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.