Same thing happened to George Weah. Using the World Cup as some kind of confirmation of greatness is nonsensical

Yes, it's funny how few stop to consider that.

There's a lot of good CM performances this WC. I chose Isco because he was relentlessly brilliant whenever he played, regardless the fact his team was mostly shit. Kante, Rakitic are other considerations.

I think the World Cup can help solidify ones claim to legendary status.

There is an element of fortune involved but the brightest stars should always be able to step up and carry their teams.

That’s what Modric and Rakitic have done...

It's unfair to Croatia to say those two guys carried the team. There were good performances by Manzukic, Perisic and Kramaric too.

Remove/Replace Modric and Rakitic and that team is not even Sweden

Remove the two best players of a team and said team is a lot worse for it. Flobs dropping heavy bits of wisdom here

Perisic had by far the biggest impact on yesterdays game.

Perisic is probably Croatia's best player. Mandzukic was better than Kane yesterday too, and he has literally won everything at club level with two of the biggest clubs in Europe. It's a very weird thing to suggest they wouldn't achieve anything without their two central midfielders. Croatia's squad is full of players from Real Madrid, Atletico, Barca, Juve and Inter. Player for player they are probably better than any team they have faced so far, including England. I wouldn't be surprised if they win the final.

That's the thing really. Who would Barca/Real/Juve come for in the England team? Kane? Trippier? Sterling?

Or D) none of the above. Seriously, though, they wouldn't. Trippier, in particular, is a classic case of overeating a player because he did well against poor to average players/teams in an international competition (he also played ostensibly as a right winger). He's a right back that is a poor defender and crucially he lacks pace badly. He's doing well to be at Spurs in my opinion.

I missed quite a few of the games, but for what it's worth:

--------------------- Lloris
Pavard -- Varane -- Godin -- Hernandez
------- Modric -- Torreira -- Rakitic
-- Isco --------------------------------- Perisic
--------------------- Cavani

Honourable mentions:

GK - Ochoa had a couple of very good games for Mexico--especially against Germany. And I thought Muslera was good until that goal against France. A real dearth of good goalkeepers though and it's no surprise the best protected keeper is the one that has looked the best.

DF - Granquist was a real throwback for Sweden, was great against Germany and Switzerland. Maybe the left back for Mexico, whose name escapes me, was quite impressive. Tagliafico and Laxalt were half decent. All in all, a very bad tournament for defenders and defending in general.

MF - Coutinho had some decisive moments for Brazil, sort of the opposite of Hazard for Belgium; who was good throughout but does what he usually does and hid a bit from responsibility and chose the wrong option at the vital moment. Trippier also had some good deliveries for England playing right wing; no way he can be listed as a defender, and he was terrible on the rare occasions he had to defend against Sweden and Croatia. Banega's performance against Nigeria was a joy to watch also.

FW - Ronaldo was brilliant in the first two games, but struggled after that. You could make an argument he should be included for his hattrick against Spain alone. Messi was good in parts in a horrid team. Mbappe has had some great moments but a number of nothing games too. Diego Costa was decent but faded when it mattered. Love Mandzukic's hard work too.

And a duds & flops XI:

-------------------------- De Gea
Kimmich -- Boateng -- Otamendi -- Vertonghen
Muller -- Casemeiro -- Mascherano -- Neymar*
-------------- Lewandowski -- Higuain

It should so be Draxler, who was diabolical, but Neymar was such a disappointment that he has to go in for me.

I think we've had this discussion before but I reckon you really underrate Tripper, Ricky. He's got an excellent delivery, good timing for his runs and a decent engine. A little dodgy defensively but that can be said of a lot of fullbacks. Also he got 8 assists last season despite spending a lot of time injured, and 5 the season before that in just 6 games.

I'm surprised Isco is making it in all these teams. Yes, he was Spain's best player but arguably this was the tournament where he was supposed to show that he could fill in the gaps left by Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas but he failed. Great as part of the supporting cast but not ready for the responsibility imo.

goon wrote:

Perisic had by far the biggest impact on yesterdays game.

Yes by far. I'd argue in some of the earlier games Rebic has been the most crucial player they have he's basically Mandzukic with a lot more pace and dribbling. Which makes flobs claim Croatia minus Rakitic and Modric would be "not even Sweden" even more ridiculous especially since they could actually field Kovacic and Brozovic which would still be better than like 25-30 teams in the tournament

Mirth wrote:

I'm surprised Isco is making it in all these teams. Yes, he was Spain's best player but arguably this was the tournament where he was supposed to show that he could fill in the gaps left by Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas but he failed. Great as part of the supporting cast but not ready for the responsibility imo.

He was playing on the left wing though. How on earth was he going to exert the same sort of influence as those three from there? Especially when their whole midfield was a mess. An almost comically past it Iniesta got the central role that Isco should have got in my opinion. Playing David Silva on the opposing flank to Isco was a strange move too.

But then they sacked their coach the day before the tournament so there's not much more than that to be said in defence of any of their players to be honest.

@[deleted].
Meh, I just don't agree. He has a quality right foot and can cross on the run. That I like. The rest of his game is rubbish.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Mirth wrote:

I'm surprised Isco is making it in all these teams. Yes, he was Spain's best player but arguably this was the tournament where he was supposed to show that he could fill in the gaps left by Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas but he failed. Great as part of the supporting cast but not ready for the responsibility imo.

He was playing on the left wing though. How on earth was he going to exert the same sort of influence as those three from there? Especially when their whole midfield was a mess. An almost comically past it Iniesta got the role that Isco should have got in my opinion. Playing David Silva on the opposing flank to Isco was a strange move too.

But then they sacked their coach the day before the tournament so there's not much more than that to be said in defence of any of their players to be honest.

I don't disagree with any that but seeing as you agree that he had limited involvement and that he's on the wing of your team as well - does he really merit any role in the team of the tournament?

Perhaps not. I just absolutely loved watching him. And I thought he was astoundingly good against Portugal too. Probably should be Mbappe, I just thought he was really average in all the group games and then very good against Argentina--but then it was Argentina! Didn't see the Belgium game so maybe he would have won me over there.

I'd give the position to Inui.

I thought Nacho was Spain's best player against Portugal. Probably one of few Spanish players who could hold their heads high after this tournament.