The 26-day grand spectacle of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar reached its fitting climax on Sunday night. Argentina overcame France, the defending champions to lay their hands on the WC silverware after a long, arduous wait of 36 years. While the finale was thrilling, the entirety of the tournament was no different with several top talents coming to the fore and old stalwarts turning back the clock.
With the incredible array of talent at display, it was only inevitable that WION’s sports team made its World Cup XI. However, it is to be noted that the dynamics of the individual players may not necessarily be great for the XI enlisted below. The XI is purely based on players that had an exceptional tournament in their respective positions.
Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez (Goalkeeper)
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Ibrahima Konate (France), Theo Hernandez (France)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (England), Antoine Griezzmann (France); Luka Modric (Croatia)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Argentina) Kylian Mbappe (France), Julian Alvarez (Argentina)
Manager: Louis van Gaal (Netherlands)
Morocco coach Walid Regragui could have easily made it as the manager of the squad but was pipped by Louis van Gaal by a tiny fraction. The Dutch showed exemplary tactical fluidity when chasing the game against Argentina that tipped the scales in his favour. van Gaal put Wout Weghorst and Luuk de Jong into the XI and used their aerial prowess to inflict a stunning comeback.
We have gone with a 4-3-3 formation which is flexible as it allows Lionel Messi, the Golden Boot winner of the tournament to loiter anywhere in the middle and do what he does best. Essentially, in possession, it becomes a 4-4-2 with Alvarez and Mbappe as the top two with the likes of Messi and Griezzmann feeding them.
Emiliano Martinez was a no-brainer in the goalpost after he carried his team through two penalty shootouts in the tournament. Prior to the final’s penalty shootout, Martinez pulled off a miraculous save in the dying seconds of extra time to save the Argentines a massive heartache. For his shot-stopping ability and decent sweeping technique, Martinez makes the cut.
Alternatives: Dominik Livakovic (Croatia), Yassine Bounou (Morocco) and Wojciech Szczesny (Poland) were the other options that could have easily walked into the XI.
The back four was one of the preferred options by managers in the World Cup. The two central defenders flanked by the wing-backs who liked to push up the pitch was a strategy that reaped rich dividends.
In the playing XI, the backline is being marshalled by Josko Gvardiol, one of the brightest prospects to come out of the tournament and Ibrahima Konate.
The Liverpool defender may not have got as much game time as he would have liked but he was a Rolls Royce of a defender whenever he was given the opportunity. His shift in the semifinals was one of the reasons why France reached the final.
To the right of Konate we have Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi who had an extra set of lungs on him throughout the World Cup. Though Morocco focused on defensive solidity at the back where Hakimi had to concentrate most of his focus, his offensive output was worth nothing.
The left fullback position is occupied by Theo Hernandez. The AC Milan defender is one of the most talented left-backs in the world, if not the best. Hernandez likes staying high up during the attacking phases and make underlapping and overlapping runs through the winger.
Alternatives: Dayot Upamecano (France), John Stones (England), Roman Saiss (Morocco), Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands)
The engine room of our playing XI is being led by 35-year-old Luka Modric who carried his team to yet another podium finish at the World Cup. Age appears to have not caught up with the Croatian maestro who alongside Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic formed one of the most lethal midfield trios of the tournament.
England’s 19-year-old Jude Bellingham is the obvious choice for the other spot as the teenage sensation lit up the WC with his physicality, ball progression and creativity. And when needed, the Borussia Dortmund player did not shy away from doing the dirty work.
The last piece of machinery in the midfield is Antoine Griezmann who quietly had one of the best tournaments. He was involved in nearly every major moment for the French side during their journey to the final. The freedom given by Didier Deschamps to him to loiter anywhere in the midfield allowed the creator in Griezmann to come to the fore.
Alternatives: Enzo Fernandez (Argentina), Sofyan Amrbat (Morocco), Casemiro (Brazil), Mateo Kovacic (Croatia)
The attacking trio picked itself as their performances demanded an almost certain selection. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the Golden Ball and Golden Boot winners respectively had a standout tournament. They both pulled their team out of the hard moments single-handedly and lit up the WC on their own. Joining them is Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez who managed to bag four goals in the tournament and prove his mettle.
Alternatives: Olivier Giroud (France), Ferran Torres (Spain), Bukayo Saka (England), Richarlison (Brazil)
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