A unique Dream Team

What with Cyruff making his Dream Team and tons of La Liga Teams, I think I’ll follow the trend. With one sting. I’ll use players from rival teams only. And in the same position, for example 2 forwards have to be from 2 rival teams only. So I have no clue if it will be effective or a complete failure. And I’ll use a goalkeeper of my choice, who by the way is Iker Casillas. Also, he is the captain.

Let’s start with the formation. I will go with a formation 3-3-2-2. That way I avoid a lone striker and can put forward some rivals.

And the strikers are a no brainer. Lionel Messi from FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid FC. I know Ronaldo is a winger, but he has the capability to do anything and I’m confident he can work as a striker. That is why I put him as a striker. Messi – Do I really need to elaborate?

Messi is the current top scorer, his dribbling is fantastic, and he assists a lot. Ronaldo is the perfect finisher, can score with both feet and is better with his head than Messi. Given their qualities, and the fact that both give the maximum to their teams, I wouldn’t be surprised if they play together quite well. And if it ever happens, the opposite goalkeeper will demand a toilet be fitted to his goal, and he will need it.

Now we come to the two attacking midfielders. I’d ideally pick someone from La Liga again, but I don’t want to repeat leagues and want to increase the number of clubs. So I will go to the Italian league.

Andrea Pirlo from Juventus and Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan. Big rival clubs, but man if they work together, the amount of goals and assists would be through the roof! Andrea Pirlo is just a class apart. His looks are like Chuck Norris, and so are his plays. And Wesley Sneijder is one of the finer attacking midfielders in the world. UEFA best Attacking Midfielder and finalist in World Cup 2010!

The three defensive midfielders come from the German league. They are Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich, Mario Gotze from Borussia Dortmund and Ibrahim Afellay from FC Schalke 04.

They are good midfielders in their own right, ideally to be played in attack. But I want to put them in defense. They all have brilliant ball control, and take good shots, provide assists and are above average performers who never cease to entertain. I think any opposing attacker would be really afraid to break through that midfield.

And the Defenders just have to come from the English League! The rivalries are crazily intense, and the defenders are brilliant. And the list has to be John Terry from Chelsea, Rafael from Manchester United and Kolo Toure from City.

I have gone with one experienced player and two young players because let’s face it, defense needs versatility. But all of these players are fantastic in their own right. Terry, whatever the internet jokes about him, is a brilliant defender with a never say die attitude who captained the Blues to victory. Rafael is a good defender, a budding talent and though he makes mistakes, I think he is good enough to be in my Dream Team of Rivals. And Toure is also good. I like his style. He may not be a regular starter like his brother, but he is very good nonetheless.

The goalkeeper and Captain is Iker Casillas from Real Madrid, hands down. The reason I chose him above, say Manuel Neuer or Petr Cech, is because he captained a team (Spain) to victory and that team contained a volatile mix of Barca and Madrid players, the deadliest rivals ever in Football. So this should not be too difficult. Besides, ‘keeping is a single position. We cannot have two keepers, so I had to chose the best.

His phenomenal, stunning and fantastic goalkeeping doesn’t need a mention. Every man woman and child in the footballing universe sings his praises. I am a Barcelona fan and I consider him the greatest ever goalkeeper I have seen!

The Vice captain should be Terry, for his contribution to Chelsea.

So do feel free to add players, comments and ideas. But they must meet this single criteria: ALL players playing in a certain position MUST be from rival clubs!