Probably his finest match. Running tirelessly for almost 80 km in his six matches he forged a tight relationship with Thomas Mueller, Mesut Oezil, and Sami Khedira. Not shy with his tackles either and amongst the better defenders in this World Cup.
Thomas Mueller3.png
Thomas Mueller (right attacking midfielder, Germany): Sensational World Cup for this barely 21 year old. Five goals, three assists. The world became familiar with the figure of the lanky Bayern Munich striker flying in from the right to administer the coup de grace on England and Argentina. Gerd Muller said it best: “The lad has everything. He’s quick, he shoots with both feet, he’s good in the air, and he makes terrific runs down the channels. He’s a quick thinker, he reads the game well, and he has that precious nose for goal.”
Xavi1.png
Xavi (centre attacking midfielder, Spain): Passer extraordinaire. The man who symbolizes tiki taka, controls the cadence and the pace of a match like Herbert Von Karajan. It may take some time but Xavi will pick apart that defense with a precise pass. Against Netherlands, each time the Spanish attack got thrown off under intimidation, there was Xavi resetting the attack. He is one of the great Barcelona number 4’s but his evolution as an attacking midfielder is the real story. Against Netherlands 97 passes with 90 accurate. 15 deliveries into the penalty box. With Xavi around, there is always a chance that you will win.
Andres Iniesta1.png
Andres Iniesta (left attacking midfielder, Spain): Silky smooth, fantastic ball control. Iniesta may cut a slight, pale figure but he can glide effortlessly around those big defenders on that left channel. And yes, he seems to have a nose for the big moment- against Chelsea last year in the CL semi-final and now against the Netherlands. Great first touch to control that Fabregas pass and boom the ball sent rocketing past Stekelenberg breaking Dutch hearts. Great comeback too from an injury plagued season at Barca.
Diego Forlan3.png
Diego Forlan (centerforward/ attacking midfielder/ second striker, Uruguay): The story on Diego Forlan was that he was a fox in the box and during his Man Utd days, not a particularly good one. But this was not a Gary Lineker type of opportunism- this was a player who was dazzling in his array of attacking skills. Free kicks, corners, volleys, sizzling open field shots, and assist man. He did it in the penalty box, he did outside the penalty box. And he won’t be at Atletico much longer either.
On the bench:
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Spain), Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)
Defenders: Maicon (Brazil), Carles Puyol (Spain), Paulo Da Silva (Paraguay), Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Netherlands)
Midfielders: Keisuke Honda (Japan), Landon Donovan (USA), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Mark Van Bommel (Netherlands)
Strikers: David Villa (Spain), Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
What are your choices?

, , , , , , , ,
10 comments on “So who is in your World Cup XI?
  1. My top 11:
    Goalkeeper: Casillas
    Right Back: Maicon
    Left Back: van Bronkhorst
    Center Backs: any two of Puyol, Diego Lugano or Per Mertesacker
    Midfield: Iniesta, Sneijder, Schweinsteiger, Mueller
    Strikers: Forlan, Villa

  2. OK, my team was:
    GK: Muslera:
    RB: Ramos
    LB: Lahm
    CB: Lugano & Friederich
    MF: Schweinsteiger, Xavi & Busquets
    OMF: Sneijder
    Strikers: Villa & Forlán.
    On the Bench:
    GK: Casillas; RB: Maicom; LB: Jorge Fucile; CB: Puyol & Pique; M: Khedira & Diego Perez; OCMF: Iniesta; RAM: Müller; LAM: Robben & Striker: Klose.

  3. very interesting and surprising choice of bougherra from algeria
    i am familiar with him since i am an arab and i had close follow up on this team since their qualification time, but didn’t expect many people to notice him
    yes, he was a big wall in front of many defenders, especiallllly, that game vs. England
    he saved algeria
    even in qualification games, especially the last one vs. egypt, he did amazing game
    first time i saw him, i thought what the hick of this man, he does not look like a footballer at all with his big hips, but he was a man that you want him to be in your team
    this is an interesting goal for him in the african cup 2010 vs. ivory coast at QF
    ivory got the lead at 89th minute 2-1, then one minute later Bougherra scored a nice goal
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AwOXgENnmI
    game ended later on 3-2 for algeria

  4. now my 11
    Goal Keeper:
    Casillas
    Defenders:
    Maicon – Bougherra – Poyul – Van Bronckhorst
    Midfields:
    Bastian Schweinsteiger
    Sergio BUSQUETS
    Xavi (Iniesta or Thomas Mueller)
    Strikers:
    Diego Forlan – David Villa
    of course this pick is about top performers and not building up a team
    for a team, i might change one or two players

  5. N. Waleed, Sergio Busquets over Xabi Alonso! That’s an interesting choice. Somehow I think about Alonso as having more holding skill – being a better passer as well as shooter. But Busquets did have a pretty good World Cup. Casillas was my second choice- he was excellent but Neuer gets in ahead of him because of his ball distribution skills. Maicon is an excellent attacking right back but not an exceptionally good tackler like Jorge Fucile.

  6. Bougherra is excellent – the best center back in Rangers for a long time. They don’t give up too many goals because he leads by example.

  7. Kurono – Muslera was great against Ghana. But he came apart against the Netherlands and Germany. So, IMO, he really does not belong there. I agree with your choice of Diego Lugano and Arne Friedrich – although Friedrich did not have a really good game against Spain but he can’t really be faulted- the rest of the Germans did not do much either.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


301 Moved Permanently

Moved Permanently

The document has moved here.