Used to spend hours as a nipper with my mates going through our "dream teams" - The best possible XI in world football with no limits on league, nationality or cost. Got me thinking about who I'd have now, and who other people would select. I would have:

De Gea (Neuer)

Ramos (Bonucci)
Godin (Hummels)
Chiellini (Varane)

Kroos (Pogba)
Modric (Isco)
Kante (Casemiro)
De Bruyne (D Silva)

Messi (Hazard)
Suarez (Kane)
Ronaldo (Bale)

I dont think you'd need full backs with that team in front of you! Other than Lewandowski, Mbappe, Griezmann, Aguero, Cavani did I miss anyone obvious?
I realised half way through there's definitely a shortage of "world class" right backs around currently - hence the formation. Only Valencia, Walker, Carvajal, Kimmich and maybe...Trippier spring to mind.

Pickfords gotta be in the nets after that World Cup

Fine squad but a couple past their best.
Courtois and Lloris have been the two best keepers at the tournament.
Pique is better than Ramos. Hummels was poor.
No argument on your front 7 but possibly on their backups.

De Gea
Walker Ramos Varane Mendy
De Bruyne Modric Kante Neymar
Messi
Ronaldo

I would definitely have Kante in any team in the world.

Based on his performances in this World Cup Hazard would be in the team before Suarez for me - especially after Suarez had by his standards an average season at Barca.

Team for me based on World Cup and last season at their clubs

De Gea
Walker
Varane
Godin
Kante
De Bruyne
Hazard
Messi
Ronaldo
Mbappe
Neymar

That leaves me with no left back as can’t really leave Neymar but since I swear there is always at least 2 of Kante on the pitch he can cover left back aswell !!

Thought I'd quickly try and do my alternative World Cup eleven. Not saying it's the best team - it isn't - but these are players who I remember from the tournament for one reason or another.




Jo Hyeon-woo (South Korea)


Mario Fernandes (Russia) / Yerry Mina (Colombia) / Manuel Akanji (Switzerland) / Diego Laxalt (Uruguay)


Hector Herrera (Mexico) / Aleksandr Golovin (Russia) / Rodrigo Bentacur (Uruguay)


Denis Cheryshev (Russia) / Juan Fernando Quintero (Colombia) / Takashi Inui (Japan)


Yuya Osako (Japan)

Kante is a good player. But gets way over hyped for me. Leicester, brilliant with a great performing drinkwater. Chelsea great with a great performing Matic, France with a great performing Pogba.

He was crap last season. Some say Mee made Keane/Tarks look good and I feel the same about Kante. Now Im not saying he’s not a good player. He is, just not as good as he’s made out. Same as Hazard.

Dyched wrote:Kante is a good player. But gets way over hyped for me. Leicester, brilliant with a great performing drinkwater. Chelsea great with a great performing Matic, France with a great performing Pogba.

So you'll only think he's not overhyped if he starts playing Sunday league with plumbers and estate agents?

He's the best in the world at what he does. He's made Drinkwater and Pogba look better players, not the other way around.

Dyched wrote:Kante is a good player. But gets way over hyped for me. Leicester, brilliant with a great performing drinkwater. Chelsea great with a great performing Matic, France with a great performing Pogba.

He was crap last season. Some say Mee made Keane/Tarks look good and I feel the same about Kante. Now Im not saying he’s not a good player. He is, just not as good as he’s made out. Same as Hazard.

One way of looking at it I suppose

Another way is that :
Drinkwater and Leicester have been crap without him.
Matic, Pogba and Utd were pretty average last season

Pogba is playing far better for France with Kante playing.
If Matic was the reason why Chelsea won the league with Kante why was Pogba so poor last season ?

Kante was a long long way from being crap last season. Alongside Hazard he was Chelsea’s best player in a season where they underperformed because Conte was on his way out.

Did you see the Chelsea game on the Turf last year ? Seriously you think Kante was “crap” ?

Slightly bizzare anyone could choose de gea, if Pickford has made the howler he made the pitchfork mob on here would have finished his career on the spot . Loris has been the best keeper, courtouis also made a horrible howler

AlargeClaret wrote:Slightly bizzare anyone could choose de gea, if Pickford has made the howler he made the pitchfork mob on here would have finished his career on the spot . Loris has been the best keeper, courtouis also made a horrible howler

OP was not about a World Cup XI - just a world XI.
In the last couple of years De Gea has probably been best keeper in world

Best keeper in this World Cup for me has been Lloris.

Devils_Advocate wrote:Pickfords gotta be in the nets after that World Cup

Fishing...

Neuer has deteriorated.

IanMcL wrote:Fishing...

And when it comes to Pickford and Pope you are the prize Salmon and a whopper at that

Devils_Advocate wrote:And when it comes to Pickford and Pope you are the prize Salmon and a whopper at that

Then I am a prize amongst many, so I will accept the compliment. Thank you.

Devils_Advocate wrote:Pickfords gotta be in the nets after that World Cup

He may be the best English Goalkeeper but no English Goalie is World Class.

Caernarfon_Claret wrote:He may be the best English Goalkeeper but no English Goalie is World Class.

It was tongue in cheek based on the obsessive and ridiculously blinkered opinions that have been discussed around Pope and Pickford since the pre-tournament friendlies

Short arms...wonder if he ever buys a drink?

Salah?

Dyched wrote: Leicester, brilliant with a great performing drinkwater. Chelsea great with a great performing Matic, France with a great performing Pogba.

and what do all those 3 teams have in common?
They all had Kante in midfield or is he lucky to be carried every game? I think he's the 2nd best midfielder in the world behind Modric.