My Best Eleven For 2013

I think football has started flowing in my veins again. 4 of my last 6 posts have been football oriented. I saw the Glo CAF awards and the Balon D’or and I was like heck if everyone has a list even unpopular Dipo can make a list. So I have decided to put up my best Eleven of the year 2013. I had issues picking between two players in some positions while I didn’t even think twice in some other positions.
Find below my Eleven:
1. Manuel Neuer (Goalkeeper): a difficult choice for me. Would have put Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus but Neuer of Bayern Munich was all shades of class last season. He was instrumental in Bayern’s dominance of Europe and the world at large. They won the German Bundesliga, The Champions League, The DFB Pokal and the FIFA world club cup. Enough said right? I thought so too.
2. Phillip Lahm (Right Back): the captain of the all conquering Bayern Munich side. He can play in both full back positions and he is sometimes deployed to play as a defensive midfielder. Great crosser of the ball too and he hit double figures of assists a couple of seasons back. Very consistent fella.
3. David Alaba (Left Back): now this is a jammer. A player on my wish list and I can’t but hope Man Utd would sign him though he was once quoted as saying he would fancy a move to Assnal in future. I was shocked he didn’t make the FIFPRO XI, I mean what was FIFA thinking? Can strike the ball well and scores really important goals.
4. Thiago Silva (Center Back): this Brazilian player is a beauty to watch. A strong defender and a leader on the pitch. His move to PSG was something I criticized at first but later I was like what’s my own, after all he helped destroy a Milan side I don’t like (no offense big bro) by leaving them.
5. Matt Hummels (Center Back): it’s a shame no player from last season’s Champions league losing finalist side (Dortmund) made the FIFPRO XI. Hummels for me is pure class. I was going to pick between him and Madrid’s Sergio Ramos but he got the nod because he played in the UCL final. Though blighted by injuries but on his day you don’t want to mess with him.
6. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Holding Midfielder): I can go on and on about this dude. I always prayed for my team to bid for him. He was the pivot and engine room of the Bayern side that cruised past teams everywhere they went last season. He is out of this world, a ball distributor extraordinaire.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Right Winger): the best player in the world by a long mile. I honestly shouldn’t be putting him on this side of the pitch but come on anywhere Ronaldo plays from he sure would get more goals than the strikers he plays with ( confirm with Kareem Benzema or even Gonzalo Higuain). Glad he was crowned best player in the world and hope he wins it again and again.
8. Robert Lewandoski (Support Striker): a striker extraordinaire, a pest for defenders and remember what this player that presently plies his trade with Borrusia Dortmund did to Real Madrid in last season’s Champions league? Let me remind you, he scored 1,2,3, 4 goals against the mighty Madrid. He has signed for Bayern Munich and would be joining them in the Summer of 2014. You know what that means? Bayern will have the best team in the world. Well on paper.
9. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Striker): Ibracadabra is surely one player defenders world over would hate to play against but would love to have in their team. My typical kind of player; strong, ability to take shots from distance and skillful. What else do you want? I didn’t have to think twice to put this guy in my team of the year.
10. Andreas Iniesta (Playmaker): I am sure you guys would be wondering what this guy is doing on my list. Well for me he is the best creative player in the world, a little dip in form towards the end of the year but who doesn’t lose form? Only GOD. Enough said.
11. Arjen Robben (Left Winger): in my post about Cristiano Ronaldo finally winning the Balon D’or I was of the opinion that Robben should have made the top 3 and not Ribery. He was a thorn in the flesh for fullbacks. I was shocked he didn’t make the FIFPRO XI.
There you have it, my team of the year 2013. Notable mentions are Gianluigi Buffon, Dani Alves, Sergio Ramos, Gustavo, Mario Goetze, Lionel Messi, Edison Cavani, Thomas Muller, Radomel Falcao. Messi didn’t make my first eleven? I know I would get criticized for that but he doesn’t really excite me and it’s my list remember, hahahahahaha.
Thanks for your time guys and feel free to criticize the list. Please remember your comments mean a lot to me and you don’t have to be selfish so share the post with your friends. You can also chip in your advise in making me do better with my posts.
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