World Cup 2018: Strongest European XI

Wing-backs: Joshua Kimmich and Jordi Alba

Joshua Kimmich is arguably the best right-back, ahead of Kyle Walker and Dani Carvajal

He might be just 23, but Joshua Kimmich has proven to be the perfect man to fill the giant boots of Philipp Lahm in the right-back role at Bayern Munich. The young German is probably the best right-back in the world at the moment, ahead of veterans Dani Carvajal and Kyle Walker.

Kimmich has a variety of strengths to offer to any team he plays for. His transition from a central midfielder to a right-back tells us loads about his adaptability, the most striking strength in his basket of abilities. Also, he is a pin-point crosser of the ball with an average of 2.1 crosses per game.

The 23-year-old found the net 6 times in all competitions this season, including 2 vital goals against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals. He also notched an impressive tally of 13 assists.

In comparison to Kyle Walker, Kimmich offers loads of positives in attack, but that doesn't mean he isn't a good defender. He is calm and composed at the back, averaging 0.6 fouls per game. Also, he notched only 3 yellow cards in the entire campaign.

Jordi Alba is one of the best left-backs in the world

Frankly speaking, there's no better left-back than Jordi Alba in the whole world right now. The Spaniard is well-versed in link-up play; his telepathic understanding with Lionel Messi is what makes Barcelona such a great team in Europe. Also, his transition from defence to attack and vice versa is a result of the pace he possesses. Continuously moving up and down the pitch with impressive speed also speaks volumes about his tremendous work ethic.

Alba has notched a pass success rate of 84.9% but there is scope for improvement. He has 2.1 interceptions per game in the league, a testament to his ball-winning abilities.

And here we complete the defensive department of our starting XI, one that has been clearly dominated by Germans and Spaniards.