The 2022 World Cup is now in the history books, with Argentina emerging as the winners. A number of players have been mighty impressive throughout the campaign, and in this article, we will take a look at the best line-up from the tournament.
World Cup 2022 Best XI
GK: Dominik Livakovic, Croatia
The Croatian keeper was the hero for two penalty shootouts in the knockout stages, eliminating the mighty Brazil before bowing out against Argentina. He made a record 10 saves against the Selecao, and has been nothing short of phenomenal throughout the tournament.
LB: Theo Hernandez, France
Called to the line-up after an injury to his brother in the opening minutes of their World Cup title defence, Theo Hernandez performed exceptionally well. He was the first player to score against Morocco all tournament, but ended up in second place.
CB: Romain Saiss, Morocco
Passion, resilience and strength are all traits that the Morocco captain personified during their miraculous semi-final run. The presence of Saiss was essential to their success, and he was one of the clear standout defenders at the World Cup.
CB: Josko Gvardiol, Croatia
Despite being only 20 years old, Gvardiol played with maturity beyond his years for Croatia. He was, however, humbled by Messi in their semifinal meeting, but that doesn’t take away from the performances during the remainder of the tournament.
RB: Achraf Hakimi, Morocco
The PSG right-back was the star player for his country, and was cruising down the flank for Morocco. His brilliance had a lot to do as they made it to the semi-finals, before eventually being defeated by France.
CM: Sofyan Amrabat, Morocco
Amrabat provided a masterclass in every knockout stage game that the Atlas Lions played. His grit and determination in the heart of the park was on full display throughout their campaign, and the Fiorentina man has truly made a name for himself at the grandest stage.
CM: Enzo Fernandez, Argentina
Fernandez was named the young player of the tournament for his domination of the central areas throughout the tournament. He scored a remarkable curling effort against Mexico, and was a consistent threat until the very end.
CAM: Antoine Griezmann, France
From being a winger, to a centre-forward, to a playmaker, and now a midfielder, Antoine Griezmann has been extremely versatile when required. His defensive work rate made up for the absence of N’Golo Kante, and he also provided an immense threat going forward, making it extremely difficult for opponents to keep up.
LW: Kylian Mbappe, France
Mbappe finished as the Golden Boot winner for scoring the most goals at the World Cup with 8 to his name. And despite scoring a hat-trick in the finals, Les Bleus ended up on the losing side on penalties.
ST: Olivier Giroud, France
Giroud is now the all-time highest goalscorer for France, having surpassed Thierry Henry. The AC Milan forward scored four goals at the World Cup, and could further his tally now that Karim Benzema has called it a day on his international career.
RW: Lionel Messi, Argentina
The Golden Ball winner, Messi had seven goals and three assists during the World Cup. He was back to his best at the tournament, winning five man of the match awards out of seven. And the iconic forward completes the lineup of the best eleven at the World Cup.
