World Cup 2014: Statistical XI versus your tournament XI

 

Goals, controversy, hat-tricks and first-round shocks - the 2014 World Cup has been box-office and record-breaking.

A total of 136 goals is the highest since the group stages took on a 32-team format in 1998, bettering the 130 plundered in 2002.

Goals in the group stages since a 32-team format was introduced
France 1998	Japan and South Korea 2002	Germany 2006	South Africa 2010	Brazil 2014
126	130	117	100	136

That's an average of 2.83 goals per game, but aside from the goal-getters, who else has shone?

Alongside statisticians Opta, BBC Sport presents the statistical team of the World Cup group stages, with each player in the tournament rated on over 250 on-the-ball actions, including goals, assists and clean sheets.

BBC Sport also conducted a vote based on a selected shortlist to ask for your World Cup XI so far and the results are:

The stats XI: Enyeama (Nigeria), Chiellini (Italy), Van Buyten (Belgium), Medel (Chile), Alves (Brazil), Rodriguez (Colombia), Robben (Netherlands), Cuadrado (Colombia), Neymar (Brazil), Benzema (France), Messi (Argentina)

Your votes XI: Ochoa (Mexico), Aurier (Ivory Coast), Silva (Brazil), Marquez (Mexico), Blind (Netherlands), Valbuena (France), Vidal (Chile), Kroos (Germany), Robben (Netherlands), Muller (Germany), Messi (Argentina)

LEFT: Opta's team of the tournament so far based on stats RIGHT: World Cup XI voted by you

GOALKEEPER - Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)

Nigeria's goalkeeper has helped the Super Eagles out of the group stage and into a second-round match against France on Monday. The Lille goalkeeper, 31, kept clean sheets against Iran and Bosnia-Hercegovina and made 18 saves in the three matches, more than any other goalkeeper in the tournament. Joe Hart made just the one save in his two matches for England, while Ben Foster made two saves as his replacement against Costa Rica.

Your choice: Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)

How you voted: Guillermo Ochoa 56%, Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) 12%, Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria) 10%, Tim Howard (USA) 10%, Keylor Navas (Costa Rica) 10%, Sergio Romero (Argentina) 1%

Opta's other best keepers of the group stage
Player	Team	Goals conceded	Saves	Catches
Guillermo Ochoa	Mexico	1	8	4
Claudio Bravo	Chile	3	11	4
Diego Benaglio	Switzerland	6	13	5
Tim Howard	USA	4	12	7

DEFENDERS

Left-back - Giorgio Chiellini (Italy)

Italy may have exited the tournament at the group stage but that didn't stop the 29-year-old Juventus defender from making 10 tackles, 14 clearances and nine interceptions. Italy only conceded three goals but at the other end only managed to find the net twice, both against England.

Your vote: Daley Blind (The Netherlands)

How you voted: Daley Blind 57%, Junior Diaz (Costa Rica) 14%, Marcos Rojo (Argentina) 10%, Ricardo Rodriguez (Switzerland) 9%, Patrice Evra (France) 6%, Jose Holebas Greece) 4%

Centre-back - Gary Medel (Chile)

The Cardiff City defender made 28 clearances during the group stage as Chile won two of their matches to finish in second and qualify for the last 16. The 26-year-old's pass completion rate was 93% from 207 passes.

Your vote: Thiago Silva (Brazil)

Centre-back - Daniel van Buyten (Belgium)

No-one made more than his five blocks in the group stage as Belgium eased into the second round with a 100% winning record. The 36-year-old Bayern Munich defender played in every minute of the three matches. In comparison, Phil Jagielka made England's highest amount of blocks - two from his two matches.

Your vote: Rafael Marquez (Mexico)

How you voted: Rafael Marquez 26% , Thiago Silva 15%, Ron Vlaar (The Netherlands) 14%, Diego Godin (Uruguay) 13%, Gary Medel (Chile) 13%, Vincent Kompany (Belgium) 10%, Raphael Varane, (France) 10%

Right-back - Daniel Alves (Brazil)

Of all defenders only Spain's Jordi Alba made more passes in the opposition half than 31-year-old Alves. The Barcelona man played every minute as Brazil topped Group A with two wins and a draw.

