Creating an Alternate World XI: Challengers to the FIFPRO World XI

Every great team to exist must have a rival as only then there is worth in its existence. Football is a team sport and simply creating a World XI serves only one purpose of coveting the players. Having an alternate World XI to challenge the officially recognised World XI is a good thing to do. Here we create our own World XI to challenge the FIFPRO World XI 2020.

Goalkeeper

Manuel Neuer- Bayern Munich

Arguably the best goalkeeper of 2020 and captain of the team that won five trophies across the season. Neuer had a dip in his form in the 2018/19 season and cost his side as Bayern Munich were dumped out of the Champions League by Liverpool. Ever since then he has picked up his form and gone back to be the world’s best goalkeeper. It’ll be years before keepers like Alisson and David De Gea reach his levels.

Defenders

Achraf Hakimi- Inter Milan

Achrag Hakimi had a stellar season at Borussia Dortmund where he was on loan from Real Madrid. He has played in right midfield and as right back and excelled for Borussia Dortmund. In 73 appearances he has scored 12 goals and has 17 assists, which isn’t bad stats for a midfielder/defender. Now he is at Inter Milan and will hope to continue his form.

David Alaba- Bayern Munich

David Alaba has been converted from a left back to a centre back by Hansi Flick and it has worked wonders for the club. He has been formidable for Bayern Munich and has formed a stellar partnership with Jerome Boateng in the centre. Only 32 goals were conceded across the 2019/20 season and 15 clean sheets were kept.

Giorgio Chiellini- Juventus

While David Alaba has the ability to play long balls with an average of 5 long balls per 90 minutes, Chiellini is an orthodox centre-back. He stays back, does the tackles and recovers the lost ball and is in the mould of players of old. His experience and ability to complement David Alaba and allowing him to do his job is crucial to this team.

Andrew Robertson- Liverpool

There is no other better left-back in the world rather than Andrew Robertson right now or for the last three seasons. Announcing himself on the global stage in the 2017/18 season, he has gone from strength to strength there. Jurgen Klopp has made his full-backs into the primary supply chain for his attackers with Andy Robertson having 11 and 12 assists in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 season. Along with Gini Wijnaldum, he has played the most minutes for Liverpool this season when there has been an injury crisis.

Midfielders

Gini Wijnaldum- Liverpool

No other midfielder in the Liverpool team has a work rate more than him and Liverpool will be forever indebted to him. He has played every minute for Liverpool and hasn’t been substituted at all in some of the latest matches for Liverpool. A hard tackler and a harder presser of the ball, any team in the world will benefit from having Wijnaldum in their side.

Casemiro- Real Madrid

The Brazilian midfielder is an integral player in Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid. He performs as a line breaker and is integral in stopping the flow of opponents and passing the ball forward. He also has a mean shot and is capable of scoring goals via long shots.

Jordan Henderson (C)- Liverpool

Is there a better captain in European football than Jordan Henderson who lifts a team like him? Liverpool is a team full of superstars and great players and each of them are capable of influencing a match on their own. However each of them are capable of doing what they can only when Jordan Henderson is in the field. The most influential player on the field for Liverpool, Liverpool is 10 times better than they already are when Jordan Henderson is on the field.

Neymar Jr.- Paris Saint Germain

One of the flashiest forwards on the planet and gifted players to have graced the game. Brazil’s hopes for the World Cup lies in his shoulders as a new generation of brilliant players are led by him. He has formed a potent strike partnership with Kylian Mbappe and has kept plundering goals in Ligue 1. He was part of the PSG side that reached the Champions League finals of last year which lost to Bayern Munich.

Forwards

Kylian Mbappe- Paris Saint Germain

PSG’s most valuable forward and also a target for many clubs in the world, Kylian Mbappe is one of the most lethal players in the world. A goal scoring predator who simply aims to put the ball in the net through no unnecessary means, Mbappe is one of the best forwards on this planet. A man for the future, the mantle of Ronaldo v Messi rivalry will be between him and Erling Halaand now.

Erling Halaand- Borussia Dortmund

Nicknamed as ‘The Terminator’, Erling Haaland has proved that he is not one season wonder and has continued his fine form of scoring goals. He scored it in tons for RB Salzburg and has done the same for Borussia Dortmund too. His injury has affected Borussia Dortmund and the goals have dried up there. It goes to show how dangerous and influential he is for the team.

The formation for this team would be 4-3-1-2 with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland spearheading the attack with Neymar slightly behind them. The workrate of Gini Wijnaldum, Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson would ensure that the team will be covered in defence and midfield. Manuel Neuer in as goalkeeper allows the defenders to push forwards a bit as he is an excellent sweeper keeper. David Alaba, Giorgio Chiellini and Achraf Hakimi complete the defence with Casemiro as a shield for the centre-backs.

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