The drama, upsets and goals made it a brilliant competition watched carefully by billions around the world.
There were a few standout players who delivered when it mattered for their country. they turned up on the world’s biggest stage and did their country proud.
There were many big-name players who did not perform while there were some unknown gems that were unearthed and that is what makes the World Cup so special.
So without further ado, let’s discuss the team of the World Cup.( 4-2-3-1 formation)
GK - Thibaut Courtois
In goal, FIFA got it absolutely right. Thibaut Courtois had a brilliant World Cup and the standout game for me was the Brazil game.
Stop after stop, it felt like Brazil were up against a wall. His last minute acrobatic save of Neymar was one of the saves of the tournament, it was only fitting that he was able to end his tournament with a clean sheet against England.
His huge frame can intimidate any striker and there is no doubt that he is top five in the world.
One wonders how long Chelsea will be able to keep him especially with Real Madrid lurking around but nevertheless, he’s had a brilliant tournament and although there was very very close competition between him and Pickford, he was rightly given the Golden Glove.
Lloris probably could have claimed it but for his howler in the final but the right choice was eventually made.
Special Mention - Must go to Jordan Pickford, who has become an English hero becoming the first man to win a penalty shootout for England at a World Cup. He made fantastic saves in the game against Sweden as well. He has many years to go and can become a mainstay of this English team. His save against Belgium in the third-place game was also fantastic. Daniel Subasic and Hugo Lloris were the other standout keepers but Lloris had a howler in the final while Subasic did not provide many saves in open play.
RB: Kieran Trippier
Kieran Trippier also had a great tournament and was one of England’s standout performers. He tirelessly moved up and down on the right flank fitting well into Gareth Southgate’s system.
He also scored a great free-kick and delivered some outstanding set pieces. His set-piece delivery was probably the reason for most of England’s goals as he frequently found players like Harry Maguire in the box.
England’s long run in the competition can be credited to him and Tottenham will be glad they’ve found a capable replacement to Kyle Walker for the long term.
Special Mention - This one will go to two players, Thomas Meunier and Benjamin Pavard. The only game Belgium lost was the one Meunier did not play in and his presence was clearly missed.
Pavard, just two years ago was at the fan zone in Paris as France lost the Euro 2016 final. Now, he has played a pivotal role in France’s victory. The Stuttgart player is usually deployed at centre back for his club but even though he was asked to adjust, he did so brilliantly.
The goal against Argentina was one of the goals of the tournament and came at an important stage of the game. He is only 22 years old but has the potential to develop into one of the best right backs in the world.
Raphael Varane and Diego Godin(CB)
Choosing the centre-backs was probably the toughest task for me. In the end, we’ve gone with the two who’ve been leaders of their teams. Varane provided an element of composure and maturity that France needed in their team.
He was solid at the back. rarely put a foot wrong and showed his leadership skills throughout the tournament.
At 25 years of age, Varane has already won almost everything one can win in football and showed why he starts for Real Madrid.
His partner for this “dream team” would be Diego Godin who can best be described as a warrior.
His Athletico Madrid is one of the best defensively set up sides in Europe and he translated that form on to the national stage.
He was an integral part of a defence that conceded no goals in the group stage and thwarted Ronaldo’s Portugal. His campaign ended in the quarterfinals with Uruguay but he showed age is just a number and he can play on for a long time.
Special Mention - The special mention must go to Varane’s partner, Samuel Umtiti. He started the World Cup in the worst possible way by conceded an erratic penalty but he’s comeback superbly. He put in a man of the match performance against Croatia in the final thwarting various attacks and formed an effective partnership with Varane. Defence wins you championships, and with the pairing France had in the middle of defence, there was little doubt over if they could go all the way. Vida for Croatia was also a standout performer who had numerous good games and Harry Maguire had a brilliant World Cup as well.
Ivan Strinic (LB)
Ivan Strinic would not be a name one would have expected in the team of the tournament but he’s played a big role in Croatia’s best ever finish.
Overlapping on the left side , his crossing particularly has been very good. Defensively he’s played some very tough opposition yet done well.
In the final, admittedly he was given a tough time by Kylian Mbappe but the stress of playing 360 minutes in three games must have played a part in dealing with the bolt like Mbappe.