Your vote: Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast)

How you voted: Serge Aurier 23.3%, Fabian Johnson (USA) 22.8%, Mathieu Debuchy (France) 19%, Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina) 16%, Dani Alves (Brazil) 11%, Toby Alderweireld (Belgium) 7%

Opta's other best defenders of the group stages
Player	Team	Tackles	Clearances	Blocks
Rafael Marquez	Mexico	6	11	3
Per Mertesacker	Germany	1	17	2
Mats Hummels	Germany	8	11	1
Benedikt Howedes	Germany	4	12	1

MIDFIELD

Midfield - Juan Cuadrado (Colombia)

The 26-year-old Fiorentina winger has impressed with his speed, pace and dribbling ability. He has provided three assists as Colombia topped Group C, the joint-most with the Netherlands's Daley Blind.

Your vote: Toni Kroos (Germany)

Midfield - Arjen Robben (Netherlands)

After scoring once in 2006 and twice in 2010, the Bayern Munich midfielder has already netted three times in this tournament. The 30-year-old has also made one assist as the Netherlands progressed to the second round as one of only four teams with a 100% record.

Your vote: Mathieu Valbuena (France)

Midfield - James Rodriguez (Colombia)

Monaco's £38.5m man has scored or assisted a goal every 45 minutes on average, the best rate of any player to have played more than 100 minutes at the tournament. Rodriguez, 22, has scored in all three games and has also created two other goals as Colombia won all of their games. Wayne Rooney was England's joint-highest goal scorer and assist maker with one each.

Your vote: Arturo Vidal (Chile)

How you voted: Arturo Vidal 20%, Toni Kroos 14%, Mathieu Valbuena 13%, Angel Di Maria (Argentina) 12%, Paul Pogba (France) 10%, Bryan Ruiz (Costa Rica) 9%, Ivan Perisic (Croatia) 5%, Charles Aranguiz (Chile) 4%, Andre Ayew (Ghana) 4%, Andres Guardado (Mexico) 4%, Miralem Pjanic (Bosnia) 4%, Yacine Brahimi (Algeria) 2%

Opta's other best midfielders of the group stage
Player	Team	Goals	Chances created	Assists
Miralem Pjanic	Bosnia-Hercegovina	1	12	1
Javier Mascherano	Argentina	0	5	0
Blaise Matuidi	France	1	3	0
Mathieu Valbuena	France	1	6	1

ATTACK

Forward - Neymar (Brazil)

The host nation's golden boy has not disappointed as he tops the goal-scoring charts on four with Argentina's Lionel Messi and Germany's Thomas Muller. Barcelona's 22-year-old has the best conversion rate (44%) of any player to have attempted at least eight shots. England's Daniel Sturridge had a conversion rate of 9.09% with one goal from his 11 shots.

Your vote: Thomas Muller (Germany)

Forward - Karim Benzema (France)

The 26-year-old has created 12 goal-scoring chances, the joint-most with Bosnia's Miralem Pjanic, to help France top Group E and reach the second round. The Real Madrid striker also scored three times in three matches.

Your vote: Arjen Robben (The Netherlands)

Forward - Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Joint-top scorer in the tournament with four goals, Messi has scored three of his four goals from outside the penalty area, two more than any other player. Barcelona's 27-year-old forward has scored two thirds of Argentina's goals in the tournament.

Your vote: Lionel Messi

How you voted: Lionel Messi 21%, Thomas Muller 16%, Arjen Robben 15%, James Rodriguez (Colombia) 14%, Neymar (Brazil) 11%, Karim Benzema (France) 7%, Robin van Persie (The Netherlands) 7%, Luis Suarez (Uruguay) 3%, Tim Cahill (Australia) 2%, Alexis Sanchez (Chile) 1%, Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) 1%, Eduardo Vargas (Chile) 0%, Wilfried Bony (Ivory Coast) 0%

Opta's other best forwards of the group stage
Player	Team	Goals	Shots	Assists
Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	1	22	1
Asamoah Gyan	Ghana	2	17	1
Alexis Sanchez	Chile	1	5	1
Robin van Persie	Netherlands	3	8	0

The Opta scoring system is devised by working out an overall score based on over 250 statistical events, with each event having a positive/negative score awarded based on its outcome. More important stat categories are weighted heavier than others, so crucial stats during games make a difference (goals, assists, clean sheets, etc).

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Source : bbc[dot]com