Although I try my best, these opinions are never infallible so leave your own suggestions below. I'm sure some of the picks are controversial.
GK - Gianluigi Buffon
The Italian side of 2006 is a common theme across my defence. Buffon is a veteran 'keeper with a consistent record as a reliable shot-stopper whilst rivals Iker Casillas and Oliver Kahn have both made obvious mistakes at World Cup finals. The Juventus man proved his own superiority after his sturdy showing in a penalty shootout earned his country the world title against France.
LB - Philipp Lahm
The German rock is as good going forward as he is tracking back. Most people have forgotten his stunning goal to open the 2006 tournament for the host nation. When have you ever seen him have a bad game?
CB - Rio Ferdinand
Pace, strength, intelligence, awareness: was there anything Rio didn't have at his peak? The former England captain was robbed of a fourth finals venture after a knee injury in 2010 caused his absence. It would have been a much easier task for the three lions if he had been fit. Even at the age of 24, he was Sven Goran Eriksson's most important player during 2002.
CB - Fabio Cannavaro
Skippered the so-solid crew of his nation's back line when they won the championship. For every match on that triumphant run Cannavaro was in imperious form. His casual punditry on ITV in no way reflects the incredible standard he set on the field. Only Buffon has collected more caps for the peninsula side.
RB - Gianluca Zambrotta
The unsung hero of the Italy team throughout the 2000s. There is a very deliberate reason Barcelona singed him after Juventus' match fixing scandal and subsequent demotion: the lad had class. 98 caps for the Azzurri proves that. Zambrotta is another player of 2006 that needed to be seen to be believed.
RM - Bastian Schweinsteiger
Everyone knows about the respective talents of the German midfield dynamos. If the Bayern Munich ace returns without winning the biggest trophy he will have been treated harshly by the football deities. On a more positive note, Schweinsteiger appears to revel in the group stage matches more than any other big name modern player. At times his distribution of the ball is totally beyond comparison.
CM - Andres Iniesta
The short midfielder's name is marked in history after securing Spain's first grasp on the Jules Rimet in Johannesburg. His calm and crisp finish was remarkable after a long and ill-tempered match where their Dutch opponents looked to stifle the bookies favourite at every turn. Tippy-tappy tactics may be on the decline but, under long term teammates Xavi and Iniesta, were effective for over half a decade.
CM - Steven Gerrard
Whenever England needs a hero Gerrard is always the first to test his strength. After sadly missing the occasion in Japan and Korea through injury, the Liverpool icon scored crucial goals against Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S.A. in subsequent group stages. In the aftermath of the disastrous 2010 campaign, he was the only squad member to still have some credibility amongst fans.
LM - Zenedine Zidane
Although the man himself would staunchly resist my decision to select him for a wide position, the middle of the pitch is too congested in my formation for his daunting skills. Wherever he might have played, Zidane is an undisputed legend of the game. To remember him for a headbutt, and the many other disciplinary lapses in his international career, is to forget his unbeatable quality. 1998 and all that is a dazzling part of the sport's history.
FW - Ronaldo
Even after eating his way towards a porky profile, 'Big Ron' could still score goals at the highest level. A reported epileptic fit is said to have curtailed his preparations for the 1998 final in Paris. Nevertheless, redemption was secured four years later with a brace against Germany in the deciding game. Nobody else has scored more World Cup goals.
FW - Miroslav Klose
In a similar vein to Geoff Hurst, the German forward's club career has always come second to his exploits with his country. On several occasions he has carried some particularly average squads to admirable heights on the back of his goals tally. His ability in the air is still something to be greatly feared at the old age of 36.
Supersub - Michael Owen
In hindsight it is easy to scoff at one of the greatest unrealized talents in football history. Between 1997-2004 however, Michael Owen was an unstoppable force, curtailed more often by medical ailments than opposing defenders. Deadly as a poacher, agile as a dribbler and devastating as a sprinter he destroyed some of the best teams in the world.
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