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It seems just yesterday that a magical world cup campaign in Brazil reached its conclusion, culminating in an inevitable German triumph at the Maracanã. Fast forward twelve months and it seems ludicrous to even think about the next edition but, with pressure mounting on the organisation that runs the beloved tournament, it can be difficult to keep national football off the mind, especially as we look for something to fill the footballing void with the start of the domestic season some weeks away.With the thin ice supporting Sepp Blatter finally giving way following uproar in the wake of his re-election, it has been announced that renewed FIFA presidency will come to fruition next February, meaning we can turn our attention back to football and start looking at who will excite in the forthcoming campaigns. Moreover, as we see a growing profusion of players being subjected to speculation in the transfer market, fans are becoming more aware of foreign names and could be weighing up the potential threat each nation poses in Russia 2018.With the likes of Casillas, Xavi and Gerrard leaving their boyhood clubs in the season’s close, attention is being focused on the younger generation to lead their countries to future glory and the likelihood is the next world cup will bring sides littered with today’s wonder kids.Therefore, perhaps it’s time you familiarise yourself with the crop of young gems that will be gracing your screen at the next world cup, meanwhile getting a feel for how your nation could line-up in three years’ time. Luckily for you, I have put together a list of the continent’s five big guns and the shape they could adopt ahead of the next turnout of the biggest show on Earth.
#1 Germany
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Where better to start a list of potential 2018 World Cup starting line-ups than with the holders themselves. Boasting such an attractive array of young talents and experienced heads, Germany were perhaps the hardest nation to pick a solid first eleven from and I’m sure many of you out there have your queries with my selection, but hear me out.
Even with the emergence of world-class prospects Leno and ter Stegen, as arguably the greatest keeper in the world, Manuel Neuer was a no-brainer between the sticks, with his superb reflexes coupled with his ability to play aggressive and adopt the ‘sweeper’ role in the back-line making him a vital asset.
The current Dortmund partnership will play through the centre, with young gun Matthias Ginter expected to be one of the finest defenders in world football in years to come, while Hummels will utilise his experience, with 32 caps at present, to act as the sturdy bedrock of this dynamic German side. Boateng may need to force himself into the side as a full-back, while Erik Durm has been a revelation at Dortmund this past season and his continuing development should cement himself a place at left-back.
Both Toni Kroos and Emre Can make up the holding roles on merit after the latter followed up a mediocre season at Liverpool with a string of mature performances in the U-21 European Championships last month. The former meanwhile has beaten off competition at Real Madrid to become a regular starter in midfield for the Spanish giants, making 36 appearances last season and he continues to prove his worth in Germany’s midfield. The edge Kroos possesses is his ability to contribute at both ends of the field.
Mario Götze beats Mesut Özil into the side as he will have the superior legs to compete throughout the whole tournament and the current Bayern man will no doubt be at the pinnacle of his career when the next competition comes around. Volland, an up-and-coming star at Hoffenheim, could interchange with Müller in this very versatile German attack, while Marco Reus is expected to be the nation’s main man in a few years’ time, so gets the nod on the flank ahead of Andre Schurrle.
#2 Italy
The 2006 World Cup victors have somewhat decelerated in recent years and undergo perhaps the biggest makeover of any other side on this list. Revitalised with youth, I expect criticisms from the old guard regarding selection here, but if Gli Azzurri starting working with a side as such, they can expect a very promising and fruitful future.
Unless Gianluigi Buffon defies all the odds to make it to a record sixth World Cup finals (he already holds the record with five), it is expected Sirigu will win the battle for the number one spot ahead of Mattia Perin, beating the Genoa shot-stopper on experience.
The back three is mouth-watering, with a then 32-year-old Giorgio Chiellini anchoring down the defence alongside his newly signed Juve teammate Daniele Rugani. Rugani has been tipped as Italy’s future leader from the back and his promising stint at Empoli last season highlighted why many are saying he will emulate the greats of the nation’s defence in years to come.
Then there is Roma centre-half Alessio Romagnoli, the boy dubbed as the next ‘Alessandro Nesta’ and a very composed youngster, who has been deployed in positions across the entire back-line under various gaffers and looks set to throw his name into the Italian mixing bowl.
While at the back we see an old head sandwiched between two youthful, blockbuster candidates, the midfield offers a similar balance. The team of 2018 will be built around the heir to Andrea Pirlo’s throne, Marco Verratti, whose expert vision and influence on the ball will be the heartbeat of Italy’s future play. I expect them to change their style to be quick and play on the counter-attack with fellow midfielder and national veteran Marchisio looking to utilise the pace of wing-backs Darmian and Milan revelation De Sciglio.
Lorenzo Insigne has ignited Napoli’s climb up the Serie A ladder in recent seasons and will play just behind Destro and Berardi; two forwards capturing the imagination of Italy’s top flight and believed to be two of Europe’s best forward men in the near future.
#3 England
With England churning out a multitude of young talents at present courtesy of the developing youth set-up, the Three Lions look more equipped than ever to spark some danger at the next World Cup. Sao Paulo witnessed the side get undone by route-one football last year and seeing Luis Suarez rifle one past Joe Hart in the closing stages of the game unravelled England hopes of an unlikely World Cup triumph and once again raised questions about the team’s discipline at the back.
