With most of the soccer calendar still on hold, theScore’s editors took the opportunity to take stock of the sport’s landscape. Gordon Brunt, Michael Chandler, Anthony Lopopolo, Gianluca Nesci, and Daniel Rouse participated in a fantasy mock draft with just one stipulation: Players had to be 30 or older to be eligible for selection.
Other mock drafts: Current Players | Legends XI | Under-21 XI
Round 1
| Pick | Player | Manager |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi (Barcelona) | Chandler |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) | Lopopolo |
| 3 | Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) | Rouse |
| 4 | Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) | Nesci |
| 5 | Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) | Brunt |
Analysis: What, you were expecting something else off the top? Messi and Ronaldo were always going to be the first two players taken. This draft really got going at No. 3 overall, where Rouse tips Bayern Munich scoring machine Lewandowski as the best of the rest.
Round 2
| Pick | Player | Manager |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) | Brunt |
| 7 | Jordi Alba (Barcelona) | Nesci |
| 8 | Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea) | Rouse |
| 9 | Marcelo (Real Madrid) | Lopopolo |
| 10 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) | Chandler |
Analysis: One thing became abundantly clear to each of our five managers as they compiled their draft research: Elite full-backs over the age of 30 are in extremely short supply. Nesci, Rouse, and Lopopolo all move quickly to solidify either the right- or left-back position.
Round 3
| Pick | Player | Manager |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) | Chandler |
| 12 | Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) | Lopopolo |
| 13 | Luka Modric (Real Madrid) | Rouse |
| 14 | Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) | Nesci |
| 15 | Thomas …read more |