The Best XI Under XXV.

Every year People magazine, the literary equivalent of a high-priced hooker, publishes its list of the 25 hottest stars 25 and under. Actually, I’m not entirely sure it’s People magazine – it may be a publication of similar quality and standing. What I can be sure of is my Google search history will not be soiled by such a query, and that we shall move on (it’s irrelevant, as usual, anyhow).

And this little annual list got me thinking: if football were to compile a top XI of stars 25 and under, what would it look like? Through hours and hours of mind-numbing contemplation I’ve got two words for you: Viva España.

The scary thing to remember before perusing this list is that most of these players have not peaked yet. In fact some might even be a solid 6-7 years away from their footballing peaks. And Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer record.

It’s not balanced – we went with the Real Madrid theory of the best defense is spending loads of euros on offense – and nationality did not come into account.

Igor Akinfeev
Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Giorgio Chiellini, Philipp Lahm
Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres, Alexandre Pato

Five Spaniards and six men who ply their trade on football’s reigning peninsula (seven if you fastforward Cesc to next summer). And I’m not quite sure Sir Alex is best pleased that ManU have sold off two of these lads before they turned a quarter century.

There were some tough omissions, namely up top with Kun Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Karim Benzema, but Alexandre Pato is the real damn deal at all of 20. A tried and true superstar, and he’d already command Kaka money – just don’t tell that to Silvio.

In central midfield Javier Mascherano gets a nod for balance and non-Spanish citizenship, but it comes down to this: would you take him over Cesc or Iniesta, now or going forward? Didn’t think so.

In the back there may be a bit of wiggle room in the central defense, but imagine my delight in finding out Lahm is 25 for the next 6 or so weeks. Slight cheating, but unashamed cheating. Not with left back the thinnest position in world football. Unless you count whichever one Peter Crouch is playing.

So there you have it: Spain is the place to be for football, now and for the future…but you knew that already.

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Category: World Football