World Cup 2018: Best XI from the group stage

Defenders - Diego Godin (Uruguay), Yerry Mina (Colombia) and Andreas Granqvist (Sweden)

Uruguay are the only team yet to concede a goal at the World Cup

Only three teams went through the entire group stage by winning all three games but only one team managed to win all three games without conceding a goal and that’s Uruguay.

A lot of credit for Uruguay’s unique feat goes to their captain Diego Godin. The Atletico Madrid defender started and completed all three group stage games with an impressive per game average of 2.3 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and 4 clearances.

In the Round of 16, he will be up against a familiar foe in Cristiano Ronaldo and the veteran will play a crucial role if Uruguay are to make it to the quarter-final.

Mina scored the goal that took Colombia through to the next round

Goals from set-pieces have been a trend of this World Cup and several defenders have scored from set-piece situations. However, Colombia’s Yerry Mina scored the goals that took his team to the knockout stage.

Mina didn’t play Colombia’s first game against Japan which they lost 2-1 but he started the next two games and scored a goal each in the games against Poland and Senegal to take Colombia through as group toppers.

The Barcelona man was also colossal in defence. He had an average of 5 clearances per game and won 9 aerial duels in the two games he played.

The Sweden captain was vital at both ends of the pitch

Talking about goal scoring defenders, Sweden captain, Andreas Granqvist also makes this XI both for his offensive and defensive contributions. The veteran defender scored a penalty each in his team’s wins over South Korea and Mexico.

In addition, Granqvist had a per game average of 1.3 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 5.7 clearances and 2 blocks.