As a thrilling World Cup winds down, attention turns towards Sunday's final between Argentina and France and the post-match awards.
The coveted Golden Ball and Golden Boot are the most prestigious of the accolades but many players who have shone in Qatar not named Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi will simply be hoping to earn a spot in the Team of the Tournament, regardless of the outcomes of this weekend's third-place play-off and final.
While those games will undoubtedly influence the final XI, there is already plenty of conjecture over which players should make the cut. Does Morocco's penalty hero Bono get in ahead of Argentina's Emiliano Martinez and Croatia's Dominik Livakovic? Is Josko Gvardiol a shoo-in at the back? Should Olivier Giroud or Julian Alvarez lead the line? Who takes the left-back spot when there have been few standouts in that position? And which, if any, England players deserve the nod?
Mirror Football writers select their teams below...
JOHN CROSS
(4-3-3): Emi Martinez (Argentina); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), John Stones (England), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Theo Hernandez (France); Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco), Luka Modric (Croatia), Aurelien Tchouameni (France); Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (France), Antoine Griezmann (France)
Emiliano Martinez starts off my team of the tournament as the Aston Villa keeper has been sensational for Argentina. I must say that France’s Hugo Lloris has been just as good but Martinez shades it because of his penalty shoot-out heroics against Holland.
In defence, Morocco have been awesome and Achraf Hakimi has been among their best performers. I think England had a good campaign and wanted to be patriotic so I’ve gone John Stones who I thought was terrific. Look at how he has matured into a top drawer centre half. Josko Gvardiol got skinned by Lionel Messi but has been great overall and Theo Hernandez was not supposed to start in this tournament but got his chance - and grabbed it with both hands.
My midfield - Amrabat, Modric and Tchouameni - is all about energy, strong defensively and then creativity is thrown in. What a trio. My forward line is so hard to beat. I think Antoine Griezmann has been the player of the tournament so far. He’s been sensational and would be just behind the attack.
Lionel Messi could be destined to finish his career with one last glorious chapter. If he wins the World Cup then there’s no doubt in my mind: he’s the best of all time.
Then finally, I have the next best player on the planet. He’s already won a World Cup. His pace and brilliance are unstoppable. He’s so exciting to watch and will break every record and potentially become among the best of all time. Kylian Mbappe is just magnificent and will lead the line.
ANDY DUNN
(4-3-3) Bono (Morocco); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Raphael Varane (France), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Theo Hernandez (France); Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco), Luka Modric (Croatia), Antoine Griezmann (France); Lionel Messi (Argentina), Julian Alvarez (Argentina) , Kylian Mbappe (France)
First thing first, after they blew it in the last eight, no English players. Jude Bellingham was the obvious candidate but he took his eye off the ball in the defeat to the French and the competition in the midfield area was fierce. There are a few no-brainers, obviously, with the boy Messi somehow squeezing in.
Kylian Mappe was not at his sensational best against England and Morocco but is a constant threat while Antoine Griezmann has been a revelation in his roving midfield role. The French figure significantly, with Theo Hernandez - despite the moment of madness when he gave away a penalty against England - a distance clear of his left-back rivals and Raphael Varane as immaculate a centre-half as you wish to see at a World Cup.
Hugo Lloris could easily be given the nod in goal for his crucial saves in the quarters and semis but Bono did nothing wrong in a semi-final loss and was one of the stories of the tournament. And his Moroccan team-mates, Achraf Hakimi and Sofyan Amrabat, were consistently excellent.
Julian Alvarez gets in, not only for his four goals so far but his link-up with Messi - it’s devastating. The selection of Luka Modric might be a touch sentimental but until Argentina’s first goal, he had enjoyed a suitably supreme tournament.
The really controversial selection would be Modric’s Croatian team-mate Josko Gvardiol, the central defender who was humiliated by Messi for that third Argentinian goal in the semi-final. But he had been magnificent up until that point and being humiliated by Messi does not make you a bad player - it just makes you human.
FREDDIE KEIGHLEY
(4-3-3): Bono (Morocco); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Cristian Romero (Argentina), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Theo Hernandez (France); Antoine Griezmann (France), Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco), Jude Bellingham (England); Lionel Messi (Argentina), Olivier Giroud (France), Kylian Mbappe (France).
Unsurprisingly, the team of the World Cup heading into the final is dominated by players from giant-killers Morocco and reigning champions France, who are on course to defend their 2018 crown in Qatar on Sunday. Bono, Hakimi and Amrabat were the key players as the Atlas Lions defied expectations to reach the semi-finals and make history, while Griezmann, Giroud and Mbappe have been as lethal in the Middle East as they were in Russia four-and-a-half years ago.
Romero has been a rock at the back to help Argentina reach a second final in three tournaments but will need to step up another level to keep Les Bleus' star-studded trio at bay, while, as ever, La Albiceleste will rely on more Messi magic after he terrorised Gvardiol - another standout World Cup performer - in the semi-finals.
Hernandez is a tad fortunate to earn his place in the side after he conceded a penalty against England and was run ragged by Bukayo Saka, but he just edges out Luke Shaw to the left-back spot on account of what he has offered going forward. Shaw's compatriot Bellingham does make the side, however, after coming of age on the grandest stage of them all.
ALEX RICHARDS
(4-4-3) Emi Martinez (Argentina) Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) Romain Saiss (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Luke Shaw (England), Enzo Fernandez (Argentina) Aurelien Tchouameni (France) Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco), Antoine Griezmann (France)
Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (France)
When his country have needed him, Martinez has come up massive, making a number of crucial saves at key times - not to mention his penalty shootout heroics.
In a World Cup rather short of outstanding full-backs, Hakimi has been a standout star, while Luke Shaw didn't put a foot wrong for England before the Three Lions' last eight exit. You can't find a left-back who has married defensive solidity and attacking output better than the Manchester United man.