Special Mention: The Uruguayan left back, Diego Laxalt had a great tournament. Left back is not his usual position but his pace and crossing helped Cavani and Suarez a lot. Apart from him, Lucas Hernandez for France was notably good as well, although he pushed high at times, some of his mazy runs eventually led to goals.
Luka Modric and N’Golo Kante (CM)
Nobody will exclude Luka Modric from their team of the tournament after the tournament he’s had. The rightful Golden Ball winner looked heartbroken as Croatia lost the final but he has every right to be proud of his men as he led by example.
His ability to control the tempo of the game is somewhat similar to Andres Iniesta. He has a wide range of passing and even contributed with some goals.
With his legs slowly ageing, he got past three games that went to extra time and still played well in the final. One of the classiest players out there and probably the best midfielder in the world.
N’Golo Kante is every manager’s dream player. He does his job with unparalleled perfection and still stays down to earth and humble. Standing at just 5 feet 6 inches, he lets his presence be known by running tirelessly chasing the ball like a pitfall and winning it back for his team multiple times.
A severely underrated player who along with Paul Pogba form a formidable midfield. In fact, when both of them have started together, France have not lost ever.
He intercepts almost everything and he’s great to watch. At the end of the day, he does his job and there is always a bright smile on his face.
Special Mention - Pogba possibly could have been included in the team of the tournament. One of the most criticised players in the world performed when it mattered most. A crucial goal in a World Cup final along with superb defensive and attacking performances along the way have proved 90 million was a good price for the stylish midfielder.
If he can replicate this form with Manchester United, number 14 could be heading to Old Trafford.
Lucas Torreira for Uruguay showed glimpses of what he can do and reminded me of Kante in a way as he played a big role in shutting down Portugal.
Ivan Rakitic played the perfect Robin to Modric’s Batman for Croatia showing his passing ability and composure on the ball.
Phillipe Coutinho (CAM)
Many would have had Coutinho locked on the Golden Ball had Brazil made it further in the tournament but even his efforts were not enough for Brazil.
From the first game, when he scored a vintage Coutinho stunner to the last when he provided a sublime assist to bring Brazil back in the game, he’s been Brazil’s star man.
Many expected someone else to be the star man for Brazil but he’s changed career paths and is looking to Hollywood now.
Coutinho provided goals and assists when Brazil needed them most and was one of the sparks for Brazil through whom all attacks went through. Him and Godin are the only players who didn’t make it to the semi-finals yet feature in the tournament but such was their impact that they have every right to be in the team.
Special Mention: Spain were knocked out early but Isco was the only spark in their lethargic play style and created almost everything on his own for Spain. He deserved to stay on longer in Russia but alas, it was not to be.
Other than him Kevin De Bruyne was also great for Belgium. He didn’t play at the same level as he plays for his club, Manchester City but he showed glimpses of what he can do. His ability to lead the counter-attack is phenomenal and he still remains the best central attacking midfielder in the world.
His assist for Lukaku in the opening game against Panama was world class and despite a tricky start to the tournament for him, he excelled.
Antoine Griezzman played the CAM role for France and almost always ran the show. His set-piece deliveries were great and he showed great composure to score penalties in key moments.
Kylian Mbappe (RW)
Mbappe will be one of the great football players if he can keep his feet on the ground. He belongs to an elite, elusive club featuring only himself and Pele when it comes to teenagers scoring in a World Cup final.
He’s got good finishing to accompany his lightning quick pace and is every left back’s nightmare. Deployed on the right wing he was found by Pogba and Griezzman frequently and made match-winning impacts.
He’s got one World Cup goal less than Messi and he’s only 19. He is the next big thing and could possibly be the one to break the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly.
His performance against Argentina was one of the great performances in World Cup history and it was only fitting that he found the net in the final as well.
Special Mention: Ante Rebic for Croatia was a real hustler for Croatia and his grit was a real factor for the Croatians. He contributed with a goal as well and never really stopped running.
Eden Hazard (LW)
He finished second in the Golden Ball voting and deservedly so. He was one of the best players in the tournament and stepped it up in the knockout rounds playing big roles in the games against Japan and Brazil.
His performance against France was also brilliant and was one of the best individual performances of this World Cup.
There is no surprise Real Madrid are after him and the interest would have only increased after the World Cup.
Chelsea needs to hold on to him or else they could be in trouble. There were many outstanding performances from the left wing but Hazard was so good, he was miles ahead of the competition.
