Team of the future: World's best XI in 2020
You batted an eyelid and it was already 2017, wasn’t it? Well, not literally but metaphorically. And what do you know? Nothing has changed. Lionel Messi and the Cristiano Ronaldo are still ruling world football.
However, by 2020, Lionel Messi will be 33 years old and Cristiano Ronaldo will be 35 years old. While they still might be world-class footballers, the chances of them dominating world football are unlikely. And not only Messi and Ronaldo, most of the stars of today’s football will be past their prime with the current youngsters taking their places.
Around the world, there are many young footballers who are on the brink of greatness. These footballers are full of potential and while it’s difficult to fathom the future we have attempted to list 11 players who could be in the World XI line-up in 2020.
Goalkeeper - David De Gea
When David De Gea first arrived in England, everyone wondered if he was physically strong enough to survive in the much more rigorous Premier League. However, it was just a matter of time and garnering enough experience until he showed his true capabilities.
Over the last few seasons, he has won United a lot of points by making some crucial saves. While his shot-stopping abilities were never in doubt, the Spaniard has improved massively in collecting the ball from dangerous crosses and in one on one situations.
Another aspect on which he has worked a lot is his ball distribution. De Gea is adept at picking out the big men in his team and starting off counter-attacks. He is not afraid to put his body in between and has pulled off several stunning saves with both his legs and arms.
He has been United’s most consistent player over the last few years, winning the club’s player of the season trophy three consecutive times. The 26-year-old is already considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and if that save against Liverpool off Phillippe Coutinho’s venomous shot was anything to go by then, in three years he will be the greatest.
Honourable Mention: Jan Oblak