My World Cup Fantasy Football Team: A Walk On the Wild Side

The Spurs 'keeper is not only a super sweeper keeper and a top-notch shot-stopper; he plays behind an accomplished defence in the easiest group (E). Facing Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras, I wouldn't be surprised if he picked up four clean sheets and scored a couple of hat-tricks. 

A man who is so brilliant he needs no introduction and gets one anyway. Such a potent attacking threat that he has ben employed as a striker at Barcelona. Five goals this season for club and country isn't spectacular but he is a more natural attacker than Brazil and Real Madrid left-back Marcelo. 

The German powerhouse has been a rock for Dortmund since he signed for them in 2009. Despite landing in the group of death, die Mannschaft (it might sound dirty but that really is their official nickname) should top the group without trouble and will pick up some easy defensive points when they face Group H runners-up in the last 16 - so Belgium, Russia, Algeria or S Korea - before dropping them again in a tasty quarter-final against Argentina. 

The South Korean centre-half has been praised by his manager Marcello Lippi as having the qualities needed to play for Manchester United. I know what you're thinking - that sounds like the kind of thing coaches say to shift rubbish players and The Red Devils aren't exactly the defensive cream of the crop right now - but he's assured us that Kim "makes very few errors". Sounds precisely like the kind of bargain CB I want filling my fantasy roster - especially given how piss-easy Group H is. 

Flying under the radar as one of the best players in the World Cup this summer will be... this guy! Much of the focus on Niko Kovac's side will surround Real Madrid's butt-mugged Luka Modric but the Shakhtar Donetsk wing-back has been a force going forwards for years and scores set pieces like it's going out of style.

CM David Silva

Any regulars on this blog will know of my love for David Silva but pray indulge me and allow one more profession of adoration. This boy is the absolute dog's. Spain have won three consecutive international tournaments and now that they actually have a striker in Diego Costa (and a pretty serious one at that), the goals should go flying in. The worrying prospect of a tricky Group B (Holland, Chile, Australia) is tempered by the promise of Croatia, Mexico or Cameroon in the first knockout stage and a quarter-final against England (who are obviously going to win Group D then beat Japan in the last 16. Obviously.)

The best player in the world according to... himself. Also a fan of eggs, sugar, batter and icing when appropriately combined, topped with candles and accompanied with handshakes and melodious celebration of his existence. Seriously, though, he was the best player in the Premier League this season (Suarez doesn't count) and Ivory Coast could do some damage in a group (C) that includes a Falcao-less Columbia, a Mitroglu-full Greece and a Japan side whose best players (Honda and Kagawa) have both endured tough seasons. 

Some (me) say Honda's had a rubbish season at Milan but he remains Japan's key playmaker and the blistering scoring form of Shinji Okazaki should help provide goals against the weak defenses in Group C. Runners-up in the group will play the winners of Group D (that's England's group), which is full of leaky defences. 

Despite scoring a pathetic 41 goals in 46 games this season and being clocked running only 6.8km in the Atletico-Barca La Liga finale (just 1.5kms more than his goalie Pinto), rumour has it he's been saving himself for this - and why not? The boy's won everything there is to win - four ballons d'or, three Champions Leagues, six La Liga titles, three Copas Del Rey, two Super Cups etc. Argentina have a terrifying front line and for the first time in a while have a defence that can compete with the best of them in Zabaleta (electric for Man City), Federico Fernandez, Eziquiel Garay and Marcos Rojo, backed by Sergio Romero. They can and will go all the way. You can't not have Messi. 

Brazil's poster boy. Scored a million goals in qualifying and has been decent in his first year with Barca. His silky skills, silly spikes and sultry smile will spearhead El Seleção to the final and we'll forget all about what a fuss his transfer fee caused. 

My not-so-secret weapon is the Chelsea man whom for some inexplicable reason they seem intent on shipping off. A combined 32 goals over his loan spells at Everton and West Brom have shot him to prominence and with the support of his supposed teammate Hazard, as well as Witsel, Mirallas and Fellaini, the not-so-dark-horses of this World Cup will be making an increasingly predictable mark in the shape of hella goals. 

Luka Modric is more of a fantasy starter for obvious reasons but as you can see, my starting line-up oerfloweth with talent. It's easy to forget before the group stages have begun that, with the knock-out nature of the tournament, a great deal of strength in depth is needed as teams fall by the wayside. 

Ashkan Dejagah has shown what he can do this year for Fulham. Iran, marshalled by Carlos Quieroz, could be a surprise package. 

Nicolas N'Koulou, one of my favourite Football Manager buys for some time, lines up in a Cameroon team who now place a surprising amount of focus on defensive discipline. Their impossible Group (Brazil, Croatia, Mexico) makes this a massive punt but I had to find value and differential somewhere. 

Juwon Oshaniwa, the Nigerian left-back who should step in for the injured Echiejile, is not, if I'm honest, a choice I'm utterly thrilled about. That said, the Super Eagles have a great stopper in Vincent Enyeama and won their third African Cup of Nations last year. And if anyone can beat Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina it's anyone.