By: COLIN REESE
Picking a 2014 World Cup Best XI was difficult with too many names for too many positions. In one of the best World Cups ever and with so many great players, there are no clear best choices for any position. Some players were fantastic but featured in less games because their teams were eliminated. Other players put in their best performances in only a few games when the stakes were the highest.
To look at one specific example, Neymar scored four goals and carried Brazil by being the only Brazilian player that could put the opposing defenses on their heels, break their defensive shape, and defeat teams from the run of play. By attacking so well, Neymar was Brazil’s best defender because he neutralized Brazil’s opponents’ ability to be able to build out of the back and take control of games.
Neymar only got to the quarterfinals before having his back literally broken, but he was better than Lionel Messi who bizarrely earned the Golden Ball, presumably for taking a team with no real playmakers or a balanced midfield to extra time of the World Cup Final.
Below is World Soccer Source’s 2014 World Cup Best XI:
GOALKEEPER: Manuel NEUER (Germany)
RIGHT BACK: Philipp LAHM (Germany)
CENTER BACK: Jérôme BOATENG (Germany)
CENTER BACK: Mats HUMMELS (Germany)
LEFT BACK: Marcos ROJO (Argentina)
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER: Javier MASCHERANO (Argentina)
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: Toni KROOS (Germany)
RIGHT WING: Arjen ROBBEN (The Netherlands)
PLAYMAKER: JAMES RODRIGUEZ (Colombia)
LEFT WING: NEYMAR (Brazil)
FORWARD: Thomas MÜLLER (Germany)