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Who would win an All-Star battle between Europe’s Top 5 leagues?Have you ever wondered how great it would be if we pitted the best team from a particular season, from each of Europe’s top leagues, against each other? It would be an all-star tournament showcasing the best players in the game and it would be an amazing treat for the fans. So how would these teams line up if the 2014/15 season? Who would manage the teams from each league? Who would come out on top? Will we get to see a team featuring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? We present to you a hypothetical situation where the best team from the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1, face each other.
#1 Premier League XI
David De Gea: De Gea was easily the best goalkeeper in the Premier League last season as he single handedly won numerous games for his club. The Spaniard’s shot stopping abilities is second to none and he makes the cut ahead of Thibaut Courtois.
Branislav Ivanovic: Ivanovic has been one of the most, if not the most, consistent defender in the Premier League for many years now. The Serb successfully converted to a full back from a centre back and has been a rock at the back as well as a huge threat going forward, scoring some crucial goals as well.
Jose Fonte: If he was playing for a Top 4 side, Jose Fonte would have got the credit he deserves. He has been an integral part of the Southampton side which has taken the Premier League by storm and his brilliant endeavours at club level recently won him his first international cap.
John Terry: Age is just a number for John Terry as he continues to be a vital member of Jose Mourinho’s title-winning squad just like he was a decade ago. The former England captain is still among the best defenders in the world and he showed his national team what they missed at the back.
Ryan Bertrand: Ryan Bertrand did an incredible U-turn with his career when he moved to Southampton on loan. The Englishman was deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea and he proved his doubters wrong by enjoying his best season on an individual level.
Alexis Sanchez: The Chilean was easily the best signing in the Premier League last season as he played a pivotal role in guiding Arsenal to a third place finish, along with the FA Cup and Community Shield titles. Sanchez finished the season with 16 goals and 8 assists in the league.
Nemanja Matic: Matic is among the first names on Chelsea’s team sheet and that alone speaks volumes about the Serb’s abilities. He is a force to reckon with in Chelsea’s midfield and was named in the PFA Team of the Year for his brilliant season.
Cesc Fabregas: Although Fabregas returned to England in the blue of Chelsea, the Spaniard picked up from where he left off in the Premier League and racked up 18 assists to his name by the end of the season despite having played deeper in midfield.
Eden Hazard: Eden Hazard is maturing into an untameable beast with each passing season and the Belgian was named as the PFA Player of the Year. Almost all of Chelsea’s attacks seemed to be passing through this man and he finished the season with 14 goals and 9 assists.
Harry Kane: Harry Kane was the revelation of the 2014/15 Premier League season. The Englishman was solely responsible for many points racked up by Spurs last season and he finished his breakthrough season with 21 goals and 4 assists to his name.
Sergio Aguero: Aguero finished the season with a league highest 26 goals which is five more than Harry Kane in second place with 21. The Argentine also registered eight assists to his name, but he was surprisingly not included in the PFA Team of the Year.
Subs: Thibaut Courtois, Laurent Koscielny, Cesar Azpilicueta, Morgan Schneiderlin, Philippe Coutinho, David Silva, Diego Costa
Manager: Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)
#2 La Liga XI
Claudio Bravo: Bravo had to fill in the big boots vacated by Victor Valdes and he did that in style by breaking the La Liga record for longest period without conceding a goal and he also rightfully won the Zamora award.
Dani Alves: Alves was on the verge of leaving Barcelona at the end of the season when his contract expired, but his incredible season for Barcelona which reminded many of his peak years, eventually forced Barcelona to offer him a contract extension which the Brazilian accepted.
Nicolas Otamendi: Otamendi was the leader in Valencia’s defense with his crunching tackles and fearless aerial duels. He was crucial to helping Valencia return to the Champions League and he even scored six goals, of which two came in the last two games of the season.
Gerard Pique: Pique is yet another Barcelona player who was able to get back to their best form under Luis Enrique. The Spaniard fought hard to make the team despite being dropped in the initial stages, but he returned as leader in Barcelona’s back four.
Jose Gaya: Gaya is a pacy full back who enjoys going forward and yet is astute in defence, just like Juan Bernat and Jordi Alba before him at Valencia. His overlapping runs are a treat to watch and, at the tender age of 20, he is already attracting interest from several clubs.
Grzegorz Krychowiak: Krychowiak’s signing is an example of how effective Sevilla’s scouting and signings are despite losing key players over the years. The Pole was not a like for like replacement for Ivan Rakitic, but he was a leader in midfield and was key to Sevilla’s successful defense of the Europa League.
Ivan Rakitic: The Croatian added a new dimension to Barcelona’s midfield with his lung-bursting runs, his long balls and his physicality. His performances in big games have been mesmerizing and he finished the season with the opening goal in the UEFA Champions League final.
James Rodriguez: There were many who questioned the signing of James Rodriguez, but the Colombian put all doubts to rest with 13 goals and 13 assists in 29 games while having to adapt to a new role in midfield.
