After the final eight teams were confirmed, fans, encouraged by World Soccer News, kicked off another round of voting.
This time, the poll aimed to select the strongest lineup among the quarterfinalists of this World Cup. Every player from the eight teams that reached the quarterfinals had a chance to be voted into the Best XI.
Although it was only a fan vote, it still reflected public opinion on player performances to a certain extent.
Twenty-four hours later, the voting officially closed.
The Best XI, made up of players from England, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Belgium, France, Sweden, and Uruguay, was unveiled.
World Soccer News front-page headline: "The Best XI of the 21st World Cup Quarterfinals, chosen by over 100 million fans worldwide, is here!"
Striker: Kane!
Top comment in support: "Those who score better than him cannot pass like him. Those who pass better than him cannot score like him. Those who surge forward better than him cannot organize like him. Those who organize better than him cannot surge forward like him."
Top comment in opposition: "No trophies."
Left Winger: Hazard!
Top comment in support: "With the fragrance of pear blossoms in the air, who can stop my solo run?"
Top comment in opposition: "A man who cannot resist hamburgers might end up like Rooney after retirement."
Right Winger: Kylian Mbappé!
Top comment in support: "Search for French supercars online. Every single one has to line up behind Mbappé!"
Top comment in opposition: "Can he even play through the middle?"
Left Central Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne!
Top comment in support: "What kind of passing is that? What kind of through balls? What kind of long shots?"
Top comment in opposition: "Do me a favor. Next time Guardiola is talking in the locker room, try to use your phone a bit less. At least swap those big headphones for a discreet Bluetooth earpiece..."
Right Central Midfielder: Leo Lin!
Top comment in support: "He can run from Brazil to France, from France to China, carry your grandpa around the world on his back, then bring him safely back to your grandma."
Top comment in opposition: "A man who threatens my looks cannot be allowed to stay!"
Defensive Midfielder: Casemiro!
Top comment in support: "While Leo Lin is carrying your grandpa around the world, Casemiro is right there following behind him."
Top comment in opposition: "Who told you to spend so much money on Yakult? Do you even know what you are drinking? You did not even save a few bottles for me."
Left Back: Marcelo!
Top comment in support: "Two Marcelos cannot stop one Marcelo."
Top comment in opposition: "Two Marcelos cannot stop one Marcelo."
Right Back: Kyle Walker!
Top comment in support: "If you are holding a forty-meter blade and let Walker start thirty-nine meters ahead, you will never catch him."
Top comment in opposition: "Man, how many girlfriends do you even have?"
Left Center Back: Sergio Ramos!
Top comment in support: "Watch out for Uncle Ramos's flying tackle. I will be very gentle."
Top comment in opposition: "Those who love him love him deeply. Those who hate him hate him just as much."
Right Center Back: Thiago Silva!
Top comment in support: "When glaciers melt, when tsunamis roar, when the sky collapses and the earth splits apart, even when the world ends, Thiago Silva will still stand on the pitch, perfectly positioned at center-back, unmoving."
Top comment in opposition: "He is too steady. I do not want to see him in the opponent's starting lineup."
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois!
Top comment in support: "Courtois has mastered defending the near post. He has no weaknesses!"
Top comment in opposition: "Do not look at me. I voted for Kevin De Bruyne."
Rather than a pure vote, it felt more like an outlet for fans to express themselves. Several positions were clearly controversial.
Take the midfield battle between Leo Lin, De Bruyne, Casemiro, and Kanté. Leo Lin received the highest number of votes, nineteen percent more than Kanté. However, French fans firmly believed Kanté deserved a place.
They could not decide who should be replaced, but Kanté's performances undoubtedly warranted inclusion.
Meanwhile, more and more Spanish fans voiced their support for Leo Lin, posting comments like these on social media:
"Lin competes with Kane in attack, with De Bruyne in through balls, with Toni Kroos in passing, and with Modrić in coverage. Is that fair?"
"Lin competes with Kanté in interceptions, with Matuidi in ball-winning, with Messi in dribbling, and even with Cristiano Ronaldo in goals. Is that fair?"
"I do not care about any of that. Want to know the standard for being called a top star? It is whether fans compare your stats to Leo Lin's!"
Next came the left winger position. Neymar, who ranked second, was only one percent behind Hazard.
The reason Neymar missed out was that fans felt his performances in this World Cup had not been outstanding enough.
Across major social media platforms worldwide, football coverage frequently featured topics such as "Neymar Rolling Around", "Neymar Fouled Repeatedly", and "Neymar Suffered 13 Fouls in One Match".
Teams consistently used physical, aggressive tactics against Neymar, denying him space to dribble.
In the Round of 16 against Mexico, Neymar was fouled thirteen times in a single match and fell to the ground in pain four times.
However, this also contributed to his performances falling short of expectations. As a result, the overall showing of the five-time champions Brazil drew criticism from many fans.
After World Soccer News revealed the Best XI, Ruud Gullit spoke about Neymar in a special segment.
"In my view, Neymar's biggest issue is that he needs to take on a greater role."
"I know he has been fouled a lot, but key players on many teams face heavy fouling."
"When Lin faced Portugal, neither William Carvalho nor Moutinho showed any mercy, yet Lin stood firm like a wall."
"He simply does not go down. He fights head-on against his opponents."
"Messi, Cristiano, Suárez, Coutinho and others have all suffered plenty of fouls on the pitch."
"But their performances have not been significantly affected. Neymar, on the other hand, has been held back to some extent by these fouls."
"For a long time, fans called it the era of Messi and Cristiano. They competed for La Liga Golden Boots, league titles, and Ballon d'Or awards. Beyond them, the debate over the world's third-best player never stopped."
"But in recent years, that title seems to have settled on Neymar."
"And that is exactly why, if the five-time champions Brazil, led by the world's third-best player, want to defeat Spain, they will need to deliver far beyond their limits."
...
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