Creating A World Cup Soccer Team With NBA Players: This Team Would Beat Brazil And France

The 2022 World Cup is underway, and it has been hotly contested from the start. Despite the media portrayal of Qatar and what people might expect, it has been a very competitive and exciting competition that has captivated fans worldwide. It is always interesting to witness different cultures, as the World Cup is hosted every four years. Being able to see the most remarkable talent on the field represent their countries makes this competition the ultimate in the field of global soccer.

When looking at NBA basketball, could it be possible that a soccer team of elite NBA stars is built to actually win the competition? The World Cup hosts the best players in the world in soccer, and the NBA also has the greatest basketball talent in the world. By combining the talents of the NBA and creating a starting 11, it might be possible that NBA players could have a shot at winning the World Cup.

For starters, the NBA World Cup Soccer Team will employ a 3-4-3 lineup that has a goalkeeper, 3 defenders, 4 midfielders, and 3 attackers. This makes sure that the elite physical talent is chosen for the players to use their height, size, and skill in the appropriate areas. The defenders will be focused on defending, midfielders will be focused on creating, and attackers will be focused on scoring goals.

This lineup, obviously, the team built is purely imaginative, but it could be interesting to see NBA stars battle it out on a soccer pitch.

Coach

Steve Nash

Steve Nash was not the best NBA coach, considering how Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were not held responsible enough for the Brooklyn Nets’ poor play over the past few seasons. But Nash was an all-time great player with a high IQ, and he also has an excellent soccer background as well!

Nash will be tasked with using his elite soccer IQ to get the best out of NBA stars who will need guidance on how to attack teams and also defend well. Nash’s soccer experience will come in handy to employ tactics that bring out the best of his star players.

Goalkeeper

Rudy Gobert

At 7’1” and 258 lbs, Rudy Gobert is a giant on a basketball court. Even by just standing in the paint and lifting his arms, Gobert finds it too easy to defend the rim and puts a ton of players off from trying to score inside. Not to mention, Gobert has an elite defensive IQ.

It only makes sense that Rudy Gobert starts as the goalkeeper. His height and wingspan will make it very tough for opposing attackers to score because he has the length to save most shots that come his way. Gobert isn’t the most agile big man, but he is athletic enough to be a deterrent in front of the goal.

Center Backs

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum

In a 3-4-3 lineup, it is best to have three strong and athletic defenders who can recover quickly and also tackle opposing players. Speed, strength, agility, and size make up the best defenders, and that is why a trio of All-Stars will be selected. Headlining is two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Giannis is one of the most athletic players in NBA history, and he has the size at 7’0” and 242 lbs to win headers and also shrug off attackers. His speed and explosiveness also make him effective in recovering balls and getting into spots to block shots. As the captain of the defense, Giannis will use his Defensive Player of the Year skills to bolster the help alongside him.

Kevin Durant is similar to Giannis in terms of being a superstar athlete with tremendous height and length, and he will be tasked with winning headers and covering Giannis as much as possible. In the NBA, Durant’s athleticism and skill allow him to be a tough competitor on defense. He has the quickness to defend guards and the length to defend forwards, so he is a perfect center back in this system.

Lastly, Jayson Tatum is the third center back who has the athleticism and quickness to recover to help his teammates and act as a final cover for Rudy Gobert in goal. Tatum, at 6’8”, has the height to win most headers and the energy to run constantly to build a solid line of defense. Overall, the NBA’s World Cup squad has the best defense so far.

Center Midfielders

Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler

In the heart of midfield, it is always necessary to have an attack-minded center midfielder to link the ball to the attackers. That man is Luka Doncic, one of the NBA’s greatest playmakers. Luka has an elite basketball IQ and makes it look easy to set up his teammates and also create offense for himself.

As a midfielder, Luka will perfectly act as a setup for his attacking players and wingers. Of course, just like Luka scores a ton of points on offense, he has a goal in him. At his size, Luka can hold off opposing players to create passes for others and also shoot from distance with unlimited range.

Alongside a playmaking midfielder, a center defensive midfielder is needed to cover the areas in front of the defense, and also ping passes everywhere. A defender midfielder also must have a ton of energy to run over the pitch, deflect passes, make interceptions, and play harder than almost everyone else. That fits in line with 5-time All-Defensive Team member Jimmy Butler.

Butler will run across the pitch, intercept passes, and allow Luka Doncic to create attacking schemes from midfield. As an extension of both the defense and attack, Jimmy brings his two-way play to make an impact for his team by doing the dirty work at a superstar level.

Left Wing

Ja Morant

On the left side, Ja Morant will be a load to handle. He has unlimited energy to run back and forth the sides, recovering balls and waiting for passes from the center backs and midfielders. But Morant will always be looking to make runs and get in behind the defense, which makes him unstoppable.

Anytime Morant has empty green space to run into, it will be impossible for defenders to catch up to him. The NBA’s premier point guard talent is an incredible athlete who brings explosiveness and speed to the table, and he will do the exact same on the soccer pitch. Once in the box, Morant will look to score but also set up his strikers for easy finishes.