Cristiano Ronaldo: The Portuguese had to finish the season without a major trophy to add to his cabinet, but on a personal level it was one of his best seasons as he scored 48 goals in the league – two more than his previous best from the 2010/11 season.
Antoine Griezmann: When Atletico Madrid lost Diego Costa, the first major question was how they would account for his goals, but their summer signing Antoine Griezmann proved to be the answer with 22 league goals which accounted for 33% of his team’s goals.
Lionel Messi: Although Messi finished the season with fewer goals than Ronaldo; this was probably his best season for Barcelona. The Argentina reverted back to a right wing role on several occasions and acted as a playmaker on other occasions, but still finished the season with 43 goals and 18 assists.
Subs: Diego Alves, Jordi Alba, Diego Godin, Javier Mascherano, Dani Parejo, Neymar, Carlos Bacca
Manager: Luis Enrique (Barcelona)
#3 Bundesliga XI
Manuel Neuer: The German number one has gone from strength to strength and his league record 22 clean sheets came despite Bayern’s defensive injury woes and Guardiola’s repeated experiments with his formations at the back.
Vieirinha: Wolfsburg reaped the benefits of keeping their trust in the Portuguese utility man after his two below par seasons before the previous season. Despite being a natural winger, he thrived in a right back role and helped Wolfsburg get back into the Champions League.
Jerome Boateng: Although he was floored by Messi in the Champions League, Boateng was one of the first names on Guardiola’s teamsheet whether it be a three at the back or four at the back system. The German has underlined his status as one of the best center backs in the game.
Naldo: The Brazilian enjoyed his best season in the Bundesliga which helped his side to a second-placed finish in the league and a DFB-Pokal victory. In addition to being a defensive stalwart, he contributed to his side with six goals and two assists.
Ricardo Rodriguez: Rodriguez is slowly rising to prominence with his displays for the Wolves and he contributed with six goals and four assists despite being sidelined with an injury in the first half of the season.
Xabi Alonso: After proving himself in England and Spain, Alonso has set the German league alive with an impressive first season. He was crucial to Bavarians during their midfield injury problems and also set the Bundesliga record for most touches of the ball in a game.
Luiz Gustavo: Gustavo was deemed surplus to needs at Bayern Munich, but the Brazilian has been the pivot in Wolfsburg’s midfield around which their game revolves. His positioning and interceptions has always been top notch and perhaps that’s something Brazil missed at the Copa America.
Arjen Robben: Arjen Robben was enjoying what was his best season on a personal level, but an untimely injury prematurely ended what could have been a blistering season. Nevertheless, he scored 17 goals and provided 8 assists in just 21 league games.
Marco Reus: Last season was a poor one for Borussia Dortmund, but Marco Reus’ performances, when he was not injured, was one of the reasons why Dortmund was able to finish in a respectable position in the league.
Kevin De Bruyne: De Bruyne has gone from a Chelsea reject to one of the most coveted player in Europe in less than two years. The Belgian enjoyed a stellar season with 10 goals and 20 assists to his name in league competition alone.
Robert Lewandowski: Signing Robert Lewandowski for free made life a lot easier for Bayern Munich as the Pole finished the season with 17 goals and 5 assists and guided his side to yet another league title.
Subs: Yann Sommer, David Alaba, Martin Stranzl, Granit Xhaka, Karim Bellarabi, Max Kruse, Alexander Meier
Manager: Dieter Hecking (Wolfsburg)
#4 Serie A XI
Gianluigi Buffon: The veteran goal keeper’s longevity is something to admire considering the decline of his great contemporary Iker Casillas, who is three years younger to him. Buffon kept 18 clean sheets in 33 games as Juventus sealed their fourth consecutive Serie A title.
Matteo Darmian: Darmian may have been a late bloomer but impressive displays down the right flank is already attracting interest from a host of European clubs. The Italian’s goal helped Torino become the first Italian team to win in Bilbao and also helped his side win their first derby over Juventus since 1995.
Leonardo Bonucci: Bonucci is far younger than his defensive partners Chiellini and Barzagli, but he stole the limelight from the duo as he established himself as a starter in Juventus’s back four formation and he also scored some very important goals for his club.
Stefan De Vrij: Lazio were smart to snatch the youngster after his performances in the World Cup and the Dutchman has been impressive for the side from Rome despite a shaky start and the lack of a regular defensive partner.
Patrice Evra: When Juventus signed 33-year-old Patrice Evra last summer, it raised many eyebrows, but the veteran proved to be a solid acquisition and his experience playing in a four at the back formation helped his side massively as Juventus made its transition.
Paul Pogba: Paul Pogba continued his incredible development at Juventus with another great season. He was on the top of his game when an injury sidelined him in March, but he returned from injury in style by scoring in a league game and then setting up Alvaro Morata’s equalizer in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
Radja Nainggolan: Nainggolan is a player who has incredible tenacity, work rate and energy. The Belgian International averaged 2.6 tackles and at least 1 interception per game and was also an efficient and calm distributor of the ball. There is no surprise that he is linked with a move to many Premier League clubs.
