JAMIE CARRAGHER has named his best World Cup XI of all time with just one player allowed per country.
And he made the controversial call to leave both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi out of the team.
The Portuguese representative is forward Eusebio, who leads the line in a 4-2-3-1 formation for Carragher.
Eusebio scored all nine of his World Cup goals as he led his country to the semi-finals in 1966, including four in the stunning comeback win over North Korea – when Portugal won 5-3 from 3-0 down inside 25 minutes.
Supporting the clinical striker are three of the all-time footballing greats.
From Argentina, operating on the right, is none other than Diego Maradona, who led his nation to glory in 1986 – thanks in part to his famous double against England.
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The magician scored eight goals in his 21 appearances in the competition and is considered one of the best ever.
Alongside Maradona is another of the sport’s greatest icons in Pele.
The Brazilian is the only player ever to win three World Cups, is the youngest winner and goalscorer and arguably the very best World Cup player.
To complete a fearsome front four for Carragher is Holland maverick Johan Cruyff.
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He led the Dutch to the final in 1974 with the beautiful brand of football but the Oranje fell short by losing to West Germany in the final.
Providing the balls into the elite attack are two of the great passers the game has seen.
Ultimate technician Xavi, winner of the 2010 World Cup, is in the team for Spain.
And next to him is his former El Clasico rival and 2018 finalist Luka Modric.
In fact, the Real Madrid star is the only active footballer in the XI – currently representing Croatia in Qatar.
The back four is made up of some of the titans of the game with 1998 winner Lilian Thuram, 1974 champion Franz Beckenbauer, 1966 victor Bobby Moore and 1994 runner-up Paolo Maldini.
Thuram played for France 142 times across 14 years and managed two goals – incredibly both came in the 2-0 1998 semi-final win over Croatia.
Beckenbauer is one of just three men to win the World Cup as a player and as a manager – the supreme defender leading West Germany from the dugout in 1990.
England’s player is none other than their only captain to lift the World Cup – Moore was the linchpin in the heart of the defence when the Three Lions secured the Jules Rimet trophy on home soil 58 long years ago.
Maldini, meanwhile, may not have won the World Cup for four-time champions Italy but still gets the nod for Carragher as one of the game’s top left-backs.
And this all-star team apparently needs a goalkeeper, too – although one doubts he would be very busy.
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The man chosen is Denmark hero Peter Schmeichel, who only played at one World Cup – reaching the quarters in 1998 – but is widely regarded as the No1 goalkeeper ever by many.
Ironically, his son Kasper has played at more – representing the Danes in Russia and Qatar.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
