World Cup fantasy football: The 5 best defenders in 2014
- Want to play the best fantasy football game this summer? Then is your answer
- All the biggest players - including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar - are available
These defenders would have earned you serious points in 2014.
There are just five days to go until the greatest show on Earth kicks off and time is running out to enter your fantasy football team.
Crucial to any top team is a solid defence and these were the highest scoring defenders from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Some of these names might surprise you, which proves there is always a bargin to be had when it comes to picking your side.
1 Mats Hummels - 62 points
Germany's ever-reliable centre-back Mats Hummels is priced at £3.5m this time round and is almost guaranteed to give you your money's worth.
Back in 2014, Hummels ended the tournament with 62 points to his name, the most for a defender - aided by his two goals.
Seemingly at the peak of his career and going into this summer's tournament off the back of consecutive Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, Hummels should really be one of your first picks in your side.
2 Stefan de Vrij - 54 points
Stefan de Vrij was an ever-present in Holland's surprisingly successful three-man defence that reached the semi-finals in 2014.
The Ajax man played in every match of their tournament and even scored in the emphatic 5-1 group stage humiliation of Spain.
De Vrij hit the headlines recently after his game changing error for Lazio in their final game of the season against Inter Milan, the side he is rumoured to be joining next season.
The Dutch defender won't be available for selection in your , after Holland surprisingly failed to qualify for Russia.
3 Daley Blind - 53 points
Daley Blind proved just how much a good World Cup can do for your career.
The Dutch utility man got a transfer from Ajax to Man United after impressing in the tournament.
Blind played his part in one of the greatest World Cup goals of all time, assisting Robin van Persie for his superhuman header against Spain.
Just like his countryman de Vrij, Blind also won't be available for selection after Holland failed to qualify for Russia.
4= Ron Vlaar - 50 points
Ron Vlaar came into the 2014 World Cup after an underwhelming season at Aston Villa but proved to be a mainstay in the formidable Dutch defence.
Vlaar played in all seven of Holland's matches at the tournament and was widely praised for his commanding performances.
Surprisingly, Vlaar was the first to step up for Holland in their semi-final penalty shootout against Argentina and missed, as Louis Van Gaal's side were beaten.
Holland had to settle for third place after beating Brazil in the third-place playoff.
The Dutch hard-man found himself linked with moves to Arsenal and Man United after the tournament, but nothing materialise and Vlaar signed for AZ Alkmaar the following year.
4= Pablo Zabaleta - 50 points
Pablo Zabaleta came into the World Cup off the back of a brilliant season at Man City and carried his form into the tournament in Brazil.
The full-back was still at his marauding best as Argentina silenced their critics by reaching the final in 2014.
Zabaleta and co suffered late heartbreak in the final at the hands of Germany and Mario Gotze.
The West Ham man is unavailable for selection in your side this year, after the right-back failed to make the Argentina squad for the tournament.
4= Philipp Lahm - 50 points
The Germany and Bayern stalwart retired from international football immediately after captaining Germany to World Cup glory in 2014 - not a bad way to bow out.
Lahm racked up 113 caps for his country, scoring five goals.
The utility player continued to feature for Bayern until his contract expired in 2017.
Lahm might be unavailable for selection in your , but Joshua Kimmich is the ideal replacement.
Priced at just £4m, Kimmich is expected to be one of the stars for Germany in Russia.
5 Jerome Boateng - 46 points
Jerome Boateng formed a formidable partnership alongside Hummels as Germany steamrolled their way to World Cup glory in 2014.
The Bayern man played in all seven of Germany's matches at the 2014 tournament and will be a guaranteed starter in Russia.
Boateng will set you back £4m in your side this year, and if he stays fit, is bound to be one of the best defenders at the tournament once again.
How does World Cup fantasy football work?
If you’re already a Dream Team fan you’ll recognise the setup.
The game is completely free to enter and will run from the opening game on June 14 right up until when England inevitably lift the trophy in the final on July 15.
Because that’s definitely what’s going to happen, right?
You will be given 20 transfers at the start of the tournament to use across the duration, with a maximum of three transfers per match day.
Our expert friends over at – as they have for the Season and Weekender games – will provide all the statistics that generate the points scoring.
How do you sign up?
You can now officially and start picking your teams after hundreds of thousands of you pre-registered in the last month or so.
You can sign up to play the game and we recommend downloading the Dream Team app too so you’ve got all the latest news, gossip and updates at your finger tips.