Pick the XI: The Guru’s World Cup Semi-Final Lineup

Call it audacity disguised as selection. When you are building a World Cup semi-final XI you need spine, speed and a little mischief; I have chosen players who carry experience, explosive finishing and creative slyness — and yes, Lamine Yamal earns his place on merit, not novelty.

At the back you want a goalkeeper who commands and defenders who think two moves ahead. Thibaut Courtois keeps the net and reads danger, while Virgil van Dijk and Rúben Dias form the calming heart; Achraf Hakimi and Alphonso Davies provide the width and transition pace that will punish tired full-backs.

The midfield is a blend of engines and architects: Jude Bellingham and Pedri form a double pivot that can both press and thread attacks, with Kevin De Bruyne given the free role to pull strings between lines. Out wide I slot Lamine Yamal on the right for directness and unpredictability, Mbappé on the left as a secondary striker/wing threat, and Harry Kane up front as the patient fulcrum who turns chances into headlines.

My pick is a 4-2-3-1 built to control tempo, exploit transitions and out-think opponents in knockout tension. Start Kane as the focal point, let Mbappé and Yamal tear channels, and rely on Bellingham and Pedri to win midfield moments — this eleven wins semi-finals, if the coach resists tinkering. The Guru recommends this XI not because it is fashionable, but because it wins when everything else is under pressure.