Diego Forlan writes a weekly column for The National, appearing each Friday. The former Manchester United, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid striker has been the top scorer in Europe twice and won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup. He currently plays in Japan for Cerezo Osaka. Forlan’s column will be written with the assistance of European football correspondent Andy Mitten
The football season isn’t over yet, but I’ve seen enough to name my team of the year from world football.
Goalkeeper
Choosing a goalkeeper is probably the hardest task. David de Gea, Thibaut Courtois and Gianluigi Buffon all stood out, but I’ll go for the Belgian Courtois. He has just won a second consecutive league title, this time with Chelsea. He makes the whole team feel confident, incredible really, given he’s only 23.
Defence
At right-back I’ll choose Dani Alves. He’s been excellent for years for Barcelona, but especially so in the last six months. The Brazilian is better offensively than defensively, which is fine for an attacking team like Barca, but he closes players down really well. He’s been at Barca so long that he can play to their game plan from memory; he’s really comfortable with his teammates. Barca would miss him if he left in the summer.
For my first central defender I’d go for Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos. He’s good on the ball, strong, tough, defensively sound and has pace. He is consistently good season after season. Ramos is a danger at set pieces and scores goals.
My compatriot Diego Godin would be alongside him. Like Ramos, he’s also quick, defends well and scores from set pieces. He couldn’t help Atletico Madrid retain their La Liga title, but he is another player who continues to get better every season.
Real Madrid’s Marcelo would be my left-back – that’s three defenders from one city. Like Alves he is good at pressing high against his opponent and excellent going forward. Defensively, he is not as good as some other left-backs, but it matters less when you play at the Bernabeu. It’s interesting when you play against these defenders because they are so offensively minded that you have to be clever and get behind them. I used to love doing that.
GALLERY: Check out Diego Forlan’s best XI in pictures
Midfield
I’m choosing a very attack-minded team, but I’ll go for Andrea Pirlo as the first of my three midfielders. He’s not necessarily a great defensive midfielder but he knows how to position himself well in defence. He also harldey gives the ball away, meaning the team can move forward around him. He’s so unhurried; he looks like he doesn’t even sweat. His passing is superb, and he creates so many chances. He was born on the same day as me and he’s still playing at the top level. On June 6, he will attempt to win the Uefa Champions League final with Juventus in the same city where he won the World Cup nine years ago with Italy.
Alongside him I’d play Andres Iniesta. The Barcelona midfielder is still a game changer and has enjoyed an excellent season. His run through the Paris Saint-Germain team to set up Barca’s first goal during their Champions League quarter-final was one of the best I’ve seen. He’ll be even more vital to Barcelona when Xavi leaves next season.
I’d find a place in the team for Liverpool’s Philippe Countinho. It was a tough season for Liverpool after their best player, Luis Suarez, left last summer but Coutinho has been their best player this term. I played with him at Inter Milan and he’s a good guy, calm and focused on being the best he can be. He was unlucky with injury at Inter there and went on loan to Espanyol for six months, where he did well. He’s quick, he scores goals and he assists. He’s been selected in Brazil’s Copa America squad and I can see him playing a starring role for his country.
Forwards
In attack I’d have to have Lionel Messi, the best player in the world. In some games it’s like he might as well be in another city because he barely features, yet he can get the ball, go past two or three players, score a cracking goal and turn the game. He’s amazing. I’d play him on the right of a front three.
The spearhead of the attack would be his Barcelona teammate Suarez. Luis has done really well in Spain. It’s his first season but he settled in almost immediately, which is incredible when you consider than he joined the team late in the season following his four-month ban from the World Cup. He’s scored goals and he contributes plenty of assists. He gets on great with Messi and Neymar on and off the pitch. They’re the best attack in world football. He’s grown as a player with better players around him; he’s more experienced, and has benefited from playing in England, too. He’s the perfect No 9.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the second best player in the world, would be in my perfect XI from this season, ahead of Neymar. He has fully deserved his Ballon d’Ors but he’s going to finish this season without a major trophy with Madrid, although they were crowned club world champions in December. Ronaldo is a brilliant professional who always tries to improve himself, though Madrid have only won one league title in seven years with him.
