Is this a winning 11?

Everyone enjoys a good starting 11 discussion. And I’ve bandied over my Spain starting 11 for quite some time. Below is, in my opinion, the best squad Spain has available to them in a 4-3-3 formation. I understand that different opponents require different strategies and line-ups — against the Ukraine, I’m not sure I would use this starting eleven. But ultimately, there are players who stand above their peers at every position.

Here’s my eleven.

Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas. Santiago Canizares’ excellent form for Valencia actually led some to consider him for a starting spot. But come on, it’s Iker. This is one of those positions where it’s an absolute lock.

Left defender: Mariano Pernia. Is he a true Spaniard? No. But he’s one of the best-performing left defenders in the world at the moment. Any left defender who is among the top goal scorers in the Primera Liga is a good one in my book. If not Pernia, hopefully it’s Lopez, a good crosser of the ball and teammate of Ibanez’s, in this spot.

Center defender: Carles Puyol. Another sure thing for Spain’s team. Tarzan’s consistency has made him a frequent pick in the Spanish national team and for Barcelona, despite his undeniable ugliness.He could play right back too, but you need a reliable rock in the middle.

Center defender: Pablo Ibanez. Puyol’s partner in center defence is debatable. Atletico’s Pablo Ibanez is the best pick.

Right defender: Sergio Ramos. Still young and looking to prove himself against top-quality opponents. He is clearly one of Spain’s best defenders and I’d slot him in at right back. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sergio get in on the goal-scoring against Saudi Arabia.

Central midfielder: Cesc Fabregas. Two words: the phenom. When he’s been given a chance to shine at the club level, he has done so at every opportunity. We can only hope he is given the same chance this month in Germany.

Central midfielder: Xavi Hernandez. The main question regarding Xavi, of course, is his health. Luis took a gamble on Xavi and I expect that gamble to pay off. Must be included for his picture-perfect passes, assuming he’s able to win the race against time.

Central midfielder: Marcos Senna. An absolute stud for Villarreal who is now being linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid. Born in Brazil, his first cap was against Ivory Coast earlier this year.

Left forward: Jose Antonio Reyes. One of Spain’s young greats who could offer a breakthrough performance. From the left, you can often expect a cut-back into the box such as this one.

Center forward: David Villa. Need that game-winning goal in the second half? Enter Villa, who scored goals in the 82nd, 84th and 87th minute — of one game — for Valencia just a few weeks back. He is Spain’s best hope for goals.

Right forward: Fernando Torres. Earlier this year, it was an absolute certainty that Torres would be Spain’s No. 1 striker. But the form of David Villa might move Torres to No. 2. Nonetheless, Torres is capable of scoring some big-time goals (also capable of missing some easy ones). He’s a budding superstar who must be included in the line-up.