Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and THREE Morocco stars make L’Equipe’s team of the World Cup… but which England player was selected in the French newspaper’s top rated XI?
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and three Moroccan stars feature in L’Equipe’s team of the World Cup – and there was a surprising English inclusion.
The French sports daily has selected Bukayo Saka alongside Messi and Mbappe in the forward line following the Arsenal man’s impressive performances during England’s run to the quarter-finals.
Saka was especially influential against France in the last-eight clash, winning a penalty when Aurelien Tchouameni brought him down following a trademark dribble.
Lionel Messi was an unsurprising inclusion in French newspaper L’Equipe’s World Cup best XI
France forward Kylian Mbappe missed out on the World Cup, despite a hat-trick in the final
The inclusions of Messi and Mbappe come as little surprise following their outstanding displays in Sunday’s classic final between Argentina and France.
Mbappe scored a hat-trick, the first player to do so in a World Cup final since Geoff Hurst for England in 1966, yet still ended up on the losing side as Argentina won on penalties.
Messi scored twice and also converted a penalty in the shoot-out to fulfill his destiny of winning the World Cup at the age of 35.
He is one of three Argentine players in L’Equipe’s best XI, with Enzo Fernandez picked in the midfield three and Marcos Acuna named at left-back.
Three Moroccan players were named in L’Equipe’s side – including defenders Hakimi and Saiss
England’s Bukayo Saka impressed L’Equipe enough to win a place in their tournament team
Luka Modric guided Croatia to a third-placed finish at the World Cup and made the selection
Morocco thrilled us with their run to the semi-finals that included shock wins over Spain and Portugal and a trio of their players making the team – Achraf Hakimi at right-back, Romain Saiss at centre-half and Sofyan Amrabat in midfield.
Croatia also made the last four, losing to Argentina before defeating Morocco on Saturday to take third place, and they have three players in the side
Luka Modric completes the midfield three, while Josko Gvardiol partners Saiss in central defense and Dominik Livakovic is the chosen goalkeeper, despite the FIFA award going to Emi Martinez.
L’Equipe published their World Cup team as the competition came to an end with a classic final
It came as L’Equipe issued a scathing set of player ratings for the final.
French players Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele – both substituted off before half-time with the team trailing 2-0 – were deemed unworthy of a score.
And Mbappe received only 9/10 despite his hat-trick.
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