Ex-Premier League stars shine in Europe’s elite XI

The Premier League continues to shape world football not only through its current stars, but also through the number of top players who go on to excel after leaving England.

Several former Premier League players are currently making a strong impact across Europe, with several featuring in an “elite XI” of stars performing at the highest level for clubs outside England.

At the heart of the team is Thibaut Courtois, who has remained one of the world’s top goalkeepers since leaving Chelsea FC for Real Madrid in 2018.

The Belgian has been a key figure in Madrid’s domestic and European success.

According to Planet Football, here’s an XI of former Premier League stars doing it on the world stage.

It’s an easy choice between the sticks, with Thibaut Courtois having a claim to being the best goalkeeper in the world.

Since leaving Chelsea in 2018, the Belgian has developed into one of Madrid’s most important players and has saved them, both literally and metaphorically, on more than one occasion.

He has won three La Ligas and two Champions Leagues since returning to the Spanish capital, and at 33, still has plenty of years at the top ahead of him.

Left back is one of the weaker areas of this team, but former Brighton player Estupinan has got the nod.

He joined Milan last summer, and while it has not been a perfect first season, scoring the winner against Inter is one way to endear yourself to the fans.

Madrid fans have been quick to get on the back of the £50m signing of Dean Huijsen, but in his defence, the situation around him has not exactly been ideal.

Injuries to his defensive partners have meant the Dutch-born Spanish player has struggled to settle, with some reports that Madrid may even look to offload him in the summer.

If that does happen, whoever buys the player is surely the winner, with Huijsen only 21 and already showing at Bournemouth how capable a defender he can be.

Another Bournemouth summer export is Zabarnyi, who left to join European champions PSG.

Like his former centre-back partner, the Ukrainian has struggled at times in his first season in Paris and did not feature in either leg of the win over Liverpool.

But he’s only 23 and has time on his side to settle into his new club.

His first year in Madrid may not have been the runaway success many expected, but most would agree he is still one of the most creative players in the game and capable of things few others are.

Alexander-Arnold will always be criticised for his defending, an aspect that Thomas Tuchel has taken issue with, but his delivery and technique are bested by few currently in the game. His four assists in the league this year are not a great tally, but he has been hampered by injury and a malfunctioning Madrid.

Former Wolves midfielder Neves is an excellent example of a player who went to Saudi Arabia far too soon in his career.

Fair enough, the money was too good to turn down, but his performances at the time had him on the radar of some pretty big clubs, and even now, he’s still one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.

While at Al-Hilal, he has won the Saudi Pro League and the King’s Cup, but his continued selection for Portugal shows how valued he is.

He’s 29, so could feasibly move back to Europe at some point.

When Jose Mourinho named Scott McTominay the Manchester United Player of the Year in 2018, who would have imagined that the same player would one day be the Serie A Footballer of the Year?

McTominay’s career is a reminder to any out-of-favour player that a change of scenery can rejuvenate your form, and his face being alongside Diego Maradona on murals in Naples shows just what kind of impact he has had.

While he does tend to operate more as a second striker, we are squeezing Julian Alvarez in because he has just been that good.

The Argentine very much looks like the one that got away for City and Pep Guardiola, but their loss is Diego Simeone and Atletico’s gain.

47 goals in 103 games and an attacking threat much more than that, Alvarez is one of the best attackers in the world.

With apologies to Luis Diaz, who has been excellent since joining Bayern last summer, Raphinha takes the left wing spot in this team.

It is not an understatement to say he has helped revolutionise modern Barcelona and was in contention for the Ballon d’Or, something not many would have predicted when he was at Leeds.

More than just his goals and assists, the pressing from the front is a staple of a Flick side, and Raphinha embodies that.

An easy pick for the striker spot, as Kane, surrounded by excellent teammates, has hit even greater heights than he did in a Tottenham shirt.

His goal against Madrid was his 50th of the season, achieved in just 42 games, and if Bayern win the Champions League and England have World Cup success, he is a clear favourite for the Ballon d’Or.

That €110m looks like a bargain.

Anyone trying to define how good Michael Olise has been this year is running out of adjectives.

He has the most assists in Europe at 29. He has 18 goals for the season. And yet reducing him to stats alone seems an injustice for how good he has become since his Palace days.

To get an idea of the level he is at, all you need to do is watch his goal against Madrid. Close control combined with a clinical finish shows why he more than deserves a spot in this team.

Relegation with Burnley to Bayern Munich is not a natural route for a manager, but Kompany has proven any doubts about him to be wrong.

Publicly not Bayern’s first, second, or even third choice, he has shown he has more than enough managerial ability to oversee a club as big as the German giants.

Kompany’s man management appears to be one of his strongest assets, but don’t underestimate his tactical mind, either.