Coach
For a coach I’d go for Juventus’ Massimiliano Allegri. He’s won Serie A, he’s won the Coppa Italia and he could win the European Cup next month for a treble. He didn’t have the ego to change too much at Juventus, he didn’t want to be seen to make a mark, he just kept things almost as they were. With great success.
Substitutes
Neymar is my first substitute. Despite the well-publicised distractions regarding his transfer to Camp Nou, his performances were unaffected. He’s a great player who keeps getting better at Barca. It’s impossible for all three of their strikers to be at their best every week, but at least one of them is. Even with just one of them Barca are still dangerous.
Carlos Tevez is another substitute. He’s a success wherever he goes; a really hard working player who could win another European Cup in Berlin next month.
Another Juventus player, Arturo Vidal, would be on the bench, too. The Chilean midfielder has the whole package: he has good energy, scores goals and is good in the air.
Juventus and Barca dominate my squad. Since both are chasing a domestic and European treble this season, it’s only right that they do.
結果 (
日本語) 1:
[コピー]コピーしました!
Diego フォルランは毎週金曜日に表示される、国家の週刊コラムを書き込みます。元のマンチェスター ・ ユナイテッド、インテル ミラノとアトレティコ マドリードのストライカーはヨーロッパのトップスコアラーを 2 回されており、2010 年ワールド カップでゴールデン ブーツを獲得しました。彼は現在セレッソ大阪の日本で果たしています。欧州サッカー特派員 Andy ミトンの助けを借りてフォルランの列は書き込まれますフットボールのシーズンも終わっていないのに、しかし十分に世界のサッカー界から年の私のチームの名前を見てきました。ゴールキーパーゴールキーパーの選択は、おそらく最も困難なタスクです。David de Gea、Thibaut コルトワと Gianluigi Buffon のすべての際立っていた、しかし私はベルギー コルトワの行くつもりです。ちょうど彼はチェルシーでこの時間の 2 番目の連続したリーグ タイトルを獲得しています。彼はチーム全体を感じる自信を持って、本当に、与えられた信じられないほど彼はわずか 23。防衛右サイドバックで Dani Alves 決めましょう。彼は優秀な年ずっとバルセロナ、最後の 6 ヶ月で、しかし特にそう。ブラジルはより攻撃的守備は、バルサのような攻撃側のチームのための罰金が選手を閉じます彼は本当によくダウンします。彼はずっとバルサで彼はメモリから自分のゲームプランに出来ること彼は彼のチームメイトと本当に快適です。バルサ彼を逃す彼は夏のままにした場合。私の最初の中央のディフェンダーはレアル マドリードの Sergio Ramos 行くと思います。彼は良いボールを強く、タフな防御的サウンド、ペース。彼は季節後に一貫して良い季節です。Ramos はセットプレーとスコアの目標で危険です。私の相棒 Diego ゴダンと彼と一緒になります。Ramos のような彼も迅速ですも擁護し、セットプレーからのスコアします。彼はアトレティコ マドリードのラ ・ リーガのタイトルを保持を助けることができなかったが彼は季節ごとに良くなるし続けて別の選手です。レアル マドリードの Marcelo 私左-戻る-1 つの都市からの 3 つの擁護者であるになります。Alves のような彼は彼の対戦相手と優秀な前進に対して高を押すことで良いです。守備は、彼と同じくらい良いいくつかその他左バックはないそれベルナベウでプレーするとき以下の事項します。彼らが不快巧妙になるし、それらの背後に取得する必要があることを心からこれらの擁護者と対戦するときは、興味深いです。やっている愛を使用します。ギャラリー: 写真の Diego フォルラン リーグベストをチェックします。中盤非常に攻撃志向のチームを選択していますが、最初 Andrea Pirlo の行きます私の 3 つのミッドフィルダーの。彼は必ずしも偉大な防御的なミッドフィールダーではないが、彼は防衛で自分自身を配置する方法を知っています。彼はまた harldey ボールを離れて与える、チームを意味進めることができます彼の周り。彼はとてもゆったり;彼は彼も汗はありませんように見えます。彼の死は素晴らしいですと彼は非常に多くのチャンスを作成します。