Qatar 2022 has delivered objectives, giant-killings, and a blockbuster finale to finish all finales, as Lionel Messi led Argentina to World Cup immortality.

From the standout performers to breakout stars, Sky Sports have chosen 11 gamers from Qatar in a 4-3-3 formation and, for good measure, included a 26-man squad given the sheer quantity of high quality that has been on show…

GK: Dominik Livakovic (Croatia)

Two clear sheets within the group stage and impressed between the sticks as Croatia overcame Japan and Brazil on penalties to achieve the semi-finals. The scramble for Dominik Livakovic’s signature post-World Cup tells you simply how properly the 27-year-old carried out.

RB: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)

The poster boy of Morocco’s marketing campaign, Achraf Hakimi lived as much as his star billing in Qatar. From his sturdy defensive performances and his audacious ‘Panenka’ penalty, to the heartfelt embraces together with his mom all through the event, the Paris Saint-Germain right-back embodied Morocco’s fairytale run to the semi-finals.

CB: Josko Gvardiol (Croatia)

Lionel Messi has made the perfect defenders of his technology look foolish. His tormenting of Josko Gvardiol within the semi-final shouldn’t detract from what was an impressed event for the Croatia defender, who remains to be solely 20 years outdated. With Gvardiol anchoring defence, Croatia conceded only one purpose within the group stage and simply two extra within the final 16 and quarter-finals earlier than Argentina ran riot within the semis.

CB: Harry Maguire (England)

After his troubles with Manchester United initially of the season, arguably no participant arrived on the World Cup with extra stress on their shoulders than Harry Maguire. To carry out as he did underneath such scrutiny, conserving three clear sheets in 5 matches in Qatar, the centre-back deserves enormous credit score.

LB: Marcos Acuna (Argentina)

Argentina’s power has are available in unity behind Lionel Messi, and no participant typified that greater than Marcos Acuna. The left-back’s versatility and all-round contribution embodied the Argentine spirit in Qatar, not afraid to muck in when wanted in assault but in addition not neglecting his major job of defending the purpose.

CM: Antoine Griezmann (France)

While Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud equipped the objectives, Antoine Griezmann was the engine which drove France to successive World Cup finals. Griezmann has blossomed right into a box-to-box midfielder in Qatar, as adept defending his personal field as he’s attacking the opposition’s, and ended the event because the most-creative participant.

CM: Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco)

If there was a second that summed up Sofyan Amrabat, it was his crunching sort out on Kylian Mbappe within the semi-final. The French ahead burst previous all in his wake, however the Morocco midfielder caught up with him and confirmed the will and high quality to win the ball again off him to cease a counter-attack. Amrabat’s tackling will not be the one aspect of his sport, his calmness in possession rubbed off on his team-mates, giving Morocco the arrogance they required to make historical past as they reached the semi-finals.

CM: Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco)

A reputation few had heard of earlier than the event however one everybody in world soccer is aware of now. The up-and-coming Angers midfielder introduced himself on the world stage in Qatar. His performances helped encourage Morocco to victories over Spain and Portugal en path to an historic semi-final look for the Atlas Lions, with former Spain boss Luis Enrique main the plaudits for the 22-year-old.

RF: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Nobody has scored extra objectives or supplied extra assists than Lionel Messi in Qatar. In prepared his staff to World Cup glory, he confirmed an edge to his sport that has not all the time been evident. At 35, he’s previous his peak, however he was nonetheless higher than everybody else.

CF: Olivier Giroud (France)

Olivier Giroud has gone from failing to register a shot on course or rating at Russia 2018 to the influential spearhead of France’s assault. Four years on from drawing a clean, Giroud had the Golden Boot in sight heading into the ultimate and ending the event with 4 objectives to his identify, however sadly not a second winners’ medal.

LF: Kylian Mbappe (France)

The winner of the Golden Boot with eight objectives, Kylian Mbappe solely strengthened his declare because the simple successor to Messi’s crown of the world’s biggest participant. The 23-year-old turned solely the second participant to attain a hat-trick in a World Cup ultimate, dragging France to inside a penalty shootout of retaining their crown.

Substitutes

Yassine Bounou (Morocco), Hugo Lloris (France), Cristian Romero (Argentina), Nicolas Otamendi (Argentina), Theo Hernandez (France), Jude Bellingham (England), Luka Modric (Croatia), Casemiro (Brazil), Aurelien Tchouameni (France), Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina), Tyler Adams (USA), Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Bukayo Saka (England), Richarlison (Brazil), Julian Alvarez (Argentina).