Ballon d’Or 2018: The best starting XI from the shortlisted 30 players

Since the announcement of the final 30 shortlisted players for the 2018 Ballon d’Or award, the world has been divided on who deserves to be crowned the best this year. A section is still rooting for one among Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, while others feel that it is about time that a new King is proclaimed to usher in a new era.

Some others are also questioning the selection and pointing out the deserved candidates who missed out. However, what cannot be ignored is that the shortlist contains 30 of the most talented footballers in the World and choosing the best among them this year will not be an easy task.

From glorious goalkeepers to defiant defenders, from magical midfielders to supersonic strikers, the 2018 Ballon d’Or shortlist has them all and as such, we went ahead and framed a starting eleven from the pool of talent at our disposal. The Best Startling XI from the shortlisted 30 has some fantastic players and would make an invincible team on the field. Without further ado let us get on with the selection.

Bench: Jan Oblak, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Paul Pogba, Ivan Rakitic

Formation: 4-3-3

Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois

The Belgian will have to be the first choice among the shortlisted Goalkeepers. Courtois had a decent 2017/18 season, where he registered 19 clean sheets in all competitions. In the Premier League, he recorded 15 clean sheets, made 76 saves and 12 sweeper clearances. He won the FA Cup with Chelsea.

In the summer, Courtois represented Belgium in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and earned 3 clean sheets in 7 games as Belgium finished third in the tournament. His performances earned enough praise and got him a move to Real Madrid before the start of the season. In the La Liga, he has played 6 games so far, conceded 6 goals and has registered 2 clean sheets.

Thibaut Courtois might not be the best goalkeeper in the world right now, but he is the pick of the lot among the 4 goalkeepers in the shortlist, and as such, he starts in Goal in the starting XI. His shot stopping, as well as ball distribution, will come in handy for this team of superstars.

Left Back: Marcelo

The selection of the Brazilian left back is easy, as he is the only genuine left back among the shortlisted 30! Wales speedster Gareth Bale did start out at this position, however, it is highly unlikely that he could be persuaded to return to his root right now! But even with competition, it is hard to find a better left back in the world right now, because Marcelo is immensely talented and fiercely competitive.

The Brazilian won the Champions League with Real Madrid last year and then had a disappointing World Cup with Brazil, however, Marcelo’s consistency over the years is commendable. It is something that makes him one of the best left-backs in the world and he starts in our Ballon d’Or XI this year at his native position.

Right Back: Sergio Ramos

There are two reasons why the Spaniard is selected at right back. First, surprisingly, there are no right backs among the shortlisted 30 and Ramos has played at right back at his younger age and could still do a fine job in that position. Second, he will be handy to change tactics and switch to a back 3 in case the team needs a shift in tactics and Marcelo is thrown up wide.

Sergio Ramos is one of the finest defenders around but does have his disciplinary problems. He has had quite a successful 2017/18 season, where he lifted the Club World Cup and the Champions League trophy. As such, Ramos deserves a place in this team, as much for his versatility as for his defensive qualities.

Center Back: Raphael Varane

The French defender has won almost everything at a very young age and comes with a level of maturity that is beyond his years. Varane won the Club World Cup and the Champions League with Real Madrid last year, forming a stellar defensive unit who were extremely hard to break down. In the summer, he was an important part of the French defence that lifted the 2018 FIFA World Cup with clinical precision.

Varane is technically strong as he is clever in his defending. He is quite fast for a defender and will be crucial for making covering runs. The Frenchman is also extremely good with the ball and will be handed the additional responsibilities of initiating attacks from the back. While Real Madrid have started the season on the back foot, Varane is still one of the best defenders in the world right now and as such, starts as a Center Back in the Ballon d’Or XI.

Center Back: Diego Godin (Captain)

Diego Godin is a no-nonsense defender who is a master of the old school defending. His tackles are immaculate and his reading of the game is exceptional. The Uruguayan has been the pillar of both his country and his club Atletico Madrid for years now and is still one of the most talented defenders in the World. He was instrumental in Atletico’s triumph of the Europa League last season and has started the new season quite well.

Godin brings the experience that complements his young central defensive partner and he will be indispensable to the Ballon d’Or XI defence. He will be expected to read the game from the back and shift his team’s play from defence into attack as per the demands of the game. The Uruguayan, with his qualities and abilities, will be the perfect Skipper for this team.

