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Hypothetical scenarios are such fun to play with aren’t they? Creating world XI’s, trying to figure out who makes it and analysing who’ll win – it’s all part of the charm of such a scenario. In this case, we have chosen arguably the most base of all comparison parameters; the dominant foot of the individual.
While picking sides to play for either the right-footed or the left-footed XI, we have tried our best to ensure that the XIs are packed in a sensible formation that can actually work on the football pitch – instead of just packing the sides with attacking talent the world over.
As ever, the selections are subject to at least a little amount of subjectivity, and if we’ve missed out on any of your favourites – do let us know in the comments below.
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus)
He may be 39, but the grand old man who guards the goalposts for the Old Lady of Turin is like fine wine – the man just keeps getting better with age. For anyone wondering whether romanticism is getting the better of me, these two stats should allay your fears
He has more clean sheets than goals he has conceded in 2016.
And if your argument is that it’s easy keeping clean sheets with arguably the best defence in world football protecting him…. He has the best saves-per-goals ratio of 3.54 among all the goalkeepers in the world for the year that just went by.
It’s just ridiculous how good he is – and the number of years he has been this good.
Defenders
RB: Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid)
Sergio Ramos started life off as a centre-back so he should have no qualms in fitting into the role. A brilliant tackler and possessed of an underrated ability to read the game, his attacking instincts can also be unleashed to its fullest extent.
RCB: Gerard Pique (Spain, Barcelona)
Catalonia’s favourite son, and Ramos best ‘frenemy’, Gerard Pique is one of the best central defenders playing the game at the moment. Possessed of great leadership abilities and a masterful reading of the game, he’s perfect for this team
LCB: Leonardo Bonucci (Italy, Juventus)
A laid-back central defender from the old school of Italian defending (read Franco Baresi) he rarely puts a foot wrong defensively and adds to his value by being one of the best long-passers-from-the-back.
LB: Philip Lahm (Germany, Bayern Munich)
Pep Guardiola once called him the best player he has ever coached – and there have been very few footballers in the modern age who have showcased their ability to adapt – and learn on their feet – quite like the unassuming German. He’s our left-back
Midfielders
RCM: N’Golo Kante (France, Chelsea)
The greatest testament to the diminutive Frenchman’s quality is the state of his former team (from Champions to relegation contenders) and his current one (from mid-table mediocrity to runaway leaders at the top). He is all lungs-and-heart and has a wonderful footballing brain that makes the teams he plays for tick.
CM: Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
The German metronome is a class act who can set the pace of his team or rake accurate long-yarders at will, whichever the need of the hour is. Unflappable under pressure and with a right foot that rarely misses its target, his inclusion is a no-brainer.
LCM: Luka Modric (Croatia, Real Madrid)
The Croatian magician is a class apart and there are few footballers on the planet today who can do the things he can with the ball – vision, accuracy, in-game intelligence and shooting ability are just a few of the footballing qualities in which he tops the class in.
Forwards
RW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)
Of course, he’s in this.
CF: Luis Suarez (Uruguay, Barcelona)
This one position was arguably the hardest one to pick. With Robert Lewandowski in the form of his life, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic being, well, Zlatan Ibrahimovic it would have taken someone of the ordinary to pip them to the post, and Luis Suarez is definitely all that, and much more.
LW: Neymar (Brazil, Barcelona)
Forget the underperforming Neymar you see for Barcelona these days (he’s not really underperforming but stood up next to Messi’s and Suarez’s sheer statistical power... poor lad), and remember the Neymar who creates magic for The man is a force of nature and there is very little anyone can do to stop him when he’s in the mood.
Substitutes
GK: David de Gea (Spain, Manchester United)
There’s a reason the United faithful keep singing “Dave Saves”. He’s the best goalkeeper of a modern generation that is filled with talented shot-stoppers.
CB: Diego Godin (Uruguay, Atletico Madrid)
The Uruguayan is one of the main reason’s behind Diego Simeone’s incredible success at Atletico and is a veritable rock-at-the-back.
CM: Paul Pogba
Forget the price tag, forget the ridiculous haircuts, the prodigiously talented Paul Labile Pogba will accede to the throne of world’s best midfielder sooner rather than later.
CF: Robert Lewandowski
The Pole is a master assassin, and the man who almost joined Blackburn is now one of the world’s greatest strikers
CF: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Because... Zlatan.
Here’s the starting XI once again –
Formation: 3-4-3
Goalkeeper
Hugo Lloris (France, Tottenham Hotspur)
The Frenchman is an incredible shot-stopper and a brilliant sweeper-keeper who’s ability to come off his line and pass the ball out is prized by every manager he works under. The only reason I can find to explain the fact that he isn’t in the top goalie list for most people is because he plays for Tottenham Hotspur (sorry, Spurs fan)
Defenders
RCB: Laurent Koscielny (France, Arsenal)
The Frenchman is arguably the best centre-back in the Premier League, and his tenacious ball winning ability, incredible rcovery pace and wonderful reading of the game will prove vital for this eleven,
CB: Giorgio Chiellini (Italy, Juventus)
Look at the picture. Look at it. Would you not want that on your side?
