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A number of talented European footballers won't be catching the plane to Russia. But, in no way does that mean the continent is short on incredibly talented players who will participate in the competition.
Europe has, is and always will be, the continent that boasts the maximum number of countries participating in the FIFA World Cup. The 2018 World Cup will witness 14 European nations contesting for the most coveted trophy in the sport.
In spite of Italy and the Netherlands missing out, there are a plethora of options from which one can draw up a robust starting XI. Mind you, selecting a starting lineup is a very painful task and no mean feat, thanks to the rich footballing talent that Europe offers.
Yet, here's a small endeavor to create the best combination of 11 footballers from an overabundance of European options available.
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
When it comes to the man between the posts, there are a plethora of options to consider before making a worthy selection. David De Gea, Manuel Neuer, Thibaut Courtois; all these men have done well enough to be considered among the best shot-stoppers currently active in Europe.
With Manuel Neuer battling injury for a large part of the season, it's Marc Andre Ter-Stegen who is best suited for the job. Germany's second-choice goalkeeper might come as a surprise for many, but he has done things that are worth being rewarded.
With 19 clean sheets in La Liga and 5 in the Champions League, Ter Stegen finished as the second-best goalkeeper in both the competitions. Yet, it's not just the clean sheets that he has been selected for.
Taking into account the league performances of De Gea, Neuer and Courtois, the German has bettered all his rivals. He has the highest clean sheet average (0.55), highest saves per goal ratio (4.11), highest distribution accuracy (83%) and the lowest goal conceded ratio (0.58).
A bonus is his pass success rate - 76.9% in both the league and the Champions League.
Center-backs: Sergio Ramos and Mats Hummels
In the heart of the defence, the duo of Sergio Ramos and Mats Hummels would work wonders for the European XI. They are the best men for probably the most important job in the game, ahead of Samuel Umtiti, Raphael Varane and Gerard Pique.
The Spanish skipper Ramos recently became the first captain to lead his club to three successive UCL titles, a fact you just can't overlook. Ramos has a pass success rate of 90.3%. Moreover, he has scored more goals (4) than any other defender in the league competition. Add the fact that he has averaged 3.3 aerial duels per game which is again the best in Europe and his inclusion will add aerial stability which is vital during defending set-pieces.
Ramos is a charismatic leader who leads by an example and scores important goals in times of need. But, it's his incessant fouling and the habit of regularly being in the referee's notebook that is a problem, and that's where his partner comes in.
Mats Hummels is a vital piece in Joachim Loew's set up. The Bayern Munich defender is one of the most consistent performers of this generation.
The German centre-back is the perfect man to complement Sergio Ramos' aggressive style of defending. He received only 5 yellow cards and no red card in all competitions in 2017-18, a testament to his calm and composed style of defending.
Hummels has the best averages in interceptions(2.1) and tackles(2.4) amongst the top European defenders. He also commits fewer fouls than Umtiti, Ramos and Pique, averaging only 0.7 fouls per game.
Wing-backs: Joshua Kimmich and Jordi Alba
He might be just 23, but Joshua Kimmich has proven to be the perfect man to fill the giant boots of Philipp Lahm in the right-back role at Bayern Munich. The young German is probably the best right-back in the world at the moment, ahead of veterans Dani Carvajal and Kyle Walker.
Kimmich has a variety of strengths to offer to any team he plays for. His transition from a central midfielder to a right-back tells us loads about his adaptability, the most striking strength in his basket of abilities. Also, he is a pin-point crosser of the ball with an average of 2.1 crosses per game.
The 23-year-old found the net 6 times in all competitions this season, including 2 vital goals against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals. He also notched an impressive tally of 13 assists.
In comparison to Kyle Walker, Kimmich offers loads of positives in attack, but that doesn't mean he isn't a good defender. He is calm and composed at the back, averaging 0.6 fouls per game. Also, he notched only 3 yellow cards in the entire campaign.
Frankly speaking, there's no better left-back than Jordi Alba in the whole world right now. The Spaniard is well-versed in link-up play; his telepathic understanding with Lionel Messi is what makes Barcelona such a great team in Europe. Also, his transition from defence to attack and vice versa is a result of the pace he possesses. Continuously moving up and down the pitch with impressive speed also speaks volumes about his tremendous work ethic.
Alba has notched a pass success rate of 84.9% but there is scope for improvement. He has 2.1 interceptions per game in the league, a testament to his ball-winning abilities.
And here we complete the defensive department of our starting XI, one that has been clearly dominated by Germans and Spaniards.
