Team of 11 Leagues

I’ve been recently set the challenge of selecting a team with each player coming from a different league. It sounds easy on paper, but it’s rather challenging! Here is my team:

4-3-3

GK -  Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow)

Akinfeev is an outstanding shot stopper who has 18 clean sheets this season for Russia and CSKA Moscow. Still only 27, he is certainly capable of replacing Victor Valdes at Barcelona next year.

LB - Philipp Lahm  (Bayern Munich)

Lahm can play both right-back and left-back, which is a rarity in today’s game. He captains both Germany and Bayern Munich and has 14 assists in all competitions this season; astonishing for a full-back.

CB - Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)

Kompany missed a lot of games through injuries this season and it’s no coincidence that City are so far behind United in the Premier League. Kompany was included in the PFA Team of the Year in both 2011 and 2012. He would have made the team this year too.

CB - Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

Chiellini was a key part of the water-tight Juventus defence that did not lose a single Serie A game last season. An incredible achievement that was sadly largely overlooked by the British media.

RB - Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Croatia’s captain and most capped player with 102 caps. Definitely underrated, Srna should be playing in the Premier League.

DM - Victor Wanyama (Celtic)

Extremely powerful and can, at times, dominate the midfield. Definitely one to watch, and at only 21, Wanyama has the potential to be world class. Neil Lennon shares this view; he believes Wanyama is worth £25 million.

CM - Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray)

Quick and technically gifted, Sneijder remains a world-class player despite his contract dispute with Inter Milan. Sneijder has settled in well at Galatasaray, but I believe a man of his talent should be playing for a better team.

CM - Nicolas Gaitan (Benfica)

Another playmaker, Gaitan continues to turn heads in the Primeira Liga. An excellent passer, Manchester United were rumoured to be interested in the Argentine last summer.

LW - Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)

Doesn’t need an explanation really…

ST - Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain)

Despite not doing auditions, Ibrahimovic is one of the world’s best strikers. The power that his shots can generate is astonishing. He currently has 33 goals in 40 games in all competitions for PSG this season.

RW - Neymar (Santos)

The greatest Brazilian talent since Ronaldo. Neymar has 54 goals in 102 games for Santos and 19 goals in 31 games for Brazil. Comparisons to Pelé are premature, but at just 21, time is on Neymar’s side.

What do you think? What would your team be? Tweet us! @ChapsTalkFBall

By Kelvin Jones @KelvinJonesCBE

Statistics from whoscored.com