Europe vs The Rest of the World

One of the most memorable matches I can recall when I was younger was this one off affair between a European XI against a team formed from around the world. To make things a little more interesting, the selectors were only able to pick one player from any respective nation. The two teams that turned out on the day were;

Europe XI: Andreas Köpke, Heimo Pfeifenberger, Dominique Lemoine, Krassimir Balakov, Paul Ince, Fernando Hierro, Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro Costacurta, Marius Lăcătuş, Alen Bokšić, Patrick Kluivert

Coach: Franz Beckenbauer

The Rest of the World XI: Jacuqes Songo'o, Javier Margas, Hidetoshi Nakata, Hong Myung-Bo, Noureddine Naybet, Marcelino Bernal, David Nyathi, Gabriel Batistuta, Ronaldo, Anthony De Ávila, Adel Sellimi

Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira

The Europeans lost 5-2 with the incredible duo of Batistuta and Ronaldo tearing them to shreds.

It's a shame that we don't get to see such match ups in today's day, but if we did, how would you form your two respective sides?

Rules: You can only pick one player from any single country.
The team should also make sense from a tactical perspective.

Europe XI:

--------------Cech
Sagna---Kompany---Terry---Lahm
---------Denisov--Pirlo
--------------Xavi
Robben----------------C.Ronaldo
----------Ibrahimovic

The Rest of the World XI:

-----------Howard
Isla---Silva--N'Koulou--Abdennour
----Yaya Toure-Seydou Keita
Messi-------------------Kagawa
--------Falcao--Cavani

The European side looks more balanced and stronger on paper, but they are also filled with many egotistical forwards. On the other hand, The Rest of the World happen to have the finest player in the world, and two deadly strikers to feed off him.

Europe XI:

------------Casilas
Srna----Kompany----Agger---Lahm
---Cabaye--Pirlo--Hamsik

Robben----------------C.Ronaldo
----------Ibrahimovic

The Rest of the World XI:

-----------Justo Villar
Isla-------Godin----Reid---Dani Alves
-----------Yaya Toure
-------Kagawa-----Park Ji Sung/Alex Song
Messi-------Cavani-----Falcao

Did outie just push the best forward on the planet to RM in a 442?

Wowsers.

Europe XI

Stekelenburg
Lahm Kompany Vidic Clichy
Modric Pirlo Iniesta
Ribery Ibrahimovic Ronaldo

vs

Schwarzer
Isla T. Silva Lugano Vargas
Yaya Song
Kagawa
Valencia Messi Falcao

@Raindance Casillas and Cesc are spansih

@Bossa Only one player a country

Can't believe RVP hasn't made into any europe XIs

There aren't a lot of world class defenders and goalkeepers outside of Europe.

--------------------Hart----------------------
-Sagna-Kompany-Agger-Lahm-------
-----------------Pirlo--Modric--------------
-----Ronaldo---Iniesta-----Bale---------
---------------------RVP---------------------

---------------Howard-----------------
-Isla---Benatia---Lugano---Ekotto-
------------Toure--Keita-------------
--Kagawa----Messi-----Neymar--
-----------------Cisse-----------------

@Raindance Casillas and Cesc are spanish

my bad...

Europe XI

-------Cech
Lahm--Kompany--Vidic--Cole
Modric-Pirlo-Iniesta
Ribery--RVP---Ronaldo


World XI

-----Howard
---?---?----Nagatamo
---Yaya----Vidal
-------Messi
Valencia-Cavani-Neymar

Can't really think of many defenders for the world XI tbh

Europe XI:

----------Casillas
Sagna-Kompany-Vidic-Coentrao
--------Inler--Pirlo
---------Van Persie
----Ozil-Ibrahimovic-Giggs/Bale

World XI:

-----------Schwarzer
Pereira-Silva-Samba-A.Ekotto
----------Toure-Vidal
-----------Kagawa
---Valencia-Falcao-Messi

Europe will thrash any team that the rest of the world can come up with now.

Europe:

- - - - - - - - - - - - Cech
- Sagna - Kompany - Vidic - Cole
- - - - - - - - - - - - - Pirlo
- - - - - - - - - Iniesta - - Ozil
- Van Persie - Ibrahimovic - Ronaldo



Rest of World:

- - - - - - - - - - Howard
- - - - T.Silva - Samba - Lugano
- - - - - - Essien - Yaya Toure
- Sanchez - - - Messi - - - Kagawa
- - - - - - - - Falcao - - Eto'o

Did outie just push the best forward on the planet to RM in a 442?

Wowsers.

Hehe, it was difficult to do so without having a real weak link in the side. It's bad enough that Seydou Keita had to make it into the team. Alternatively, I could have used the diamond formation with Messi at the tip.

I can't believe that I forgot about Vidic and Modric.

Europe will thrash any team that the rest of the world can come up with now.

In Messi, Cavani and Falcao, the non-Europeans have a far more devastating front line. That trio is absolutely perfect in every single way.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cech
- Srna - - - Kompany - - - Vidic - - - Cole
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pirlo
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Iniesta
- - - - - - - - - Oezil
- C.Ronaldo - - - Van Persie - - - - Ribery

- - - - - - - - - - - - - Cesar
- Pereira - - - Yaya - - - Essien - - - Vidal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - Keita
- - Valencia - - - - - - - - - - - Kagawa
- - - - - - - - - - - - - Messi
- - - - - - - - Falcao - - - - Eto'o

Had to **** up my defence a bit for the ROTW to accomadate a my two FBs and GK. No matter, both have played to a reasonably high level in the past at CB.

God knows how I managed to make THAT defence though...

Europe will thrash any team that the rest of the world can come up with now.

But I thought Africa had all the best strikers?

- - - - - - - - - - Cech - - - - - - - - - -
Sagna - Kompany - Vidic - Cole
- - - - - - Pirlo - - Modric - - - - - -
Iniesta - - - Ozil - - - Ronaldo
- - - - - - - Van Persie - - - - - - -

VS

- - - - - - - - Schwarzer - - - - - - - -
Pereira - Silva - Benatia - Vargas
- - - - - Yaya Toure - - Vidal - - - - -
Valencia - - - - - - Messi - - - - - - Eto'o
- - - - - - - - - - - Falcao - - - - - - - - - - -

Europe

---------Buffon
Lahm Kompany Vidic Cole
-------Modric Xavi
Ribery---Sneijder---Ronaldo
--------Ibrahimovic

Rest of the World

---------Howard
Isla Silva Marquez Perreira
------Yaya--Song
----Messi----Kagawa
-----Falcao-Cisse

Lack of a decent RB is hurting rest of the world. But that side is definitely good enough to face Europe assuming everyone is in his prime.

-------------Schwarzer

Isla---Benatia---Lugano---Ekotto

----Kagawa----Yaya----Prince

Neymar--------Falcao------Messi

Europe

---------------Cech

Sagna-----Kompany-----Vidic---Cole

----Hamsik-----Pirlo----Iniesta

Ozil--------Ibrahimovic----Ronaldo

------------------Hart----------------------
-Lichsteiner---Kompany--Agger----Lahm-------
---------------De Rossi--Modric--------------
-----Ronaldo------Iniesta-------Ribery---------
---------------------RvP---------------------

-----------------Friedel-----------------
--------T Silva---Godin---Benatia-------
--Isla---------------------------Vargas---
--------------Toure--Asamoah-------------
-------Messi------------------Kagawa------
-----------------Falcao-----------------