Midfielders: David Silva, Toni Kroos and Kevin De Bruyne
Coming to the midfield, we start with another Spaniard - David Silva. Long gone are the days when the Merlin was an underrated genius. The Spaniard has shown how menacing he can be and few would question his selection ahead of Andres Iniesta in the line-up.
Competing with the Barcelona wizard for a spot in the lineup is no easy task, but Silva has efficiently overshadowed his Spanish counterpart this season. Silva assisted 13 and scored 10 goals, in contrast to Iniesta's paltry 2 goals and 4 assists. He also has the better passing percentage of 86.2% and a key pass rate of 2.1.
An efficient passer of the ball, it's his exquisite vision and the ability to provide key passes that will be crucial in La Roja's attempts to create goalscoring chances in the World Cup.
Shielding an already resilient defence is none other than the German Sniper, Toni Kroos. Passing is Kroos' forte, and he maintains a pass success rate of above 90% in almost every game he plays. Also, he has built a reputation as a set-piece threat. As good as he is with ground passes, he is equally adept at feeding long balls to his attackers.
In the 2017/18 season, Toni Kroos maintained an excellent pass success rate of 91% in all competitions, garnering 5 goals and 8 assists in the process. Excelling in the deep-lying playmaker role, the 28-year-old will be the most vital part of Die Mannschaft's midfield setup.
After his heroics throughout the season in the Premier League, it's a shame that Kevin De Bruyne lost out on the Premier League Player of the Season award.
The ex-Chelsea midfielder registered 20 assists and 13 goals, topping the Premier League assists charts. Arguably the best Manchester City player throughout the campaign, De Bruyne churned out excellent performances on a consistent basis, winning the man of the match award 10 times.
With Kevin De Bruyne in their lineup, Belgium will definitely be a team to look out for in the World Cup this year.
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe
When you have the kind of attacking riches that Europe offers, you understand what a selection headache feels like. Yet, no matter how tedious the job is, selecting Cristiano Ronaldo is a no-brainer, isn't it?
The Portuguese skipper is a Titan, capable of leading any team to victory with his eagle-eyed finishing. Ronaldo transitioned into a proper striker under Zinedine Zidane this season. However, CR7 destroyed teams when playing as a left forward by making inside runs and arriving right in front of the goal to score in the past. His inclusion is also the reason why Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard failed to book a berth in this starting XI.
Speaking of his exploits with Los Blancos this season, none of us in our wildest dreams would have imagined he would finish with 44 goals (excluding friendlies), just 1 behind Lionel Messi, after such a disappointing start to the season.
For Portugal, he'll be the beacon of hope that carries them through the toughest challenges as they look to repeat the heroics of Euro 2016 in Russia.
Acting as the spearhead of this lineup is Tottenham hitman Harry Kane. The English forward is a pure striker with a keen eye for a goal, a fact that he has been justifying for the past 3 seasons.
Harry Kane finished behind Mo Salah in the race for the Golden Boot. He finished season 2017/18 with an impressive 43-goal haul in all competitions.
The English sharp-shooter offers less versatility in comparison to Antoine Griezmann since he can play only as a center forward. But his ability to deliver in front of goal and aerial threat are the reasons why he has made it to the starting XI ahead of the Atleti forward.
Harry Kane will be one of the players to watch out for as England bid to lift their second World Cup.
Frenchman Kylian Mbappe has revelled at Paris Saint-Germain following his exit from Monaco. The 19-year-old is already one of the hottest properties in Europe right now and will be one of the players under the spotlight in the upcoming World Cup.
The position for the right winger was the toughest one to fill, considering Mbappe's battle with Englishman Raheem Sterling. The Man City forward has notched a better assist and goal tally in comparison to the Les Parisiens attacker, but there are a few striking stats we need to consider before choosing either of the two for the right-wing role.
Mbappe is a better dribbler, averaging 2.9 dribbles per game in comparison to Sterling's 1.9 dribbles per game. The Frenchman also betters the English forward in terms of key passes per game, notching an average of 1.9 key passes per game in contrast to Sterling's 1.7. Mbappe's contribution in the build-up to attacks is a major reason behind his selection in this lineup.
When you have towering forwards like Kane and Ronaldo in your lineup, it would be a sin to not exploit their aerial prowess, which is why the Frenchman gets the nod ahead of the City forward. Also, the teenager provides 0.4 crosses per game in contrast to Sterling's 0.2. He also delivers long balls at a better rate(0.3) than Sterling(0.2).
He might be a teenager, but considering the talent he possesses, it would not be a surprise to see Kylian Mbappe featuring regularly for France in the World Cup.
What do you make of this team? Was there anyone else who could have been included? Let us know in the comments.
