MY FANTASY WORLD CUP SQUAD

As with every major international tournament, there is the opportunity to pick a fantasy team, and show how us fans should really leave it to the experts! Anyway, I've joined a league with some friends on the official FIFA website, and I will be following my squad as the tournament progresses. Here are my chosen 23 (and more importantly my reasons.)

GOALKEEPERS:

1) Manuel Neuer - Germany and FC Schalke, £6m.

Neuer will be the probable German number one following the tragic suicide of incumbent Robert Enke, and there will be a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Germany are usually solid at the back, so there should be some clean sheets in the offing. A group containing Australia, Ghana and Serbia should see them progress, and Neuer is one of the most highly-rated young keepers in Europe.

2) Mark Schwarzer - Australia and Fulham, £5m.

A keeper who goes from strength to strength as he gets older, and was instrumental in Fulham's run to the Europa league final. An excellent shot stopper and reliable figure, Australia have a good chance of escaping the group, and Pim Verbeek's team are built on solidity as much as anything else.

3) Thomas Sorensen - Denmark and Stoke City, £4.5.

Another experienced keeper who is still going strong in the Premier League well into his 30s, he will be the definite number one for the Danes (assuming he has recovered fully from the injury he suffered towards the end of the season.) The Danes had an excellent defence in qualifying, and the spine of that defence, with Daniel Agger and Simon Kjaer in front of him, should ensure goals for their opponents are in short supply. Again, they will back themselves to finish ahead of Cameroon and Japan behind Holland to qualify for the second round.


DEFENDERS

4) Ashley Cole - England and Chelsea, £6.5m.

Although he has had an injury disrupted season, he is still one of the best full backs in the world. England shouldn't concede too many goals, and there is a chance of him creating goals going the other way. Despite the loss of captain Rio Ferdinand, this squad still has a chance to go far in the tournament.

5) Gianluca Zambrotta - Italy and AC Milan, £6m.

Even at the age of 33, he is still ferociously quick and bombs up the left or right wing, creating chances at will for his teammates. It is a joy to watch. The world champions may not be one of the outright favourites in South Africa, but they will still be expected to go far. Their group - Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zeland - is not the strongest, and they will still keep the odd clean sheet.

6) Branislav Ivanovic - Serbia and Chelsea, £5.5m.

The second Serbian defender in this squad, which again shows where their talents lie. Ivanovic can play in the centre or on the right, so, as well as helping his country keep clean sheets, he will also assist the attack, be it creating or goals, or scoring (ask Liverpool, where he showed in te 2008/09 Champions League quarter-final how good he is with his head).

7) Alexsander Kolarov - Serbia and Lazio, £5m

The talented young Lazio left-back could be one of the stars of the World Cup. He can also play on the left-wing, so provides a goal threat as well as being a creator. Serbia's strength is their defence, built around Nemanja Vidic and Branislav Ivanovic, will be as strong and parsimonious as always.

8) Jay DeMerit - USA and Watford, £5m

The archetypal 'Johnny come lately' in terms of professional football, he only got his break at Watford when appearing in a friendly against them for non-league Northwood in 2004, at the age of 24. He impressed enough to earn a two week trial, and has been there ever since. He broke into the national team set up in 2007, and has also been a regular ever since, impressing in last summer's Confederations Cup, helping shut out Fernando Torres and David Villa. He has definitely made the most of his limited talent, and will be a key figure in an underrated US defence this summer.

9) Simon Kjaer - Denmark and Palermo, £4m.

Denmark's defence was the foundation of an excellent qualifying campaign, hence the inclusion of Thomas Sorensen. In front of him, Simon Kjaer is one of the most highly rated young defenders in Italy, for provincial club Palermo, who regularly overpeform. He has made the transition from Danish football to Serie A look seamless, with a sure touch and good anticipation, and this World Cup could earn him a truly huge move.

10) Phillip Senderos - Switzerland and Arsenal, £3.5m.

By no means the best defender in the World, but at the centre of what is traditionally a strong, and defence-minded team. Switzerland became the first country to be knocked out of a World Cup without conceding a goal, and this team, under the experienced Ottmar Hitzveld, is likely to be defence orientated. And as Senderos showed in 2006, he can also chip in with the odd goal when required. The Swiss also have a good chance of making the next round.


MIDFIELD

11) Wesley Sneijder - Holland and Inter Milan, £9m.

Every team, even a fantasy team, needs an outstanding, star playmaker who the team is built around. So step forward Wesley Sneijder. The outstanding player in Europe this season, his touch and passing range have been simply outstanding. He can also chip in with the odd goal, and there are many who expect this Dutch team to go far in South Africa. If Sneijder performs, they just might.

12) David Silva - Spain and Valencia, £8.5m.

An outrageously gifted footballer, he does not look out of place in this talent laden Spanish squad. Able to play in a number of positions, he will probably pitch up on the left in South Africa. But he is more than a winger. He will interchange with Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso, Fabregas and the strikers, and provides a real goal threat - he announced himself to European football with a superb goal at Stamford Bridge from all of 40 yards. Well which of these Spanish attackers don't have an eye for goal! His club mate David Villa has already secured his big money move (to Barcelona from Valencia) and Silva won't be far behind him should he perform to expectations this summer.