Special mention: As mentioned earlier, there were some outstanding performances from the left wing in this tournament.
Ivan Perisic came into his own and scored goals in the semi finals and in the final while playing a major role in the victory over the English.
Another great performer was the local boy and former Real Madrid reject, Denis Cheryshev. he scored four goals and my word, they were such wondrous goals.
He probably only scores stunners and even though he started the tournament on the bench, he rose to become a Russian hero.
Romelu Lukaku (ST)
Lukaku is one of the most hardworking players on the pitch and I am glad he had a successful tournament. He scored four goals and was incredible both on the ball and off the ball. He’s got tall pace, power and intelligence.
The only thing he probably needs to work on is his first touch but other than that he is a complete striker.
His dummy for Chadli’s winner against Japan showed his intelligence and vision and his assist for De Bruyne against Brazil was great as well.
He had a good first season at United and he’s only going to go upward from here. Off the pitch, he was an absolute leader for Belgium and displays maturity beyond his years.
Special Mention: It would be a crime not to mention a man who scored six goals on this list. It doesn’t matter how Kane got the goals, the fact is he scored six and won the Golden Boot. He didn’t play well and wasn’t involved much and honestly, he disappeared in big moments for England but his Golden boot gets him a feature on this list.
Cristiano Ronaldo provided possibly the moment of the tournament. That free kick will be spoken about for years and his four goals in just four games is no laughing matter. he may have just done enough to secure another Ballon d’Or.
That is my team of the FIFA World Cup 2018. Feel free to express your comments in the section below and tell me who else should have made it to the team of the tournament.
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title: “World Cup 2018 Team Of The Tournament” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-20” author: “Douglas Peckham”
This World Cup has been one of the best in recent memory, for it contained everything the fans looked forward to - drama, controversy, stunning goals, upsets, and above all - great football. France turned out to be the best on the day it all mattered, but there were several players from other teams who shined through.
That being said, a LOT of players played their hearts out and selecting the best XI from that pool is bound to be controversial no matter how one goes about it. The team I have gone for is just one person’s opinion, so feel free to disagree with me. Here’s a look at (what I think is) the team of the tournament:
Goalkeeper:
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
This was a very hard choice, as several goalkeepers performed above and beyond what you would expect of them - Subasic, Schmeichel, Akinfeev. But I choose to go with the winner of the Golden Glove award - Thibaut Courtois.
Courtois kept clean sheets against Panama and twice against England - one in the group stage and one in the third-place playoffs, and was one of the primary reasons why Belgium beat Brazil in the quarterfinals.
His last-minute save off a Neymar shot at the end proved to be the difference between the sides, as Belgium dumped favorites Brazil out of the tournament. Courtois played every minute of every game and managed 25 games in the 7 games he played.
In addition to that, he was the only top keeper who actually lived up to their billing, and this performance would have added a couple more millions to the price Chelsea have on him when Real Madrid comes a-calling.
Defenders
Left back: Lucas Hernandez (France)
The French full-back was one of the most important players for his team in the tournament, as they relied heavily on his runs down the left and his crosses into the box. He managed to provide two assists during the tournament - one against Argentina, and one more in the final against Croatia.
France were not the best of teams in terms of defensive prowess, but they knew when to attack and when to stay back in defense - the contrasting games against Belgium and Argentina should serve as examples of this.
Lucas had 16 successful tackles, 5 interceptions, 18 clearances to his name and received 2 yellow cards for tactical fouls during the course of the WC. He appeared in all 7 games for the team and did not play for only 40 minutes (against Denmark).
Centre back: Sergei Ignasheivch (Russia)
To imagine that the 39-year-old defender was not even expected to be part of the Russian team before the start of the tournament! An untimely injury to Ruslan Kambolov ensured that the centre back got a call into the team, and he proved to be a valuable asset to the home nation.
Despite his age, Ignashevich played every minute of every game for Russia - including TWO consecutive 120-minute games against Spain and Croatia before their eventual exit from the tournament.
His biggest contribution will be his role in Russia’s upset win over Spain where he fought for everything that rolled next to him. Ignashevich also scored a penalty as calm as they come in both the penalty shoot-outs, earning worldwide praise for his actions.