Central Midfielder: N’golo Kante

Probably the best defensive midfielder in the World consistently for a few seasons now, N’golo Kante could stroll into any World XI any day of the week. He has the tenacity and the lungs within him to cover every blade of grass on the pitch and is excellent in what he does. His tackling, his interceptions and his covering are so natural that it is evident that he enjoys himself to the fullest on the football pitch.

Kante was fabulous for Chelsea last season too and won the FA Cup for the Blues. In the summer, few players got the better of him in the 2018 World Cup and he was the pillar of France’s World Cup campaign. A change of things at Chelsea meant that there were doubts cast on the application of Kante’s qualities under new Manager Maurizio Sarri, however, Kante seems to have rediscovered himself in the new season and now has a goal-scoring edge to him.

As such, selecting N’golo Kante in the midfield in the Ballon d’Or XI does not require too much persuasion – the Frenchman belongs there and will thrive among his midfield partners.

Central Midfielder: Luka Modric

The reigning FIFA’s Best Men’s Player of the Year and the 2018 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner is also the front-runner for this year’s Ballon d’Or. Modric was phenomenal last season, winning the Club World Cup and Champions League with Real and taking Croatia to the Finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Even though the fairytale ending was not achieved against a ruthless French side, Modric won hearts all over the world.

He might be slow off the blocks this season, as Real continue to stutter, but there is no denying that Luka Modric is one of the greatest midfielders of his generation. In this midfield, Modric will be required to do a deeper lying job, but it is a position the Croatian thrives in and he will be orchestrating the proceedings for his teammates. Luka Modric is the midfield magician in the Ballon d’Or XI and will be the engine of the team.

Central Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne

The rise of the Belgian has been nothing short of a fairytale, yet Kevin De Bruyne deserves all the credit in the world. He has fast developed into one of the best midfielders in the world and has rediscovered his game under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

He is the midfield general of the City side that won the League by reaching a record 100 points last season. De Bruyne mixes his technical abilities with a newfound tenacity that allows Guardiola to field two No. 10s in the midfield and the Belgian’s qualities seem to be getting better with every passing game.

De Bruyne was instrumental in Belgium’s run to the third position in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the summer, however, he picked up an injury at the start of the new season which currently has him sidelined.

Even though he continues to recover, De Bruyne deserves to be a part of this team and along with Kante and Modric, can break down even the meanest defence in the World, especially since he will have the talent in front of him to make those fascinating passes to.

Left Forward: Eden Hazard

It seems Real Madrid took a wrong decision when they allowed Hazard to pass under their radar in the summer and the Spanish Giants must be ruing their judgement now. Hazard was brilliant last season and took his game a notch higher up in the summer at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, powering Belgium to the semifinals.

The arrival of Sarri seems to have improved him further now, as he is currently leading the race to the Premier League Golden boots with 7 goals so far already. Under Sarri, Hazard has found an edge in his attacking and his goalscoring form.

There are few better players in the world in that left side right now and as such, Hazard gets the nod as the Left Forward in the Ballon d’Or XI. His understanding with De Bruyne will help him in the team, but Hazard deserves to be among the best right now.

Striker: Cristiano Ronaldo

Perhaps the greatest goalscorer in the World right now, Cristiano Ronaldo ended his long association with Real Madrid with another Champions League trophy and Club World Cup trophy last season.

He represented Portugal in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, had a disappointing run but still managed to score 4 goals. Over the summer, the Portuguese superstar made the move to Serie A giants Juventus and after a tough start to life in Turin, seems to have settled in finally. He has also found the back of the net in Italy and seems ready to take the country by storm.

Ronaldo’s hunger for goal and his successful transformation into a clinical striker sees him beat all the other strikers in the list to make it to the Ballon d’Or XI. With 44 goals from 44 games in all competitions last season, there are few players in the world who can score more goals than him right now.

Right Forward: Lionel Messi

The player who completes every World XI, Lionel Messi, starts in his preferred position as a right forward in the Ballon d’Or XI as well. The only player who comes close to competing with Messi for that position right now is Mbappe, but the teenager still has a lot of ground to make to even reach the Argentinean’s levels.

Messi had another fantastic season with Barcelona last year, scoring 45 goals from 54 games, registering 18 assists, and winning the LaLiga title and the Copa Del Rey trophy. The World Cup was a disappointment, again, but the Barcelona Skipper has started the new season on fire, already scoring 11 goals from 11 games so far.

Contrary to the popular belief, Messi would fit in just fine in a team with Ronaldo and he would bring the perfect top up of magic that the players around him would require. As such, Lionel Messi completes the Ballon d’Or XI, as the team deserves to have the Best Player in the World playing for them.

Edited by Sagnik Mallick