The Best Soccer Team in the World

After polling 50,000 professional soccer players around the world, Fifa says the following 11 constitute the best imaginable team on the globe today: Iker Casillas in goal; Dani Alvés, John Terry, Nemanja Vidic, and Patrice Evra in the back; Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, and Steven Gerrard at midfield; and Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Fernando Torres up front.

Reaction:

• On such a short list it's impossible not to snub worthy players, but you'd think one could find room for Puyol and either Kaká or Robinho.
• You may have noticed more than a third of these players are Spanish, which is makes sense, given the fact that they've lost once in their past thirty-odd games, and are the top-ranked team in the world.
• The lack of Brazilian midfielders and strikers is surprising (see above). This doesn't, we should point out, reflect a lack of talent; with Robinho, Kaká, and Luis Fabiano, they are loaded as ever with world-class offensive players.
• It's kind of jarring to see zero Italians and Germans on the list. The two nations have tallied a run to the semis, the final, and the trophy over the past two Cups, and yet, not a one can crack the starting eleven.