Centre back: Yerry Mina (Colombia)
The centre-back might not have featured a lot during the regular season with Barcelona, but this performance might just see the club redoing their opinion of the player. Mina scored 3 goals during this campaign - including the tying goal against England that took the game to penalties.
After Falcao and Rodriguez were expected to be the stars for the South American side, it was Mina who rose above everyone else on the pitch - both literally and metaphorically. Standing an impressive 195 cms, he was also vital to the team when it came to defending set-pieces.
After missing out the opener against Japan, Mina was part of the next three matches for Colombia, scoring in every single one of them.
Right back: Kieran Trippier (England)
The biggest concern for England before this WC was their lack of creativity in the midfield, and fans wondered where the magic would come from. As it turned out, the answer to that question was Kieran Trippier.
Playing as the right wing back in front of a 3 man backline, Kieran Trippier proved to be the biggest surprise of the tournament, as he ran up and down the flanks and did everything he could to make stuff happen for the team.
The Tottenham man delivered 1 assist during the WC, in addition to scoring a beauty against Croatia in the semi-finals, before ending up on the losing side. In addition to that, he also created the most chances at the tournament (24), finishing above players like De Bruyne, Neymar, Modric, and Hazard.
Central Midfielders
N’golo Kante (France)
Who knew a relatively unknown player would go from the French second division to winning the Premier League twice, winning the PL player of the season and winning the FIFA World Cup - all in the space of 3 years?
The defending midfielder was France’s best player in the group stage when they weren’t as good going forward, and after that, he settled into a more relaxed, conventional role. Kante played every minute of every game until the final, where he was subbed off in the 55th minute as a precaution after he had received a yellow previously.
Paul Pogba (France)
A lot was expected of Paul Pogba prior to the tournament, and then there were calls to drop him from the Starting XI after a few below-par performances in the friendlies just before the WC. But now, it is safe to say that Paul Pogba has lived up to his reputation, and then some more.
He did not have an assist or a goal before the final, but then scored France’s third goal to become the first ever Manchester United player to score in a WC final - which of itself is a crazy record. Amid rumors that Manchester United fans wanted him out after not being good enough, this should calm them down.
Luka Modric (Croatia)
It was a close fight between Rakitic and Modric for the spot, but I have decided to go with the Golden Ball winner of the World Cup. Luka Modric, after a CL winning season with Real Madrid and a season where he was the team’s best player, finally delivered the goods for the national team.
Barring the game against Iceland, Modric was a part of every other game almost for every minute - including three consecutive 120-minute games. His penalty miss against Denmark did not prove to be too costly for the team, but the heartbreak in the final could not be avoided.
Modric was responsible for only 2 goals and 1 assist during the tournament but was head and shoulders above most of the players across the tournament. I doubt anyone would feel that his award was undeserved.
Forwards
Left Winger: Eden Hazard (Belgium)
For me, Eden Hazard was the best player of the tournament and could have been awarded the Golden Ball - although Modric receiving it isn’t too much of a controversy. After a season with Chelsea where he blew hot and cold, this was Hazard at his primal best - scoring goals, dribbling, making backheel passes - everything.
The Belgium team as a whole was fantastic, but they were beaten convincingly by a stubborn France in the semi-final, where Hazard was the only Belgian still trying to get the game back to even terms.
Through the course of the tournament, Hazard created the fourth most chances and scored 3 goals, while providing 2 assists for his team.
Centre forward: Kylian Mbappe (France)
Harry Kane might have gotten his Golden Boot, but Kylian Mbappe has been the star forward of this WC. Despite players like Olivier Giroud, Griezmann and Dembele around him, Mbappe has managed to outshine all of them - and he is still a teenager.
Any doubts over whether his move to PSG came too soon was put to rest as the 19-year-old scored 4 times in the tournament - including 2 against Argentina and from outside the box in the final - becoming only the second ever player to do that (the first being Paul Pogba).
Right Winger: Nordin Amrabat (Morocco)
This one might be very controversial and I guess more people would think that Ivan Perisic ought to be here - which is understandable and I have utmost respect for his work rate, but the World Cup is a chance for players from lesser-known teams to have a shot at the limelight, and I personally chose to go with the Moroccan.
Amrabat might have played only 3 games, and neither scored not assisted during any of them, but it was still one of the best individual performers of the World Cup. Not to forget that he was concussed during the opening game and was considered not fully fit to play the second but he still did anyway!
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