Chelsea and Manchester United players nestle in among Bayern Munich and PSG superstars…
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Real Madrid and Barcelona have a plethora of the world’s very best players, and the two Spanish giants are due to face each other in the first El Clasico of the season this weekend.
Their superstars normally dominate the FIFPRO World Team of the Year, so we thought it apt to choose our World XI without stars from Spain’s biggest two clubs.
GK) Manuel Neuer – Bayern Munich
Neuer would get in a World XI even with the Barcelona and Real Madrid stoppers available. Right now, there’s nobody fit to tie his boots.
DR) Philipp Lahm – Bayern Munich
The second of four Bayern players in this side, Lahm is as good a holding midfielder as he is a fullback, and never lets anyone down on the right.
DC) Mats Hummels – Borussia Dortmund
Hummels combines old-school defensive power and physicality with wonderful composure and grace on the ball. In essence, he’s the perfect modern centre-back, and a World Cup winner to boot.
DC) Thiago Silva – PSG
Much like Hummels, Silva can fight and battle, but has the technical ability of a creative midfielder. Rightly regarded as the world’s best centre-back right now.
DL) David Alaba – Bayern Munich
Alaba is only 22-years-old, but has Champions League and Bundesliga winning experience to call upon. He loves to bomb forward and overlap his wingers, but is versatile enough to play more centrally – either in defence or midfield.
MC) Nemanja Matic – Chelsea
This side needed a defensive midfielder, and bar Sergio Busquets at Barcelona, there are none better right now than the excellent Serbian battler.
MC) Paul Pogba – Juventus
The only Serie A representative in our side, Pogba’s start to the season has purely emphasised his status as the world’s most exciting young centre-midfielder. As a result of his regular barnstorming displays, we’re choosing him ahead of Cesc Fabregas and Yaya Toure.
AMR) Arjen Robben – Bayern Munich
Easily one of the world’s top four of five players. Robben has improved with age, and now aged 30, he’s enjoying the best form of his career. Robben’s main skill is his ability to run with the ball almost as fast as he can without it, which he perhaps only shares with Lionel Messi.
AML) Angel di Maria – Manchester United
The £59.7m Argentine was outstanding for Real Madrid last year, impressive in the World Cup, and has started his Premier League stint brilliantly. He can dribble, pass, score and create – and does so with outrageous skill and poise.
FC) Sergio Aguero – Manchester City
We’re choosing City’s talisman over Chelsea’s Diego Costa, Man United’s Falcao and Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller. Already this term, he’s notched nine in just six starts.
FC) Zlatan Ibrahimovic – PSG
The giant Swede is a phenomenally powerful but equally skilful forward. His goalscoring record in Ligue 1 is outstanding, and during spells in Holland, Italy Spain and now France – Ibrahimovic has won 11 Ligue titles. Jaw-dropping.
