This is part 2 of my personal Dream Team of 2018. (Part 1)
As explained in part 1, I have selected those players who I believe are the top 5 players of 2018 in every position. I will give a small summary of these players and will then announce my choice. Previously selected are:
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Now I will continue with the defenders of my choice.
Right Wing-Backs
Benjamin Pavard (France and VfB Stuttgart)
- 2018 FIFA World Cup Winner
Dani Alves (Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain)
- Ligue 1 Winner
- Coupe de France Winner
- Coupe de la Ligue Winner
- Trophée des Champions Winner
Dani Carvajal (Spain and Real Madrid)
- UEFA Champions League Winner
- UEFA Super Cup Runner-up
- FIFA World Club Cup Winner
Joshua Kimmich (Germany and Bayern München)
- Bundesliga Winner
- DFB-Pokal Runner-up
- German Super Cup Winner
Kyle Walker (England and Manchester City)
- English Premier League Winner
- English League Cup Winner
- Community Shield Winner
My choice: Benjamin Pavard
Benjamin Pavard can play in several positions. For his club VfB Stuttgart he played as a right wing-back, as a defensive midfielder, as a right-winger, but mostly as a central defender. In this position, he was an important factor for Stuttgart in climbing up from the bottom of the rankings to the 7th place in the Bundesliga. The main reason why he has been selected for the right wing-back position has to do with the FIFA World Cup. During this World Cup, he showed the world that he was a solid defender. He also scored a long distance shot against Argentina. This goal was later chosen as the goal of the tournament. Making his debut in November 2017, becoming world champion and scoring the best goal of the tournament is certainly worth a nomination.
Right Central Defenders
Gerard Piqué (Spain and FC Barcelona)
- La Liga Winner
- Copa del Rey Winner
- Spanish Super Cup Winner
John Stones (England and Manchester City)
- English Premier League Winner
- English League Cup Winner
- Community Shield Winner
José Maria Gimenez (Uruguay and Atlético Madrid)
- La Liga Runner-up
- UEFA Europa League Winner
- UEFA Super Cup Winner
Kostas Manolas (Greece and AS Roma)
- Eliminated FC Barcelona from the UEFA Champions League
Raphaël Varane (France and Real Madrid)
- FIFA World Cup Winner
- UEFA Champions League Winner
- UEFA Super Cup Runner-up
- FIFA World Club Cup Winner
My choice: Raphaël Varane
Just like Pavard, also Varane was an important player for France on the road to clinch the World Cup title. Just before the World Cup, however, Varane was part of the Real Madrid team that won their third consecutive UEFA Champions League title. During the World Cup Varane scored the opening goal in the quarter-final match against Uruguay, which France won 2-0. Earlier this month Varane also won the FIFA World Club Cup with his Real Madrid side in the United Arab Emirates.
Left Central Defenders
Diego Godin (Uruguay and Atlético Madrid)
- La Liga Runner-up
- UEFA Europa League Winner
- UEFA Super Cup Winner
Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal and SSC Napoli)
- Serie A Runner-up
Samuel Umtiti (France and FC Barcelona)
- 2018 FIFA World Cup Winner
- La Liga Winner
- Copa del Rey Winner
- Spanish Super Cup Winner
Sergio Ramos (Spain and Real Madrid)
- UEFA Champions League Winner
- UEFA Super Cup Runner-up
- FIFA World Club Cup Winner
Virgil van Dijk (the Netherlands and Liverpool FC)
- UEFA Champions League Runner-up
My choice: Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos still is one of the best defenders in the world. This year he won both the UEFA Champions League, as well as the FIFA World Club Cup. There was quite some controversy around his behavior during the Champions League final in which he was involved in a clash with Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's star up front. Salah was injured and had to leave the pitch after 30 minutes. That was not his finest moment, but to me, he surely deserves his spot in this year's dream team. Let's certainly not forget his goal-scoring ability, which is pretty high for a defender.
Left Wing-Backs
Andrew Robertson (Scotland and Liverpool FC)
- UEFA Champions League Runner-up
Jordi Alba (Spain and FC Barcelona)
- La Liga Winner
- Copa del Rey Winner
- Spanish Super Cup Winner
Lucas Hernández (France and Atlético Madrid)
- 2018 FIFA World Cup Winner
- La Liga Runner-up
- UEFA Europa League Winner
- UEFA Super Cup Winner
Marcelo - (Brazil and Real Madrid)
- UEFA Champions League Winner
- UEFA Super Cup Runner-up
- FIFA Club World Cup Winner
Marcos Alonso - (Spain and Chelsea FC)
- English FA Cup Winner
- Community Shield Runner-up
My choice: Marcelo
Marcelo won the exact same trophies as Sergio Ramos did, as they are part of the same Real Madrid team. He scored a total of three goals during Real Madrid's Champions League campaign. Marcelo was a bright star in the underperforming Brazilian side during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
This is it, for now, the midfielders and forwards will follow later in different posts. Please let me know if you agree with these choices, or that you would make another choice. Also, if you find that players or managers not on my list should be in, please don't hesitate to let me know your opinion.
Cheers!
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