Such concerns shouldn’t come to avail next time around, however, with Joe Hart, who should then be the finished article, providing the predominant vocals to spur on the youngsters at the back. Gary Cahill’s transformation at Stamford Bridge renders him a potential great and his vast experience at such a young age will be vital alongside his younger team-mate John Stones, who Cahill’s club have been so eager to add to their armoury.
With Cahill and Stones boasting excellent positional sense and moulded by the quick pace of the Premier League, the defence also comprising of sharp full-backs Shaw and Chambers should be able to nullify the most clinical of attacks.
In the 4-2-3-1 formation, Henderson and Wilshere occupy the holding roles, as one would expect the game to be evolving to a point where players in these positions need to shift into more advanced positions at times. Wilshere is no stranger to delving forwards and having a crack at goal and, provided the Liverpool skipper Henderson holds back, this clockwork relationship could be the main source of all England attacks.
To conclude, the front four looks a very tasty prospect indeed. With Sterling and Chamberlain embedding the modern, positive approach on the flanks, where caution plays no part, fans can ensure England will be on the front-foot at all times and will take initiative to fire a ball in when they sniff blood.
Wayne Rooney will be entering the latter stages of his career at 32-years-old, but will remain a key component in holding the ball up for the wide men, acting as a decoy for the spearhead of the side Daniel Sturridge and testing the opposition keeper himself.
#4 France
Exploiting the young blood at their disposal will prove vital for Les Bleus if they are to turn their fortunes around and resume their place as one of the fiercest national sides in world football. With the eleven individuals representing nine European clubs between them, honing in on the chemistry among the crop will be a priority, but the potential quality of the side comes very close to topping the list.
Between the sticks the side will have a 31-year-old Hugo Lloris, who can already claim an impressive 67 caps for his national side and it is expected he will assert his first-choice role ahead of Steve Mandanda and Stephane Ruffier in Russia. While he shall lead from the back, the positions in front of him provide exceptional competition.
A host of names including Mangala, Laporte and Sakho miss out, as I herald Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma and one of the most-sought-after centre backs in the game, Raphael Varane, to play at the heart of defence, due to their superior experience of Champions League football and greater physicality. Mangala comes close but has mistakes in him, which he needs to eradicate to stand a chance of entering the national frame.
Yet to make an appearance for his national side, Sébastien Corchia is the surprise inclusion at right-back but France’s pickings in this position are slim to say the least and Corchia’s consistent displays at Lille make him hard to discard. Kurzawa has been just as pleasing at Monaco and has fueled their return to the heights of the French game while the midfield three could be one of the best in years to come.
Likened to Lionel Messi because of his playing style, Lyon’s maestro Nabil Fékir is the most attacking of the trio, as shown by his creditable return of 13 goals and 9 assists in Ligue 1 last season. Geoffrey Kondogbia has just been labelled with a bumper €40m price tag, so his potential speaks for itself, while Paul Pogba drove Juventus to an Italian double and Champions League final in the 2014/15 campaign and is perhaps the hottest midfielder across the globe at present.
Finally, the front three are just as dangerous, as Ligue 1’s top scorer last season with 27 goals, Alexandre Lacazette, plays on the right of the nation’s 9th all-time top goalscorer Karim Benzema. Furthermore, one would hope speculation has died down surrounding a move for Antoine Griezmann by 2018 who, once settled, can sharpen his attacking bag of tricks to inject France with some much-needed pace and flow up front.
#5 Spain
Not dissimilar to the side which were battered and bruised in the 2014 World Cup, Spain’s foundations have always been relatively young and so only a few areas need rejuvenating. Just a handful of tournaments ago, it seemed impossible to envisage another nation stealing the march on La Furia Roja’s dominance in the national game, but times have changed and a tactical revamp may be required.
Firstly though let’s start from the back. The focal point of one of the summer’s most exhaustive transfer sagas, David De Gea’s club future may be unknown, but he will undoubtedly be the first choice for Spain in three years’ time. He has arguably the greatest reflexes in world football, but most keepers in the modern game are excellent shot-stoppers, so what sets him apart is his fine reading of set pieces and one-on-one chances.
The defensive pairing of long-time national server Sergio Ramos and Real Sociedad’s Inigo Martinez is sure to raise some eyebrows, but it could prove a very ingenious combination. Ramos, himself on the radar of Manchester United this window, will be 32-years-old and surely be playing his final role in a World Cup, so his need to chalk out errors in the young and encouraging talent Martinez will be paramount.
Despite the growing promise of Bayern Munich’s Juan Bernat and Valencia’s Jose Luis Gaya, Barca’s Jordi Alba is a proven choice at left-back and Chelsea’s Azpillicueta has come on leaps-and-bounds to affirm his position at right-back at both club and national level.
With the virtuoso duo of Xavi and Iniesta a distant memory by 2018, the tiki-taka approach could be rested, with Sergio Busquets acting as a potential extra defender, while attacking pair Isco and Koke will be looking to catch teams on the counter through the centre or on the overlap.
Cesc Fabregas will be the main distributor of this possible new style of play, looking to find Chelsea goal machine Diego Costa or the man who continues to impress, Alvaro Morata. So the new approach could be focused around speedy wide men and firing the ball into the forwards’ feet as opposed to possession play – something seemingly diminishing in the game after Spain themselves saw it picked apart last tournament.
