Ballon d’Or 2018: The best starting XI from the shortlisted 30 players
Since the announcement of the final 30 shortlisted players for the 2018 Ballon d’Or award, the world has been divided on who deserves to be crowned the best this year. A section is still rooting for one among Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, while others feel that it is about time that a new King is proclaimed to usher in a new era.
Some others are also questioning the selection and pointing out the deserved candidates who missed out. However, what cannot be ignored is that the shortlist contains 30 of the most talented footballers in the World and choosing the best among them this year will not be an easy task.
From glorious goalkeepers to defiant defenders, from magical midfielders to supersonic strikers, the 2018 Ballon d’Or shortlist has them all and as such, we went ahead and framed a starting eleven from the pool of talent at our disposal. The Best Startling XI from the shortlisted 30 has some fantastic players and would make an invincible team on the field. Without further ado let us get on with the selection.
Bench: Jan Oblak, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Paul Pogba, Ivan Rakitic
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
The Belgian will have to be the first choice among the shortlisted Goalkeepers. Courtois had a decent 2017/18 season, where he registered 19 clean sheets in all competitions. In the Premier League, he recorded 15 clean sheets, made 76 saves and 12 sweeper clearances. He won the FA Cup with Chelsea.
In the summer, Courtois represented Belgium in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and earned 3 clean sheets in 7 games as Belgium finished third in the tournament. His performances earned enough praise and got him a move to Real Madrid before the start of the season. In the La Liga, he has played 6 games so far, conceded 6 goals and has registered 2 clean sheets.
Thibaut Courtois might not be the best goalkeeper in the world right now, but he is the pick of the lot among the 4 goalkeepers in the shortlist, and as such, he starts in Goal in the starting XI. His shot stopping, as well as ball distribution, will come in handy for this team of superstars.