13) Tim Cahill - Australia and Everton, £6m.

It's hard to know how such a small player is so good in the air. But with Cahill it's all about timing - that's how he scores so many goals. He really relished playing at the highest level in Germany in 2006, where his two late goals against Japan made him an instant hero. His role in the middle of the park will be crucial if Australia are to progress ahead of Ghana and Serbia. His record of 56 goals in 210 games for Everton is impressive for a midfielder, and his skill of arriving late and unchallenged into the box is something you can't teach - he has a lot of the Bryan Robson, or more presently, Paul Scholes in him, not just technically but in his approach to the game - he is as tenacious as they come.

14) Danny - Portugal and Zenit St Petersburg, £6m.

A potential wildcard in this Portuguese squad, he is a talented footballer, with great technique and an outstanding long range shot. Just ask Manchester United, who were on the receiving end in the 2008 European Super Cup. Playing in Russia, he is out of the spotlight. South Africa could be the chance to step out of the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo and Simao.

15) Marek Hamsik - Slovakia and Napoli, £6m.

A potential star of the World Cup, he is the undoubted star of this Slovakian side. An outstanding talent and one of the best players seen in Naples since the great Diego Maradona, he scores and creates. He will be crucial if Slovakia are going to get out of their group ahead of Paraguay and New Zealand.

16) Mark Gonzalez - Chile and CSKA Moscow, £5m.

Another who is out of the spotlight in Russia, he never really showcased his full range of abilities while at Liverpool, he has started to rediscover his best form in Moscow. A goal in the Champions League knock-out stages against Seville showed he can produce in the big games, and his pace down the left will be key if Chile are to finish above Switzerland and Honduras behind the European champions Spain.

17) Michael Bradley - USA and Borussia Monchengladbach, £5m.

Certainly not in the team through any nepotism, the coach's son is one of the stars of an impressive American side. He breaks well from midfield to support the attack, and is a typical box-to-box midfielder. In a fairly weak group, the US will look to beat Slovenia and Algeria to qualify for the second round.

18) Miroslav Stoch - Slovakia and FC Twente, £4.5m.

Much as the reason for picking Hamsik, Stoch plays for a Slovakia team in quite a weak group, who could spring something of an upset and qualify for the second round. Stoch is also a likely starter, and is likely to go into the World Cup in great form and confidence, following a fabulous season on-loan at FC Twente. He helped the small, provincial Dutch club win the title for the first time in their history, contributing ten goals in 32 games, providing excellent width and distribution as well as a goalscoring touch. This return is impressive for a young winger, and he could be a potential wildcard in South Africa.


STRIKERS

19) Fernando Torres - Spain and Liverpool, £9.5m.

What more is there to say about the great man that hasn't already been said. Quick, skillful, possessing great movement and a deadly finisher, if he gets a chance he will score. And with Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso and Villa around him, he will definitely get chances. This Spain team should go far, so don't back against him to finish as top scorer.

20) Robin van Persie - Holland and Arsenal, £8m.

After an injury plagued season at Arsenal, he will be raring to go when he pitches up in South Africa. Surrounded by many talented wingers and attacking midfielders, he will provide the main goal threat in this Dutch team. 20 minutes as a substitute against Spurs (in defeat) showed what his club had been missing, and the goalscoring ability he will hope to take to the World Cup.

21) Antonio di Natale - Italy and Udinese, £7m.

It would be hard to find a more in-form striker in world football at the moment. Top scorer in Serie A for Italy last season with 28 goals, at almost 33 he has transformed himself into one of the first choice strikers. Very much in the Diego Milito role in terms of late development. He is still quick, creative and is full of goals, which Italy will need if they are to have a chance to retain their title - which would be the first time since Brazil did it in 1962. Expect him to relish his chance on the world stage.

22) Luis Suarez - Uruguay and Ajax, £7m.

It may only be the Dutch league, but 84 goals in 94 league games for Ajax in three seasons is simply outstanding, especially when you consider he usually plays as a support striker. He has great speed and technique, and clearly an excellent eye for goal. He will be the support striker in Uruguay too, behind the equally prolific Diego Forlan. With those two up front, Uruguay will fancy their chances of probably following France into the last 16.

23) Alexis Sanchez - Chile and Udinese, £6m.

Another outrageously gifted foreign youngster playing in Serie A, Sanchez was named one of the top 50 gifted youngsters in the world, and made his national team debut at the age of 17 in 2006. He has been there ever since, and his versatility means he can play all across the forward line. He is becoming more of a goal threat, and has relished playing in coach Marcelo Bielsa's adventurous 3-1-3-3 formation. In a weak looking group, could be key in helping Chile reach the last 16.

And there's my squad. It wouldn't be a bad squad if it was actually going to the tournament to play together. There would be a couple of problems - most of the players will not be able to speak the same language, while there would be a distinct lack of balance! Stay tuned throughout the tournament, to see how well the players do, and what changes get made as the World Cup progresses.