LCB: David Alaba (Austria, Bayern Munich)
The versatile Austrian is an incredible footballer who can do anything – playing as LM-CM-or-AM for his national team, and playing either on the left or right of Bayern’s defense. He is a must-have for any world XI. With a back three, it always helps to have pace and all three of our defenders are possessed with equal amounts of pace, ball-winning abilties and footballing intelligence
Midfielders
RM: Angel di Maria (Argentina, Paris St. Germain)
Angel Di Maria’s work-rate and incredible speed make him the ideal man to man the right flank in a 3-4-3. As he has shown at PSG (anyone remember that 4-0 hiding of Barcelona?), his torrid spell at Manchester United has had no effect on his pure match-winning abilities
CM: Blaise Matuidi (France, Paris St. Germain)
Blaise Matuidi is the epitome of a box-to-box midfielder and has shown his indispensable worth on many an occasion for both France and PSG. He is also the most defensively minded of our midfielders
CM: David Silva (Spain, Manchester City)
While Kevin de Bruyne has sidelined Silva at City this season, the little Spaniard’s class in undisputed. Possessed of a footballing brain that calculates angles at light speed and sees minute gaps where others see nothing, and a left foot that obeys that unique brain’s every command, he’s an incredible footballer to have on your side.
LM: Gareth Bale (Wales, Real Madrid)
The Welsh speedster started off life as left-back and while currently dominating football pitches further forward, for the sake of the team dynamics of this XI we are using his searing pace (probably the fastest on either side) and that thunderous left foot on the left side of the midfield 4.
Forwards
RW: Arjen Robben (Netherlands, Bayern Munich)
He races down the right flank, he cuts in, he shoots. This has been the modus operandi of Arjen Robben for over a decade now.. and defenders the world over still don't have a clue as to how to stop the man. Goes to show just how good he is, doesn’t it?
CF: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona) (False Nine)
Yeah, surprise, surprise! Messi makes the list. (*sense the sarcasm, please*)
LW: Antoine Griezmann (France, Atletico de Madrid)
The jovial Frenchman is without much doubt the next big thing in world football – as FIFA acknowledged with their nod to him in the BEST awards nominations – and his cultured left and imaginative footballing brain are qualities that may well take him to the very top – sooner rather than later.
Substitutes
GK: Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Chelsea)
The giant Thibaut Courtois is an exceptional goalkeeper who’s quick reflexes belie his massive frame, and who's command of the penalty box utilises every inch of it. A wonderful modern keeper.
CB: Aymeric Laporte (Spain, Athletic Bilbao)
The Basque is probably the most unheralded of the names on this article, and his inclusion will come as a surprise to many. But not to people who have seen the Athletic Bilbao player in action – quick, decisive and smart, Laporte is an A-class defender.
LB: Marcelo (Spain, Real Madrid)
Marcelo is the best left-back in the world. Without a shadow of a doubt. The only reason he isn’t playing is the system and the fact that we can’t realistically throw out either Di Maria or Bale to fit him in.
CM: Mesut Özil (Germany, Arsenal)
For all his faults, there is no one on the planet who has the first touch or the killer assist of Mesut Özil. Again, a victim of the system, as Silva is just a lot more defensively disciplined than the laid-back German.
CF: Paulo Dybala (Argentina, Juventus)
The diminutive Argentine has hearts racing all over the footballing world, and there’s a very good reason for it. He’s that good!
Here’s the starting XI again –
Who wins?
The reason a left-footed player fascinates us so is because of the rarity – selecting the right-footed XI was relatively easy in terms of finding players and immensely difficult in terms of being able to shortlist an XI – as you can see from that power-packed subs bench. It was the exact opposite for the left-footed XI, as the subs bench again indicates.
The right-footed team are a much better-balanced side, with that 4-3-3 full of people in positions that they are comfortable in (except maybe Ramos, who will not fancy facing a left flank duo of Bale and Griezmann now that he’s lost a touch of pace). That midfield three of theirs is immense – and they would decimate the left-footed team’s duo of Silva and Matuidi.
The back three for the southpaws, though, are well equipped to handle the front three of the opposition, while the sheer pace at the disposal of the lefties will always cause a problem for the right-footed defence. Imagine Bale, Robben, Griezmann, Di Maria and Messi taking turns to run at you... *shudder*
In the end, though, the bare facts remain that the Right-footed XI is much better balanced than the left-footed one, and equally packed in terms of skill, technique and pure match-winning ability.
For my money it’s Ronaldo and co. to win... what do you guys think?
