As news breaks of a break-through moment in football with UEFA’s plans of emulating NBA’s All-Star game, fans across Europe will certainly be debating on which players deserve to participate in this momentous occasion.
The European governing body aims to split the continent’s top flight divisions in two – north and south. We’ll focus on the Northern division which will consists of the Barclays Premier League, Bundesliga, Eredivisie and the Russian Premier League.
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With the rules regarding selection scarce at this moment in time, here is a potential All-Star XI made up of the top players across Northern Europe in a 4-2-3-1 system.
GK) David de Gea – Manchester United
Alongside Thibaut Courtois and Manuel Neuer, the Spaniard is undoubtedly the standout keeper in Europe and has only raised his profile with his sensational performances this season to almost single-handedly win games for Man United.
RB) Branislav Ivanovic – Chelsea
The Serbian may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but few can deny his consistent high level performances for Chelsea. Signed in the post-Jose Mourinho era, the Portuguese coach must have been delighted to re-enter the dressing room at Stamford Bridge and be able to call upon a player who possesses all the characteristics he loves in a defender.
CB) Mats Hummels – Borussia Dortmund
Arguably the best defender at last summer’s World Cup, Hummels will be a man in demand come the summer following Dortmund’s horrendous season. The Bundesliga giants will be not be competing in next season’s Champions League and for a player of Hummels’ calibre, that is a travesty.
CB) Nicolas Lombaerts – Zenit St Petersburg
Plying his trade in Russia, Lomabaerts remains the first choice centre back alongside Vincent Kompany for the Belgian national team despite the presence of Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Thomas Vermaelen.
LB) David Alaba – Bayern Munich
Continues to suffer from niggling injuries, but seeing as this All-Star game comes into affect in 2017 at the earliest, the Austrian is a shoe-in for the left-back slot. Alaba has defied his age over the past few years with consistent and versatile performances for the Bundesliga giants.
CM) Cesc Fabregas – Chelsea
Simply one of the most gifted midfielders of his generation, Fabregas can do just about everything and is still only 27. Few players have won two European championships and a World Cup at the age of 23; the former Arsenal skipper’s emergence from an early age was the cause of that.
CM) Bastian Schweinsteiger – Bayern Munich
Schweinsteiger will go down as one of the greatest midfielders ever and a potential European Championship winners medal in 2016 will see him lift every trophy available to him whilst remaining with one club.
CAM) Mesut Ozil – Arsenal
The creative hub of the world champions, Ozil deserves a mention in any All-Star XI and with many hailing Jose Mourinho as the best manager the world, the fact that he maintains that Ozil is the “best No.10 in the world” (via Sky Sports) means his position in this XI was a formality.
RAM) Memphis Depay – PSV
One of Europe’s rising stars, Depay made the world stand up and take notice with some sensational displays for Holland at the World Cup in Brazil. Often positioned on the opposite wing to Arjen Robben, the PSV man mirrored the directness often shown by Robben whilst completely taking a full-back apart.
LAM) Eden Hazard – Chelsea
If anyone is going to break up Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s stranglehold on the Ballon d’Or, it will certainly be Hazard. Able to turn on a sixpence, the Belgian is now adding end product to his game and whilst he may not match their goal tally, on his day, he can be just as devastating.
CF) Sergio Aguero – Manchester City
Arsene Wenger’s theory that South America (via Arsenal.com) produces the best strikers continues to be vindicated and it is no surprise to see the forwards vying for this position all come from that region. However, few in the world surpass Man City’s golden boy and Aguero’s sensational performances are set to rise as he enters his prime.