World Cup 2018: Strongest European XI

Midfielders: David Silva, Toni Kroos and Kevin De Bruyne

David Silva is no more the underrated genius of Manchester City

Coming to the midfield, we start with another Spaniard - David Silva. Long gone are the days when the Merlin was an underrated genius. The Spaniard has shown how menacing he can be and few would question his selection ahead of Andres Iniesta in the line-up.

Competing with the Barcelona wizard for a spot in the lineup is no easy task, but Silva has efficiently overshadowed his Spanish counterpart this season. Silva assisted 13 and scored 10 goals, in contrast to Iniesta's paltry 2 goals and 4 assists. He also has the better passing percentage of 86.2% and a key pass rate of 2.1.

An efficient passer of the ball, it's his exquisite vision and the ability to provide key passes that will be crucial in La Roja's attempts to create goalscoring chances in the World Cup.

Toni Kroos is the best deep-lying playmaker in the world

Shielding an already resilient defence is none other than the German Sniper, Toni Kroos. Passing is Kroos' forte, and he maintains a pass success rate of above 90% in almost every game he plays. Also, he has built a reputation as a set-piece threat. As good as he is with ground passes, he is equally adept at feeding long balls to his attackers.

In the 2017/18 season, Toni Kroos maintained an excellent pass success rate of 91% in all competitions, garnering 5 goals and 8 assists in the process. Excelling in the deep-lying playmaker role, the 28-year-old will be the most vital part of Die Mannschaft's midfield setup.

Kevin De Bruyne was a revelation in the Premier League this season

After his heroics throughout the season in the Premier League, it's a shame that Kevin De Bruyne lost out on the Premier League Player of the Season award.

The ex-Chelsea midfielder registered 20 assists and 13 goals, topping the Premier League assists charts. Arguably the best Manchester City player throughout the campaign, De Bruyne churned out excellent performances on a consistent basis, winning the man of the match award 10 times.

With Kevin De Bruyne in their lineup, Belgium will definitely be a team to look out for in the World Cup this year.