WORLD CUP XI 2010

I will offer upfront that when I see a best XI, it typically chooses the best 8 attacking players and shoehorns a keeper and 2 token defenders, rendering it a joke of an exercise. Sort of what the AFL does with its All-Australian (redundancy at its very best as I don't remember seeing a Malaysian player at half back flank..).

My XI conforms to the 4-2-3-1 formation that has typified this tournament with a balance of attacking and defensive players who I think would be hard to knock off on any given day.

While the remaining 3 games may change a position or 2, this is my line up at the moment:

KEEPER

Iker CASILLAS narrowly pips Ghana's Richard Kingston. His central defence went AWOL at key moments during the games against Switzerland and Chile, but Casillas' numerous saves went unnoticed.

RIGHT BACK

Sergio RAMOS has been the archetypal overlapping right back that I enjoy watching. In the vein of Roberto Carlos,Lizarazu,Cafu and Zambrotta, Ramos has excelled and proves that in a proper football team, marauding full backs with good judgement, pace and technique are invaluable.

LEFT BACK

Ditto the above remarks for Portugal's Fabio COENTRAO.

Despite the Castrol index ranking Phillip Lahm well above both, these 2 typify what a full back should be. Lahm, whilst effective, is no more than a better skilled Gary Neville. Juan Capdevilla also misses out on the left but only just.

CENTRE BACKS

Very few teams were able to penetrate the Chilean defence during the group stage, due to Gary Medel and Waldo Ponce. The suspension of both and not much bite upfront meant second place and a bad draw v Brazil.

Of the 2, Ponce probably slightly outshone Medel, so we'll give him one spot. The other goes to Gerard PIQUE, who has lifted immensely since his first 90 minutes of horror against the Swiss.

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS

Bastian Schweinsteiger has grown into midfield royalty with his form, with few now worrying about when Michael Ballack will return. Xavi is the general of Spain's midfield, and his battle with the pig climber will be crucial to tomorrow morning's cracker.

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Simple. Messi, in an underwhelming and undercoached team, has proved that he is still in the top 3 of the world, even if he was muted against the Germans. Sneijder is a great bet for player of the tournament and Thomas Mueller has gone from 'ball boy' to golden boy.

STRIKER

If you are going to have a sole striker, he shouldn't necessaily be a man mountain to hold up the ball. If you're after a great finisher both in and out of the box, then Villa es tu hombre.

COACH

Close call between Van Marwijk and Loew, although I give to Van Marwijk for getting the Dutch this far without an ego explosion the size of the Pacific rim preventing the obvious talent from progressing. Bert has also managed to keep his own ego under wraps, with little but salient comments offered when pressed about his side's chances. Bert it is.

IKER CASILLAS

SERGIO RAMOS GERARD PIQUE WALDO PONCE FABIO COENTRAO

BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER XAVI

WESLEY SNEIJDER LIONEL MESSI THOMAS MUELLER

DAVID VILLA

COACH: Bert Van Marwijk

SUBS: Richard Kingston, Capdevilla, Gary Medel, Andre Iniesta, Arjen Robben, Luis Suarez, Miroslav Klose

Criticism and mocking comments welcome. It's football...

Next I'll look at the flops, and yes the Poms and the French will be represented somewhat...

GP