Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, no Benzema: World Cup 2022's ultimate over 30s XI named | OneFootball

The 2022 World Cup is now less than two months away.

Despite its unfamiliar winter placement in the calendar, the tournament promises to be an absolute feast of footballing action.

While young stars of the beautiful game such as Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham will be intent on stealing the spotlight in Qatar, there is also a wealth of experienced talent ready to prove that age is just a number.

talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent was tasked with selecting his ultimate World Cup 2022 XI using only players who will be 30 years of age or older when the competition gets underway on November 20.

We have to admit that the former Charlton, Tottenham and Aston Villa striker went on to name an absolute banger of a side.

You can check out his XI in full below. If these veterans were to come together at the tournament proper, they’d be a stern test for any opposition.

World Cup 2022: The ultimate over 30s XI

GK: Alisson Becker (Brazil, turns 30 years old on October 2)

DR: Kyle Walker (England, 32 years old)

CB: Thiago Silva (Brazil, 38 years old)

CB: Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, 31 years old)

LB: Jordi Alba (Spain, 33 years old)

DM: Luka Modric (Croatia, 37 years old)

DM: Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium, 31 years old)

RW: Lionel Messi (Argentina, 35 years old)

AM: Neymar (Brazil, 30 years old)

LW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, 37 years old)

CF: Robert Lewandowski (Poland, 34 years old)

You know a team is decent when the current favourite for the 2022 Ballon d’Or – France’s 34-year-old striker Karim Benzema – can’t get a sniff of a start.

Bent’s decision to hand the gloves to Brazil’s Alisson means there’s no place for German goalkeeping royalty in 36-year-old Manuel Neuer either.

A world-class attack

Benzema’s absence comes as a surprise until you realise the sheer quality of the four-man attack Bent has named in his 4-2-3-1 formation.

Between them, Messi (90), Neymar (75), Ronaldo (117) and Lewandowski (76) are able to boast an incredible 358 international goals.

Buy your Messi GOAT t-shirt

By contrast, Benzema has just 37 goals to his name for Les Bleus across his career for his country.

Bent’s XI includes no previous World Cup winners

The exclusion of 2014 Golden Glove winner Neuer means that Bent’s team of over 30s doesn’t contain a single previous World Cup winner.

With such a fabulous array of stars named, the odds suggest that at least one of the line-up will retain home from Qatar with a winners’ medal.

Chelsea plot Bellingham swoop! Via The Football Terrace