Here's What a Starting XI Would Look Like for the Arizona Cardinals

In the spirit of the World Cup, who would the Arizona Cardinals put out on the pitch for their own team?

We're merely hours away from the United States and England facing off in the second of three group stage matches in the opening round of play in the World Cup, and make no mistakes about it, several Arizona Cardinals will be paying attention. 

All Cardinals was able to speak briefly with players such as Zach Allen, J.J. Watt and others on their initial thoughts before the World Cup. 

Allen believes Belgium will do well in the tournament, given their golden generation's last chance to make serious noise in the global tournament. He's also thinks Argentina's Leo Messi could propel them to a win in what is probably his final World Cup, too. Allen said he wouldn't be shocked by either Argentina or Brazil (both considered the top two favorites heading into the tournament) and also thinks the USA could emerge as the second team out of the group stage with England. 

Watt didn't have much to offer as far as predictions go, obviously rooting for the USMNT but was just hoping for good games. 

It's always fun to see athlete cross over into different sports and try their hand at playing a different game. Mexican international goalie and star Memo Ochoa nailed a 60-yard field goal when he did some training with the Houston Texans:

El FG% (field goal percentage) es una medida parecida al xG.

Para estos tiros de @yosoy8a, las probabilidades para profesionales eran:

30yd - 93.1% ✅
35yd - 90.6% ✅
40yd - 85.2% ✅
50yd - 71.1% ✅
55yd - 53.6% ✅
60yd - 30.0% ❌

🤓📊📉

pic.twitter.com/tkqTgO9xvb

— xGoalsMX  (@xGoalsMX) July 20, 2022

So, in that spirit, I began to wonder: What would a soccer team look like for the Arizona Cardinals? 

There were some obvious pieces to put into place here, with some other tough decisions to make as well. 

A big thanks to OL Kelvin Beachum, who took time out of his day to give his two cents on some of the options. 

Here's What a Starting XI Would Look Like for the Arizona Cardinals

We'll roll with a 4-4-2 here.

GK- J.J. Watt

This is obvious, right? Watt's an avid follower of the game in general and supports Chelsea while also being married to Kealia Watt, one of the top players in the NWSL and currently playing for the Chicago Red Stars. 

Watt's massive frame would allow him to occupy plenty of space in net while also possessing the leadership to command the backline and get everybody in order. His reflexes seem pretty on par, too. 

Defenders- Isaiah Simmons, Zach Allen, Zaven Collins, Markus Golden

In this backline, I'm looking for a good combination of speed, strength, and smarts. 

Simmons and Golden at fullback provide a solid mixture of all three to get into opposing territory when needed in possession, while Allen and Collins provide an ideal tall and strong presence handling centerback duties and ensure the Cardinals' fortified defense holds up. 

Midfield- Zach Ertz, Budda Baker, Colt McCoy, Rondale Moore

I wanted to initially play a 4-3-3 but struggled finding matchups and combinations I like. 

This might be the best midfield in the NFL for a few reasons. 

Ertz (heralded by Beachum as probably the most knowledgeable of the game) mirrors USWNT star and wife Julie Ertz in the midfield thanks to his leadership, IQ and physical presence. A no-brainer, if you will. 

I initially put Kyler Murray in McCoy's spot before Beachum pointed out Murray doesn't like to voluntarily run around a lot, which could be detrimental to the overall play style. Instead, we get a bit more leadership with McCoy, who also has shown his knack to ping passes everywhere. 

Baker and Moore will utilize their speed on the outside to further put pressure on the wings and perhaps make a run or two on counter-attacks. I envision Baker as a mirror of Chelsea's N'Golo Kante with his heart and ability to fly over the field and make defensive plays. Moore could also step up as a wing if needed. 

Strikers- Matt Prater, Andy Lee

I spent so much time pondering who would occupy the most lethal of all positions on the pitch before Beachum pointed out that the man who gets paid millions of dollars to kick a ball in Matt Prater should probably play up top. 

Joining him is Andy Lee in what should be a dynamic partnership that will have plenty of speed around them in the midfield to perfectly compliment their accuracy. 

Not a whole lot of running is expected here. Just turn and shoot, boys. 

How far would this squad go in an NFL turned Champions League/World Cup format? We'd say pretty far. 

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