No room for Harry Kane in our World Cup team of the tournament
In a World Cup where results have been unpredictable and consistency has been up and down, the task of picking the best XI is even trickier than usual.
While France and Croatia were deserving finalists, no side dazzled from start to finish.
Nor did any single player bestride the tournament like days gone by — football now is about the collective. The teams who play the best football as a whole allow their stars to shine brightest.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi may still be the best two players in the world, but they could do little to prevent their own national teams getting bundled out at a relatively early stage.
In that spirit, this version of the "team of the tournament" is built to function like the best sides in Russia, through a combination of collective toil and flair.
We've set it up in a 3-5-2 formation, and reckon it would be pretty hard to beat.
Goalkeeper — Hugo Lloris
This was perhaps the toughest choice to make in the XI, with Jordan Pickford, Danijel Subasic and Thibaut Courtois very unlucky to miss out. All four have been brilliant throughout and have barely made a mistake between them.
Lloris has produced excellent saves at crucial moments for France, and allowed his side to build its aura of invincibility through the competition — enough so that he can be forgiven for his one howler in the final when France was, just about, safe.
Centre-back — Diego Godin
Widely considered as one of the finest defenders in the world for some years now, the Atletico Madrid talisman encapsulates everything you want in a centre-back: He's tough, intelligent, strong and can be cynical when he needs to be.
Russia 2018 proved he is still at the peak of his powers. He brilliantly marshalled the Uruguayan defence, which only conceded three goals in five games, alongside his club team-mate Jose Gimenez.
Godin even managed to show his erstwhile attacking abilities, venturing forward more than usual and offering a threat from set pieces.
Centre-back — Raphael Varane
If Godin is the king, Varane is the crown prince of defenders.
The Frenchman showed just what a complete player he has become as his side progressed to the final.
His height and speed have always been huge assets, but with experience he has learnt to read the game superbly as well.
Throw in his well-taken header against Uruguay and you have a player who has been very influential for France.
Centre-back — Yerry Mina
Not quite the complete defender of the other two players above, Colombian behemoth Yerry Mina nevertheless starred in Russia thanks to his sheer presence at both ends of the pitch.
Having scored three goals for Los Cafeteros there was no way we were leaving him out, but he was also highly impressive at the back. At 23, he has a bright future ahead of him.
Right wing — Eden Hazard
It seems a shame not to have this fellow running through the centre, but we simply had to fit him in somewhere.
The Chelsea playmaker has done everything you would want from a number 10 in this tournament; created goals, scored goals and generally caused havoc whenever he's had the ball at his feet.
It would have been no great surprise if Belgium had gone all the way in this tournament, as they have in Hazard one of the world's very best players.
Midfield — N'Golo Kante
The driving force behind France's dominant midfield. It's easy to label Kante as a destroyer as he is so good at harassing, harrying and shutting down opponents, but he is also crucial to France as a distributor and link-man.
He has been almost perfect during this World Cup, and deserves to be mentioned among the Golden Ball contenders.
Midfield — Luka Modric
The Croatian captain was the best player at the World Cup, without doubt.
Nobody in world football controls a match like he does from the heart of midfield, and whether utilised as a number 10 or in a deeper role throughout this tournament, he has pulled the strings in every single Croatia game.
The more he touched the ball, the better his team was. With all his elegant dribbling and gorgeous passing, he also ran more than anybody else.
He was a hipster favourite before this tournament, but now he's a mainstream superstar.
Midfield — Paul Pogba
The ideal partner to Kante in France's midfield, and the ideal man to add steel, power and flair to our team.
Pogba was considered overrated in some quarters before Russia 2018 but his mature, complete performances on football's biggest stage should silence those doubters.
The secret to Pogba's success has been to stifle his more creative instincts (for the most part) and play the team game, and France has reaped the benefits.
His goal in the final was a deserved reward.
Left wing — Denis Cheryshev
Another very hard position to settle on, with Ivan Perisic unlucky to miss out.
Russia's star man gets the nod for his dynamism, pace and haul of four goals.
His final goal against Croatia in particular was sensational, and one that only a top-class talent could pull off.
Forward — Edinson Cavani
His mate Luis Suarez only showed glimpses of his best, but Cavani produced the complete World Cup performance for a forward, shaking off his (largely undeserved) reputation as a big-game bottler.
The lanky Uruguayan puts in a shift every time he wears the celeste shirt of his country, but this time he was a constant goal threat as well.
His two goals against Portugal in the round of 16 were the perfect demonstration of his rare combination of skills.
Forward — Kylian Mbappe
There were periods of time Mbappe went missing for France during this tournament but when he did light up, he provided many of the World Cup's most thrilling moments thanks to his scintillating runs and sensational goals.
It's almost criminal to think he is still just a teenager.
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