Arturo Vidal: Arturo Vidal produced yet another strong season for Juventus by scoring seven goals and providing 4 assists from midfield. The Chilean is among the few remaining box-to-box midfielders with immense energy and he is once again linked with a transfer to several top clubs.
Claudio Marchisio: While the likes of Pirlo, Vidal and Pogba get all the attention, the prince of Juventus was probably the most consistent midfielder in the Juventus side last season. He played in a deeper role than he usually does, but still scored three goals and provided six assists.
Carlos Tevez: It is sad that Carlos Tevez drew curtains on his career in Europe because the Argentina international still has a lot to offer. The former Manchester City man scored 20 league goals and provided 7 assists – both the highest for any player in his team.
Luca Toni: Luca Toni finished the season as Serie A top scorer with 22 goals at the age of 38! Although Inter’s Icardi scored the same number of goals, Toni managed to do the same with Verona at an age when people expect him to retire.
Subs: Mattia Perin, Silvan Widmer, Lorenzo Tonelli, Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Bertolacci, Paulo Dybala, Felipe Anderson,
Manager: Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus)
#5 Ligue 1 XI
Anthony Lopes: Although many people link Lyon’s excellent season to the goals from Lacazette, the performance of young Anthony Lopes in goal was equally impressive and important. The Portuguese goalkeeper also made his international debut this year and has the potential to be a successful heir to Hugo Lloris who spent 4 successful seasons at the French club.
Christophe Jallet: Jallet was sold by PSG to Lyon as he was surplus to their needs, but the French full back didn’t let it bother him and he went on to have an impressive season with his new club, which also helped him make a swift return to the National team.
Thiago Silva: Silva missed the first three months of the season through injury, but he was monstrous upon his return and didn’t make a single foul in Ligue 1 for the first three months of 2015. Aged 30, Silva is at the peak of a centre back’s career.
Aymen Abdennour: Abdennour is a towering physical presence on the field and that alone can be intimidating for the opposition players. After enduring a difficult start at Monaco, the Tunisian slowly grew in confidence and has become an integral part of Monaco’s team.
Maxwell: Aged 33, Maxwell is doing a lot of things correctly to be keeping someone as promising as Lucas Digne out of the side. Mid-thirties are usually a difficult phase for full backs as they tend to lose pace, but Maxwell’s game is getting better and better with each passing season.
Marco Verratti: The young Italian’s composure and ball control at his age is reminiscent of seasoned veterans like Xavi and Pirlo. This season he was also able to add more goals and assists his name as well.
Dimitri Payet: The French International was one of the standout performers of the recently concluded season as he scored seven goals and topped the assists chart with 17 to his name. Hence it comes as a surprise that he chose to move to West Ham recently.
Javier Pastore: Pastore endured some difficult seasons at PSG earlier, but a series of injuries to several first team players gave him a run of games this season and he responded with 5 goals and 12 assists for his side.
Nabil Fekir: Relatively unknown a year ago, Fekir has exploded in the scene with his dribbling and his lethal left foot. He formed a great partnership with his teammate Lacazette and ended the season with 13 goals and 9 assists in the league alone.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The previous season may not have been the best for the Swede, but it is still good enough to land him a place in our side. Despite some injury concerns early on in the season, Ibrahimovic finished the season with 19 goals and 6 assists.
Alexandre Lacazette: The Frenchman is one of the hottest properties in the current transfer window after his outstanding season for Lyon. The 24-year-old scored 27 goals last season and provided 6 assists last season.
Subs: Steve Mandanda, Fabinho, David Luiz, Maxime Gonalons, Corentin Tolisso, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, Andre-Pierre Gignac
Manager: Leonardo Jardim (AS Monaco)
#6 The Winner
All five teams look incredibly strong on paper and it would be very difficult to pick a winner from these sides, but at the end of the day one team has to win and one team has to lose. So let’s assume that these teams play each other in a round-robin format where each team plays the other once.
The Premier League team managed by Jose Mourinho will be incredibly difficult to break down due to its strong defensive setup and will be lethal going forward with the pace and trickery of players like Hazard, Aguero and Sanchez.
The Serie A team boasts the defensive qualities of an Italian side and their midfield comprises of players with great work rate and stamina, which makes it difficult for opposition midfielders to find a way past them.
The Ligue 1 team is a mixture of youth and experience. The names of their teamsheet demand an attacking game as their midfielders as well as strikers are clinical finishers. But don’t get me wrong because their two strong and powerful centre backs give them defensive stability.
Bundesliga’s side feature many World Cup and Champions League winners along with some of the most coveted players in the world. The team has incredible pace on both flanks and this will make the opposition full backs shiver. Add to this the clinical finishing of Lewandowski and you get a busy 90 minutes for opposition defenders.
Last but not least, the La Liga side! The team boasts the names of many of Barcelona’s stars from the treble-winning squad along with some of the best performers in the league and any team with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo starting together is a nightmare for any opposition.
Therefore, I would have to pick them as the winners of the tournament due to their incredible balance in defence, midfield and attack.
Ranking the teams
1. La Liga
2. Bundesliga
3. Serie A
4. Premier League
5. Ligue 1
