How Spain should line up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup

The shock exit from the World Cup in 2014 still haunts Spain, but this time they hope to put in a performance somewhat similar to their 2010 triumph. Spain's boss Julen Lopetegui surely has a great number of world-class players at his disposal, but finding the right balance is a real challenge for him.

During the qualifiers, his side looked robust and ready to battle for the cup.

Here, we take a look at how Spain should lineup in a 4-3-3 formation:

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Goalkeeper and Defenders

He has been a perfect heir to Iker Casillas

There's absolutely no doubt about who would be picked to stand between the sticks. David de Gea is unsurprisingly the first-choice keeper because of the consistent match-winning performances shown by him at Old Trafford.

With him guarding the goal, opponents will have to put in their very best in order to find the back of the net. Pepe Reina and Sergio Rico can be decent backup options for the keeper's spot.

Fierce rivals will become teammates once again

The defensive back 4 will be an even combination of players from Barcelona and Real Madrid. Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos will occupy the central positions. They will provide a lot of strength and physicality to the team. Apart from the ability to play the ball from the back, they will look to use their height and win airballs as well.

Jordi Alba should be picked for the left-back position. His tremendous pace and pinpoint passing make him a complete fullback for a team like Spain. The right-back slot should belong to Dani Carvajal, the man who is arguably one of the best right-backs in the world, and Julen Lopetegui will surely make use of Carvajal's ability to make threatening runs into the opposition half.

Javi Martinez and Cesar Azpilicueta can be good alternatives for central defence. Whereas, Nacho and Sergi Roberto can be perfect utility backups for the manager.

Midfielders

The magician - Andres Iniesta

Spain has always been about its world-class midfielders and the intricate passing between them. Selecting 3 midfielders for Spain is truly a headache.

The Defensive-Midfield job will be given to the man who can do that job better than anyone else, Sergio Busquets. His tidy turns, exceptional passing and ability to maintain the momentum of the game will be in full use.

"You watch the game, you don't see Busquets. You watch Busquets, you see the whole game." - Vicente del Bosque

The two other midfield spots should undoubtedly be occupied by Andres Iniesta and Thiago Alcantara. Both of them are exceptional passers of the ball and they know how to attack, as well as defend pretty well.

Iniesta has been in superb form this season, even though there were speculations about Barcelona having to find a replacement for him, at 33 years of age, the little magician can glide past through opponents with ease.

On the other hand, Thiago has been the engine for Bayern Munich for quite some time now and it wouldn't be surprising to see him running this team as well. So, this combination would be full of magical dribbling and defence-splitting passing, which means there will be no shortage of chances created.

Cesc Fabregas, Koke and Saúl Ñíguez are perfect substitutes for the midfield spots.

Forwards

He is a joy to watch.

This is the most interesting part of Spain's lineup. There are extraordinary midfielders in their squad but also have some struggling strikers. So, why not make use of their best players to build a better playing XI.

David Silva can occupy the role of a right winger, where he can show off his dribbling and exquisite crossing. Spain can make use of his control and calmness of the ball in the final third. This season, Silva has already been directly involved in 13 goals in the premier league so far. Pretty decent for a central midfielder who has an attacking instinct.

Silva can make the right flank his own, which will allow him to cut in and shoot with his stronger foot as well.

On the left flank, Spain should field Isco. This man is arguably the best player for Real Madrid so far, he always puts up a show whenever he's on the pitch. His accuracy, power and dribbling skills make him a perfect fit for the role. Again, he too, will have the freedom to cut onto his stronger right foot and shoot.

Isco will be looking to lead this side for the World Cup too. The Real Madrid star will surely have the freedom to roam around a bit, get involved in the build-ups and even finish off the move for his team.

Costa was in good goal-scoring form during the qualifiers.

Finally, we have Diego Costa up front. Like every other team needs an out-and-out striker, Spain will put their trust in Costa to do the job for them. He scored 5 goals in 5 appearances for his National team during the World Cup qualifiers, and Spain's manager would be hoping to see his man find the back of the net frequently.

Alvaro Morata and Iago Aspas can be quality backup strikers for Spain's boss. Whereas, Marco Asensio and Gerard Deulofeu could be brought on in later stages of the game to terrorize the tired opposition defences with their explosive speed.

Spain played with a similar formation against Italy and the results were remarkable. Enjoy Spain's magic and Isco's individual brilliance below.

Playing XI

This team surely lacks some pace, but who needs pace when you can tear apart the opposition with your passing skills. This set of players don't need to play long balls or drop crosses into the box. They will make their way into the opposition box by passing the ball beautifully amongst themselves, while the world stands still to watch them.

Here is a graphical representation of how La Furia Roja should line up at the 2018 FIFA World Cup:

4-3-3 (False 9)

GK - David de Gea

CB - Gerard Pique

CB - Sergio Ramos

LB - Jordi Alba

RB - Dani Carvajal

CDM - Sergio Busquets

LCM - Andres Iniesta

RCM - Thiago Alcantara

RW - David Silva

LW - Isco

CF - Diego Costa