There is only one champion, yet the top 11 players forming the ideal team come from styles and squads that stood out the most during the tournament.
The FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022 brought surprises, confirmed long-standing truths, and allowed many of the world’s best footballers to shine with their national teams or on their own terms. Some teams, after all, were eliminated earlier than expected and faced disappointment in their mission.
Nevertheless, there were players who did not deliver their best performances. At TARGET, the aim was to assemble the eleven who stood out the most.
Kaylor Navas; Neco Williams, Milenkovic, Andersen, Olivera; Krychowiak, Buurman, De Bruyne; Lozano, Muller and Lukaku
GOALKEEPER
Keylor Navas has long been regarded as one of the premier goalkeepers of this era, but the 2022 World Cup in Qatar did not bring him the experience he hoped for. The PSG custodian allowed 11 goals across three games, including a memorable win against Spain where he made a remarkable stretch of saves that kept his team in contention. [Source attribution not shown]
Getty Images
DEFENSES
At just 21, a young Welsh player was tipped to be a cornerstone for the national team in the years ahead. Yet Neco Williams did not reach his peak in this tournament. Wales struggled overall, and the right-back contributed less than expected.
The defense also faced scrutiny for Milenkovic’s performance. The Fiorentina center-back faced a day marked by high-profile goal moments for Serbia, setting a difficult tone for their campaign. That draw proved pivotal for the Balkans as they began an early exit from the tournament. [Attribution: Getty Images]
Joachim Andersen, a Crystal Palace defender, endured a tough run against France, Tunisia, and Australia. Denmark, riding a wave from their solid European Championship showing, could not secure the payoff, and captaincy changes did not help. [Attribution: Getty Images]
Mathias Olivera encountered a challenging World Cup on the left flank. The Napoli winger had been enjoying strong form in Italy, but in Qatar he was unable to make a decisive impact for his side, being replaced in several matches by Diego Alonso. [Attribution: Getty Images]
MIDDLE FIELDS
In midfield, several world-class talents failed to shine, including Gregorz Krychowiak. The former Sevilla stalwart is widely regarded as one of Poland’s most gifted players, yet his influence was limited, and Poland’s campaign fell short of expectations. [Context: general assessment]
Matías Vecino also did not reach his best form. The Inter Milan midfielder started the first two games but then was benched in the final day victory, and Uruguay showed improvement without him. [Attribution: Getty]
Finally, Kevin De Bruyne was named among the choices. Considered among the world’s top players in recent seasons, he did not have many defining moments in this World Cup, and Belgium’ s performance reflected that struggle. [Context: match reports]
FRONT SIDES
Several forwards did not deliver their best performance either. Hirving Lozano, a standout at Russia 2018, faced a tough run and Mexico managed only two goals in three matches, with none credited to the Napoli winger. [Attribution: Getty Images]
Thomas Müller also failed to reproduce his usual elite impact. The German icon did not score, and Germany exited the World Cup earlier than hoped. [Attribution: Getty Images]
Romelu Lukaku also faced a difficult tournament. He arrived carrying injuries and did not claim a starring role, yet a higher level from him could have influenced Belgium’s chances, including missed opportunities against Croatia. [Attribution: Goal]
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7178 votes
Notes: The content reflects post-tournament assessments and includes attributions where relevant. All figures are rounded to the nearest whole percentage where stated.