Right Wing

De’Aaron Fox

On the opposite side, De’Aaron Fox brings elite speed to the pitch and will create easy chances for his strikers. Fox must be willing to run back and forth across the sides of the pitch to help out the defense when necessary, but he will always be looking to make timely runs and get into the box.

Fox is arguably the fastest player in the NBA when he has the ball, and he could be the exact same thing on the pitch. De’Aaron does not need much room to run into space, and he is exceptional at creating for others when it comes to crossing the ball into his attackers. The youngster also has the skill to dribble inside and win penalties or score from the wing.

Strikers

LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook

LeBron James is the headlining striker, and it is easy to imagine why. For starters, his incredible speed and athleticism as a 6’9” locomotive mean he can bring the physical gifts that current superstar Kylian Mbappe brings. Height, size, speed, and strength are the best qualities of a goal-scoring attacker.

James also brings the leadership ability to get his teammates in check and will be an imposing presence for his side. Of course, he will be able to win headers consistently because he will outweigh and hover over every defender on the pitch. Alongside him are two other talented attackers.

Stephen Curry is not the most imposing presence in terms of weight, but he is 6’3” and has incredible skill on the basketball court. His brain is built for sports because he knows how to pace himself, move around slowly, and lull defenders to sleep before exploding to where he wants to go.

Much like soccer legend Raul, Stephen Curry will be clinical inside the box with his movement and understanding of how defenders turn their heads and move. Having a secondary attacker who knows the game and how to use his mind is perfect when LeBron James is being covered by two defenders in the box.

Finally, to complete a trio of elite attackers, Russell Westbrook is chosen to bring elite speed to the counter-attack. Westbrook is one of the greatest one-man fast-break guards in NBA history and has elite finishing around the rim. We have seen Russ go coast to coast countless times, and he can’t be stopped.

Westbrook will bring his physicality to the soccer pitch, and his incredible speed and acceleration make him a perfect counter-attacking forward. At 6’3” and 200 lbs, Westbrook has the size to score on the counter with his head and feet because his athleticism is truly off the charts.

Fadeaway World World Cup Team Advantages

This team has every area of the pitch covered. In defense, there are three superstar center backs who can use their size to win every header coming their way. They also have the athleticism to recover loose balls, make tackles, and use their strength to shrug attackers off the ball. In midfield, Luka and Butler control the center of the pitch to make plays between the defense and the attack while feeding the wingers.

In scintillating fashion, the midfield will be bolstered by two incredibly quick wings who run into space and also track back when needed. Finally, in attack, a trio of three different strikers and center forwards form goal-scoring threats on the counter, from corners, and in possession-based play.

Would This Team Defeat Brazil And France?

The two top teams in the World Cup right now are considered to be Brazil and France. Two exceptional footballing nations, France and Brazil, have elite squads that cover all areas of the pitch. Would Fadeaway World’s squad take these two teams?

France has an elite attack headlined by global superstar Kylian Mbappe. France has experience in defense and in goal and has a clinical attack to score goals. When healthy, their midfield is complete with playmakers and box-to-box maestros. But Team Fadeaway World has better size, strength, and athleticism to counter France’s players.

The best way to defeat France is to play harder and more aggressively while having a rare physical advantage. The wingers will track back to help the elite defenders control Mbappe, and that will be a huge factor. As great as France are in defense, Fadeaway World’s squad will be able to score in abundance.

Brazil has incredible skill, as they are a truly skillful soccer nation. The likes of Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Raphinha, and Antony are exceptional in attack, while Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta control the midfield. Experienced Thiago Silva is the key defender guarding superstar shot-stopper Allison. Overall, Brazil has a top squad.

But Fadeaway World’s squad still has a massive height advantage. The key to defeating Brazil will come from the corners, where LeBron, Giannis, and Durant will attack them with force. They will also counter quickly when the midfield and defense recover the ball, meaning Morant, Fox, and Westbrook will be critical in that area.

Would Fadeaway World Team Win The World Cup?

Based on their size, skill, and height, the Fadeaway World’s squad could win the World Cup. The defense is geared to stop most attackers because, during corners, they could clear the ball very well and hardly concede in set pieces, either. Their length, size, and athleticism make them difficult to score against. Meanwhile, the midfield has the creativity and energy to link the defense to the attackers.

The attackers will also be tough to handle, especially in set pieces. The corners that come in will be headed by beasts including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even if they don’t score from set pieces, having wingers and midfielders lobbing in crosses will be tough to defend against. On the counter, Fadeaway World’s team is extremely fast and has the strength to hold off defenders to score.

The likes of France and Brazil have incredible talent and physical specimens, but they can’t match the size and height of Fadeaway World’s lineups. No team in the world can match the height, athleticism, and physical strength of Team USA. The speed of Fadeaway World’s counterattack will be used to defend against, and the IQ of the players just adds the icing on the cake. It is never easy to win the World Cup because of the elite competition across all groups, but it can be done with the right preparation and set-up. As long as Fadeaway World’s squad of elite NBA stars focuses on their advantages, they can lift the coveted World Cup trophy that is only offered once every four years.

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