I’m sure everyone in Spain is drunk with glee, the Dutch are drunk with sorrow, but I’m sober and it’s time for my World Cup best XI. Let me know what you think.
BEST XI
G – Iker Casillas, Spain – He didn’t win the Golden Glove for nothing. The Real Madrid keeper posted four straight shutouts in the knockout round and came up huge when it counted, notably on two breakaways from Arjen Robben in the final. He also saved a key penalty in the quarterfinal win over Paraguay.
D – Carles Puyol, Spain – He was a rock in the back and a leader for Spain throughout the tournament. His flying header to send the team through to the final. Puyol was part of a defense that only gave up two goals in seven games.
D – Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Netherlands – The Dutch captain was crucial to their final run. Playing in his final World Cup, Van Bronckhorst scored one of the goals of the tournament in the semifinal win over Uruguay, unleashing an absolute cracker from about 30 yards out. The defender was aggressive, yet controlled throughout the tournament and helped keep David Villa off the score sheet in the final.
D – Sergio Ramos, Spain – Sorry for the multitude of Spanish players, but Ramos deserves to be here. This guy probably ran more than anyone else in the tournament, thanks to his long runs into the attacking third. He put on a solid defensive display, particularly in the final, and was also a threat to put the ball in the back of the net.
M – Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany – He had a stellar World Cup. Playing in the middle of the field, he was the lynchpin for Germany’s offense. His field vision and calmness on the ball was excellent and he wasn’t afraid to mix it up in there either. He’s clearly matured a lot since his first go-round in 2006.
M – Xavi, Spain – Spain’s passing game would not be nearly as fluent without Xavi. He was a catalyst for the champions and plays his non-glamourous role with aplomb. He also played a major role in shutting down key players like Wesley Sneijder and Schweinsteiger.
M – Thomas Mueller, Germany – The 20-year-old won the Golden Boot and was also named Young Player of the Tournament. Not too shabby. He finished with five goals (same as three others), but won the tiebreaker with three assists. He made his presence known as part of the killer German counterattack and his dynamic play was sorely missed in the semifinal.
M – Wesley Sneijder, Netherlands – What a season for Sneijder. He won the Champions League with Inter Milan and came oh-so-close to winning the World Cup. Although his impact was minimal in the final, his five goals in the tournament helped propel the Dutch into the final.
M – Asamoah Gyan, Ghana – Although maybe best known for missing the penalty at the end of extra time against Uruguay, Gyan was a force for Ghana in its quarterfinal run. He scored three goals, including the extra time winner against the U.S. He also gained major respect (at least from me) for nailing Ghana’s first penalty in the shootout with Uruguay mere minutes after missing in extra time.
F – Diego Forlan, Uruguay – Forlan won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player and rightly so. Another five-goal man, Forlan was key to Uruguay’s surprise fourth place finish. (If you called Uruguay as the last remaining South American team, more power to you.) He came up big when it mattered and was thisclose to sending the third place match into extra time after clanging a last second free kick off the crossbar.
F – David Villa, Spain – He continued to excel on the international stage, scoring five goals, including three game-winners. He has shown that he can be a threat from anywhere on the field, including 50 yards out (goal against Chile).
BENCH
M – Landon Donovan, USA – Finally shed the big game choker label and scored the goal that sent the U.S. through to the knockout round. Showed the ability to carry the team on his back.
D – Gerard Pique, Spain – Had a great tournament anchoring Spain’s defense, probably bled more than any other player.
D – Maicon, Brazil – So dangerous down the right flank. Strong defender with an excellent touch on the ball (See: goal vs. North Korea)
F – Luis Suarez, Uruguay – Made up a fearsome partnership with Forlan, not afraid to shoot from anywhere.
Tags: Asamoah Gyan, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Best XI, Brazil, Carles Puyol, David Villa, Diego Forlan, Gerard Pique, Germany, Ghana, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Iker Casillas, Landon Donovan, Luis Suarez, Maicon, Netherlands, Sergio Ramos, Spain, Thomas Muller, Uruguay, USA, Wesley Sneijder, World Cup, Xavi
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