At the heart of the defence, Morocco skipper Saiss was a warrior until injury forced him off in the semi-final. Why did Wolves let him go again? Gvardiol was the competition's outstanding defender, and his 10-second semi-final torture by Messi shouldn't detract from that. Someone will spend big to land him next summer and he'll be worth every penny.
Tchouameni has been tremendous for Les Bleus in midfield, making light of the absences of N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba; never hurried, he's protected his defence well and rarely doesn't find the right pass. Argentina's Enzo Fernandez brought effervescence and spark to his side's midfield, and his wonderful goal against Mexico really kickstarted their run to the final. Sofyan Ambrabat was here, there and everywhere for Morocco, diligent, determined and calm under pressure, while Antoine Griezmann's reinvention for France has been pivotal to their reaching another final.
Up front, the obvious two, the golden duo. Messi has been better than ever (at a World Cup) while Mbappe has frightened the lives out of defences with his pace, skill and ability.
TOM VICTOR
(4-2-3-1): Dominik Livakovic (Croatia); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Raphael Varane (France), Romain Saiss (Morocco), Daley Blind (Netherlands); Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco), Jude Bellingham (England); Lionel Messi (Argentina), Antoine Griezmann (France), Kylian Mbappe (France); Julian Alvarez (Argentina)
Despite his difficult semi-final, Dominik Livakovic’s penalty heroics against Japan and Brazil earn him a spot in a position where any of the four semi-finalists would have been worthy of selection.
In front of him, Morocco’s none-shall-pass defensive work gives them two representatives in the back four, with Saiss just edging out Josko Gvardiol at centre-back. Had the skipper and his centre-back partner Nayef Aguerd been fully fit for the semi-final against France, we might well be looking at a final with Morocco lining up against Argentina.
A dearth of quality left-backs gives a spot to Blind, who impressed at both ends of the pitch barely two years after being fitted with a pacemaker, while Varane’s commanding presence in the knockout stages has helped France cope with the loss of Presnel Kimpembe in the lead-up to the tournament.
Morocco’s Amrabat gets one of the midfield spots while team-mate Azzedine Ounahi is close to the other, but I’ve given the place to one of England’s stand-out men in the form of Bellingham. Enzo Fernandez of Argentina and Brazil’s Casemiro were also in consideration, but Bellingham’s importance to England at the age of just 19 sees him win out.
I’ve attempted to replicate the structure of the France team with the formation, and including key men Griezmann and Mbappe was a no-brainer. The same goes for Messi, who has defied the aging process to lead by example, while the late-tournament impact of Man City youngster Alvarez - playing in his first World Cup - gets him the nod up as the central striker.
JACOB LEEKS
(4-3-3): Bono (Morocco); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Cristian Romero (Argentina), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Marcos Acuna (Argentina); Antoine Griezmann (France), Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco), Jude Bellingham (England); Lionel Messi (Argentina), Julian Alvarez (Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (France)
The story of the tournament was Morocco and at the heart of their success was the stunning performances of goalkeeper Bono. His saves in the penalty shootout against Spain and against Portugal in the quarter-final earns him a place here.
Achraf Hakimi also starred for the African side and takes him place at right-back. Inside him, Cristian Romero has helped to solidify Argentina's defence since their shock defeat to Saudi Arabia, with his aggressive playing style synonymous with the South Americans.
He may have been embarrassed by Lionel Messi, but Josko Gvardiol still had an impressive World Cup, as did Marcos Acuna who earns a place a left-back. In midfield, Antoine Griezmann is putting in a surprising candidacy to take home the Golden Ball.
Sofyan Amrabat has been imperious in defensive midfield, with his tackle on Kylian Mbappe one of the moments of the tournament. He didn't reach the semi-finals, but Jude Bellingham has announced himself as one of the next footballing superstars with his performances at this World Cup and that is enough for his inclusion in this team.
There is nothing more I can add on Lionel Messi, besides saying we are blessed to live in a time that he is playing. Likewise Kylian Mbappe. Julian Alvarez gets the nod up-front, having totally changed Argentina's fortunes since coming into their starting line-up.
DANIEL ORME
(4-3-3) Dominik Livakovic (Croatia); Theo Hernandez (France), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Harry Maguire (England), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco); Casemiro (Brazil), Jude Bellingham (England), Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (France), Olivier Giroud (France).
Dominik Livakovic has earned a collection of admiring glances following his performances in Qatar. The Croatian stopper conceded just three goals throughout the tournament and was key to his nation’s memorable victory against Brazil.
Meanwhile, defensive stalwarts Harry Maguire and Josko Gvardiol are more than deserving of their places in front of him after a series of hugely impressive performances. On either flank Theo Hernandez and Achraf Hakimi are in situ. The latter has been key to his side’s surprise run to the semi-finals, whilst the former has stepped up admirably in the absence of his own brother Lucas.
Heading into midfield and you’re met with arguably two of the stars of the tournament. Jude Bellingham has really come of age in an England shirt and now looks practically undroppable for the Three Lions. Meanwhile, Sofyan Amrabat has shone for Morocco - triggering a race for his signature.
Man Utd midfielder Casemiro might be a controversial pick but the Brazilian was an ever-present for the Selecao and his goal against Switzerland was key for the five-time winners getting out of the group.
Rounding off the team is a star-studded attack. Olivier Giroud is partnered with teammate Kylian Mbappe. The pair have nine goals between them throughout the tournament with the former having become his nation’s record goalscorer.
Lionel Messi is arguably the easiest selection of the lot. The Argentine veteran is the favourite for the Golden Boot with five goals to his name and now seems destined to round off his international career with a World Cup winner’s medal.
