Building the Chess Dream Team
Considering that the next FIFA World Cup will be played by 48 countries, what if one of them was made up of the best chess players? Who would be in the starting XI and in which positions? To have a little fun with our imagination and creativity, let's check out the dream team that the "United Nations of Chess" (UNC) would bring to the competition.
GK: ̷Y̷a̷s̷h̷i̷n̷ Tigran Petrosian
The goal of our team would be defended by the master Tigran Petrosian, one of the greatest defensive geniuses in history. He is capable of stopping any attack and coordinates the defense (pieces) in front of him to position themselves properly, covering all possible spaces (squares). In addition, his experience brings tranquility to the fans, who can relax even while the opponent is attacking.
RB: ̷C̷a̷f̷u̷ Alireza Firouzja
Being the attacking team that we are, our right-back would be the young promising player, future Ballon d'Or winner, and quick decision-maker Firouzja. Although he hasn't mastered all the fundamentals yet, the kid has enormous potential and already plays like a grown-up. His fierce attacks through the flanks (with his signature h4 move) drive opposing defenses crazy. Defensively, he doesn't lag behind and knows how to stay calm in difficult situations.
CB: ̷V̷a̷n̷ ̷D̷i̷j̷k̷ Anish Giri
Who else? Solid as a rock, Giri is affectionately nicknamed “The Dutch Stonewall” by his fans. He can neutralize the best players in the world with his enviable ability to equalize any game. Opposing attackers may try everything, but in the end they know that with him on the field, at least the draw and the 0 on the scoreboard are assured for UNC. He also livens up the locker room with his good sense of humor.
CB: ̷B̷e̷c̷k̷e̷n̷b̷a̷u̷e̷r̷ Anatoly Karpov
Alongside Giri, a positional game genius. As a very classy defender, Karpov is always able to predict the other team's moves and knows how to position himself and his teammates in the right place at the right time to thwart any tricky play attempts. With his head held high and without dirtying his jersey, he anticipates every attack, making sure that the danger does not even get close to our penalty area.
LB: ̷Z̷i̷n̷c̷h̷e̷n̷k̷o̷ Vasyl Ivanchuk
If we have a young talent on the right side, we balance it with an experienced but similarly talented player on the left side. Defending and attacking with equal skill, many claim it is a great injustice that Ivanchuk does not have a Ballon d'Or on his shelf. But don't underestimate him; when you least expect it, he will be there to masterfully perform any offensive or defensive task that is needed.
DM: ̷Z̷i̷d̷a̷n̷e̷ Viswanathan Anand (C)
The first midfielder would be the "Tiger of Madras". With a lot of experience, but still with the breath of a young man, he shows his technique and elegance, controlling the center, changing the pace, making the perfect transition from defense to attack, and keeping the whole team cool in any situation. Being the true gentleman he is, Anand is the ideal captain for our team.
CM: ̷P̷e̷l̷é̷ Bobby Fischer
Considering that the midfield is the most important sector, every team needs a genius for those tense moments when the situation gets complicated. Who better than Bobby Fischer to be our creative heart and pull a rabbit out of the hat when the team needs it most? Arguably the most naturally gifted player in the world, he sees what no one else sees, shocks the opposing defense with a play they are not expecting, and delights the crowd with his talent.
CM: ̷M̷e̷s̷s̷i̷ Magnus Carlsen
Wearing the number 10, the brain of our team, the GOAT. Obviously, Carlsen would be the technical leader of our squad. He knows exactly when to attack and when to defend, has a broad view of the whole chessboard… ops… field and knows what to do in every circumstance. Carlsen can read the game perfectly and adapt himself to any kind of situation, being equally brilliant no matter what the opponent's strategy is. Is the game still tied and coming to an end? Don't worry, this is his favorite time to shine.
RW: ̷I̷b̷r̷a̷h̷i̷m̷o̷v̷i̷c̷ Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
UNC's team is direct and objective, always looking for the goal and not wasting time with useless fancy moves. On the right side of our attack, Mamedyarov is not afraid of ugly faces or big defenders. He is fully focused and runs over opposing defenses like a fast and furious steamroller. When he has the initiative, he terrifies everyone and nobody holds the man back. With him on the field, we can be sure of one thing: "No boring draws!”
LW: ̷M̷a̷r̷t̷a̷ Judit Polgár
If the right side is too brutal for your taste, we have a more talented but equally attacking-biased player on the left side. From the same country of Puskas, Judit Polgár is our skilled and fearless winger. She knows how to lead an attack in an ingenious way, finding the perfect spots to make the -pawn- breaks, and if she is given the space and opportunity, you can be sure that she will always make a great play to punish the first small mistake of the defenders.
CF: ̷R̷o̷n̷a̷l̷d̷o̷ Garry Kasparov
But when the ball bounces inside the penalty area and you need a precise and perfect definer, you have to turn to the best striker in history. Kasparov is our center forward. He is a natural goal scorer... always ready, always on the lookout, always waiting for a gap. The defense knows that he is the most dangerous player on our team, but they still cannot stop him. Kasparov is a fox in the box and will not miss any opportunity that comes his way.
Coach: ̷G̷u̷a̷r̷d̷i̷o̷l̷a̷ Mikhail Botvinnik
As coach, no one could be better than the man responsible for the training and professional consolidation of so many young talents. Botvinnik is experienced, knows how to use and exploit the main qualities of each player and has a perfect comprehension of all aspects of the game. The fans can count on him to be sure that we will always have the best preparation and strategy, no matter who is the opponent we face.
So, let's take a final look at the team and how it is set up tactically:
Of course, we still have plenty of options on the bench to change the course and pace of the match if needed. Mikhail Tal is a great attacking option who will sacrifice whatever is needed for his team; Vladimir Kramnik to come in and help control the game; Hikaru Nakamura and his incredible speed to lead counter-attacks; Fabiano Caruana as our assistant coach who has all the details and statistics of the opponents… and Rafael Leitão is the leader of our supporters group, who does not take it easy when one of the players deserves criticism for his primitive moves.
What do you think? Can Messi and Argentina beat this dream team? Can Mbappé or Haaland break down our solid defense? Would Neuer or Courtois be able to withstand the fury of our strikers? I don't think so.
Please let me know who else you would pick in the starting XI and in what position.
If you have read this far, I am sorry for wasting some precious minutes of your life. The intention was just to have some fun and pay tribute to the two sports I love the most, so I hope you enjoyed reading.
