Going over the “best team of the tournament” is always difficult since some really good players play for some inferior teams, and thus don’t get to strut their stuff late into the tournament, when most have already forgotten about them.
So we’ve solved the problem: one XI with those who’ve received maximum exposure – semifinal teams only – and one best XI of those dumped out in the quarterfinals or earlier.
Simple in theory, but agonizing in reality, as ever.
We’ve used the 4-2-3-1 since it was the predominant formation in this World Cup and has been much fancied in the domestic game for some time now, so we’re happy enough to follow the crowd. And others are doing it too anyway. (Best reason for doing anything.) The first team is properly tactical, the second is less so, if only because the only undefeated team at the tournament needs a representative.
Without further ado…
The Semifinals XI
Maarten Stekelenburg (Netherlands)
Sergio Ramos (Spain), Joris Mathijsen (Netherlands), Arne Friedrich (Germany), Jorge Fucile (Uruguay)
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Diego Perez (Uruguay)
Thomas Mueller (Germany), Andres Iniesta (Spain), David Villa (Spain)
Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Coach: Vicente Del Bosque
The Mr. 15%s of M. Sneijder and M. Ozil would like an explanation on M. Iniesta, and here it is: Andres took over the World Cup final for roughly 70 minutes and won the trophy for his amigos. Trophy > everything else.
Iker Casillas is in the mix with Stekelenburg, obviously, and Diego Lugano is telling us mean things in a really soft tone, but nevertheless, this is it. Argument One at the ready.
The Non-Semifinals XI
Diego Benaglio (Switzerland)
Ryan Nelsen (NZ), Tulio Tanaka (Japan), Paulo da Silva (Paraguay), Fabio Coentrao (Portugal)
Anthony Annan (Ghana), Keisuke Honda (Japan)
Alexis Sanchez (Chile), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Siphiwe Tshabalala (South Africa)
Asamoah Gyan (Ghana)
Coach: Takeshi Okada
Much more difficult, obviously, and some players were thrust into unfamiliar positions – though Keisuke Honda is able to play anywhere on the pitch as well as stadium steward and Ryan Nelsen is being handed a single instruction: “get in the box, son”. (Or pops, since he’s an elder.)
There are many gripes here, with an honorable mention including Robert Vittek, Maicon, Andre Ayew, Gonzalo Higuain, Landon Donovan, etc. Surely it feels like Brazil deserve a better contribution than, err, goose eggs since they were fluffin’ excellent up until they weren’t, but central defense is stacked elsewhere and consistency was, to a point, lacking elsewhere.
But that’s us, and maybe not you. Clearly you can do better – so do it. What are your teams of the tournament?