Planet Football has compiled its definitive best XI in world football, utilizing recent rankings of top players across various positions to construct a 4-2-3-1 formation. The selected team highlights standout performers with notable inclusions and exclusions.
In goal, Thibaut Courtois is recognized as the planet's best. The Belgian regularly pulls off world-class saves, including several in big Champions League matches. He always shows up on the big stage, and Belgium only lost to Spain after he went off injured in the World Cup quarter-final. He is undoubtedly the most intimidating goalkeeper to face.
The defense features Achraf Hakimi at right-back, with Kylian Mbappe himself having previously declared him the 'BEST RB IN THE WORLD'. Hakimi is head and shoulders above the rest, a back-to-back Champions League winner and a key part of Morocco becoming a genuine force in international football. Virgil van Dijk anchors the center-back position, his positional intelligence and strong leadership reducing the impact of his advancing years at Liverpool. There were one or two signs of decline last year, but the Dutchman was helped immensely by his natural one-on-one defending ability and complete aerial domination. Nobody came out well from Arne Slot’s last season at Anfield. Van Dijk will be near impossible to replace, and Liverpool haven’t even tried to yet. Pau Cubarsi, not yet 20, is already a fixture in Barcelona’s defence and a World Cup winner. His composure at such a young age is remarkable, with the Spanish defence conceding only one goal en route to World Cup glory. On the left flank, Nuno Mendes, alongside Hakimi, has been integral to PSG's back-to-back Champions League triumphs, excelling in both defensive duels and supporting the attack.
The midfield is anchored by Rodri, who Pep Guardiola noted was returning to his best form for the World Cup. Rodri was Manchester City’s match-winner in the 2023 Champions League final, Player of the Tournament when Spain won Euro 2024, and Golden Ball winner and captain when they won the World Cup. He is described as one of the few players in history to have 'completed football' and the only one on this list to have won a Ballon d’Or. The article speculates about a potential move to Real Madrid for Rodri, suggesting it would be a natural fit given Florentino Perez's preference for Ballon d’Or winners and World Cup stars. Rodri has spent the past two seasons either on the treatment table or gradually getting back up to speed, coinciding with Man City failing to win the title after claiming four in a row. During that period, Vitinha stepped into the void as the undisputed midfield star of world football for PSG, particularly on big European nights, though he was noted to have gone missing for Portugal at the World Cup.
In attack, Lamine Yamal is highlighted as La Masia’s most talented graduate since Lionel Messi and a World Cup winner. Having made his debut three years ago and accumulating over 150 appearances, his teenage achievements are deemed extraordinary, surpassing even Messi and Ronaldo at the same age. Yamal is praised for his all-around offensive capabilities, being scarily good with goals, assists, chances created, and dribbles. He is considered the most dangerous wide attacker in world football, ending the World Cup as the youngest winner since 1982.
Jude Bellingham is included despite not hitting expected heights in the past season with Real Madrid, with questions raised about his fit alongside other stars and a sense of frustration amid the club's issues. This mirrors Kylian Mbappe's situation, with both players yet to fully click at the Bernabeu. However, the World Cup provided an explanation: the issue lies with Real Madrid's midfield, which has not adequately replaced Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. When placed in a functioning system, Bellingham reminded everyone of his capabilities, delivering a devastatingly brilliant tournament and thriving in England’s best World Cup showing since 1966. He is described as an absolute superstar who Jose Mourinho needs to build a team around.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is selected as the top left-sided forward, despite finishing fourth in the overall winger rankings. His output in Ligue 1 last season is acknowledged as inferior to some players, but his impact in matches against Chelsea and Bayern is emphasized. He is celebrated as a wonderful outlier in today's systemized game, drawing comparisons to Ronaldinho, Georgi Kinkladze, and Ricardo Quaresma for his ingenuity.
Harry Kane tops the center-forward position, having scored 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich last season, more than Cristiano Ronaldo ever managed in his peak. He claimed a second European Golden Shoe and scored a hat-trick in Bayern’s DFB Pokal final victory, adding six goals at the World Cup. Kane is noted for outscoring Haaland and Mbappe while also functioning as a playmaker, facilitating play and dropping deep. The article mentions that while he hasn’t won the Champions League like Haaland or the World Cup like Mbappe, he appears likely to be the first of the three to win a major team trophy.
Notably absent from the XI is Kylian Mbappe.
The next step was obvious. Using those rankings as a guide, we’ve selected one player for every position to create our ultimate world XI.
We’ve got a whole series of these rankings. Strikers. Wingers. Centre-backs. In no other position was the No.1 spot so cut and dried.