彼は私と同じ日に生まれた、彼はまだトップ レベルで遊んでいます。6 月 6 日、彼はしようとワールド カップを獲得彼は同じ都市でユベントスで Uefa チャンピオンズ リーグ決勝に勝つ 9 年前にイタリア。彼と一緒に私のアンドレス Iniesta を果たすでしょう。バルセロナ選手はまだ、ゲームのチェンジャーおよび優秀なシーズンを楽しんでいます。彼実行のチャンピオンズ リーグの準々決勝の 1 つだった中バルサの最初の目標を設定するパリ サンジェルマン チームを通じて最高の私は見た。Xavi 次のシーズンを離れるとき、彼はバルセロナにさらにもっと重要でしょう。私はリバプールの Philippe Countinho のチームの場所を見つけるでしょう。後で彼らの最高の選手、Luis スアレスが去った昨夏 Coutinho は今期最高の選手をされているリバプールはタフなシーズンだった私はインテル ミラノで彼と演奏し彼は良い男、彼は穏やかで、最高であることに焦点を当てすることができます。彼はそこの間に負傷でラッキーだったし、出向エスパニョールに 6 ヶ月間、彼はよくやった。彼はすぐ、彼はスコアを目標と彼を支援します。彼はブラジルの Copa アメリカ代表で選択されているが、彼の国のための主演の役割を果たしている彼を見ることができます。転送攻撃を Lionel Messi、世界で最高の選手を持っている必要があります。いくつかのゲームは、彼同様かもしれない別の都市にので彼はほとんどの機能は、まだ彼はボールを得ることができるよう、過去の 2 つまたは 3 つのプレーヤー行くし、割れ目標スコアが試合をひっくり返します。彼は素晴らしいです。私はフロント 3 の右側に彼を果たすでしょう。The spearhead of the attack would be his Barcelona teammate Suarez. Luis has done really well in Spain. It’s his first season but he settled in almost immediately, which is incredible when you consider than he joined the team late in the season following his four-month ban from the World Cup. He’s scored goals and he contributes plenty of assists. He gets on great with Messi and Neymar on and off the pitch. They’re the best attack in world football. He’s grown as a player with better players around him; he’s more experienced, and has benefited from playing in England, too. He’s the perfect No 9.Cristiano Ronaldo, the second best player in the world, would be in my perfect XI from this season, ahead of Neymar. He has fully deserved his Ballon d’Ors but he’s going to finish this season without a major trophy with Madrid, although they were crowned club world champions in December. Ronaldo is a brilliant professional who always tries to improve himself, though Madrid have only won one league title in seven years with him.CoachFor a coach I’d go for Juventus’ Massimiliano Allegri. He’s won Serie A, he’s won the Coppa Italia and he could win the European Cup next month for a treble. He didn’t have the ego to change too much at Juventus, he didn’t want to be seen to make a mark, he just kept things almost as they were. With great success.SubstitutesNeymar は私の最初の代用です。カンプノウへの転勤について広く公表された気晴らしにもかかわらず彼のパフォーマンスが影響を受ける。彼はバルサに良くなって続けている偉大な選手です。毎週でその最高の状態である彼らの罷業者のすべての 3 つのことはできませんが、それらの少なくとも 1 つが。それらの 1 つでもバルカはまだ危険です。Carlos テベスは別の代替です。彼は、成功はどこへ彼が行く;本当に難しい作業選手来月のベルリンでもう一つの欧州チャンピオンズ カップを勝つことができます。別ユベントスの選手、Arturo Vidal はベンチにもなります。チリのミッドフィールダーは、全体のパッケージ: 彼は良いエネルギーは、スコアの目標があり、空気で良いです。ユベントスとバルサ私のチームを支配します。以来、両方を追いかけている、国内およびヨーロッパこのシーズン トレブル、それだけが正しい彼らが行うことです。
翻訳されて、しばらくお待ちください..
