![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/06/soccer-ball-title.jpg" "World Cup Soccer Nordic Ski Fantasy Challenge")
The World Cup is over and Spain walked away with their first-ever Cup. But the true glory is reserved for the winners of the FasterSkier World Cup Soccer Fantasy Challenge.
We asked FasterSkier readers to submit their World Cup soccer squad, consisting entirely of cross-country skiers. The responses were excellent, with a combination of wit, thought, and silliness. In fact, they were so good, it was difficult to single out the top picks. We easily could have picked at random and been happy with the result.
But we pushed ahead and selected the top five overall. We have included a selection of submissions below, with the top six leading off. The rest are in no particular order.
Congratulations to winner Nellie Dow, who receives a soccer ball signed by Andy Newell, and to runner-up Pasha Kahn who wins a slightly less glamorous mini soccer ball signed by FasterSkier journalists. Who knew second place could be so painful…
1. Nellie’s Nordic Nerdery (NNN) (Nellie Dow)
2. XC Galacticos (Pasha Kahn)
3. Langrenn IK (Adam Doogan Smith)
4. Airplanes Made out of Biceps (Joe Howdyshell)
5. Euros ’10 (Brandan Fontana)
6. Granola Crunching Chumps (Sadie Bjornsen)
Team Name: Nellie’s Nordic Nerdery (NNN)
Submitted By: Nellie Dow
Coach: Inge Braten
Justification
He’s tough – even with a broken hip he wanted to be on the Tour de Ski with the Canadains last season. And that’s the kind of football he will demand from my squad.
Striker: Laase Paakkonen
Justification
With a nickname like ‘The Hammer’ you really cannot go wrong picking a young Finn to head your attack. He’s going to pounding balls into the back of the net like crazy.
Left Wing: Tim Tscharnke
Justification
Speed up front is essential, and Tscharnke has it to burn. As well, he’s young, surprising, and people underestimated him this season. Also, he’s German, and they shelled the Aussies 4-0.
Right Wing: Devon Kershaw
Justification
With the Hammer finishing, Tscharnke’s speed, the top line needs some sandpaper. Devon Kershaw is the guy who isn’t afraid to work hard. He’s not the biggest, but he’ll go to the trouble areas, work his butt off, and as we saw in the Tour de Ski two seasons ago, he’s not afraid to get the mitts up with Hellner in tight corners. He can also be jaw-droppingly brilliant at times, which shocks dimmer-witted opponents who have chosen Justyna Kowalczyk or Axel Teichmann to backstop their squad.
Stopper: Anders Soedegren
Justification
The Stopper: doesn’t need to be flashy, or an exceptionally fast sprinter. He needs to have guts, determination, brains and above all the skill to make it work. Sodo has all of that – he knows what’s going on at all times, knows when to turn the screws, and doesn’t goof about. Solid and dependable.
Left Midfielder: Emil Joensson
Justification
Somebody in the middle has to have top end speed, and Joensson has speed to burn. He’ll be able to track down balls on the wings far speedier than his opponents, and has the skills to make them pay as well.
Right Midfielder: Dario Cologna
Justification
Right mid is often considered the premiere position in football; it is Christiano Ronaldo’s office. It is for the smooth, the skilled, the professional, all of which describe Cologna’s attitude and actions on the World Cup.
Sweeper: Ivan Babikov
Justification
You want your toughest guy and most reliable dude playing sweeper – there is no one tougher or more reliable than Babikov.
Center Back: Petra Majdic
Justification
Sure, it’s obvious. She’s tough, shes strong, she’s big, she absolutely moshes opponents. But in NNN’s team system, cooperation and teamwork is key to success on defense. And she is the key to making her two defense partners better.
Left Back: Katja Visnar
Justification
A fellow Slovenian of Petra’s, she is a young sprinter who is quick enough to run with the big guns. She can be dangerous depending on the day, but her close association with Petra and great communication between the two are what make this a lock.
Right Back: Vesna Fabjan
Justification
Two Slovenians are called a gaggle, but three are called a dam. Fabjan rounds out the NNN’s D trio of Slovenians, making it without a doubt the fastest, toughest, best communicating defense corps on the field.
Goalie: Nobu Naruse
Justification
You need a bit of a nut, as well as experience, in the net to hold your squad together. Naruse has the experience part down, and if you google him, you’ll understand the second part. He can hold down the fort in even the hairiest of conditions.
Team Name: XC Galacticos
Submitted By: Pasha Kahn
Coach: Inge Braten
Justification
He may be old, but he has the experience and professionalism to get the job done.
Striker: Alexander Legkov
Justification
Why Legkov? A good striker is all about scoring goals at whatever the cost. Legkov’s desire to win would translate into goals, even if it involves controversial fouls, dives, and possibly even handballs. That doesn’t matter, every effective striker is a dubious shark looking for opportunity. Legkov is the man for the job.
Left Wing: Ola Vigen Hattestad
Justification
Hattestad’s speed and size make him menace down the left wing. Additionally his size and height along with Emil would be an asset heading in free kicks.
Right Wing: Emil Joensson
Justification
Size and speed make Emil a threat down the wing. Speedy runs and crosses would threaten the opposition’s defense.
Stopper: Marcus Hellner
Justification
Serving as a second striker behind Legkov, Hellner would be the confident and creative presence in midfield, he would create opportunities for Hattestad and Joensson to make runs and would serve balls up to Legkov. Hovering around the 18 line he would fire frequent strikes from outside the box, win every air ball, and psychologically devastate the opposition with his Materazzi-like comments.
Left Midfielder: Tobias Angerer
Justification
You just know he will deliver a consistent performance. Angerer would have a good passing game and vision for creating opportunities on the attack
Right Midfielder: Anders Soedergren
Justification
Anders has never been afraid to lead a ski race even when everyone else is. That bodes well for Anders to make fearless runs at the opposition’s defense. He is also the type of skier to ski selflessly for the benefit of a teammate, another rare skier quality, which suggests that he would be the type of selfless midfielder that plays a good passing game.
Sweeper: Ivan Babikov
Justification
Ivan would never stop moving his feet, and would be the engine of the team. This position would allow Ivan to cover a lot of ground but wouldn’t require him to run at high speeds. He would play back and defend tenaciously, throwing in some tough tackles, but he would also bring the ball forward and be a menace defensively throughout the field. The distance-covered stats would always show Babikov covering at least 14km a match.
Center Back: Axel Teichmann
Justification
Who but the big man would you want on your back line?
Left Back: Ivan Batory
Justification
The Beast from the East is virtually unstoppable. When he isn’t winning challenges, he’ll be winning icy cold stare downs. Its been said that Ivan Batory once killed a man over a poker game in the Carpathian Mountains. It’s also rumored that his visage may grace Slovakia’s production allotment of Euro coins.
Right Back: Valerio Checchi
Justification
Italians are born to defend. Valerio is reputedly the best player amongst the Italian xc squad, so that bodes well for his defensive ability.
Goalie: Petter Northug
Justification
By far the hardest position to fill, Northug is the best choice. A goalie should have some height, they should be fearless, a little crazy, and aggressive. Northug has some height and the athleticism to be a goalie, and his concussion in the spring xc ski cross shows that he has no qualms with injuring himself, something most skiers are too timid about. His natural aggressive qualities are perfect for a goalie. Standing in the box while the action happens out on the pitch would be like a pressure cooker for Northug. By the time the ball got close to him he would be so pent up with competitive energy that he’d be twitching. This would translate into ridiculous saves and outrageously physical challenges on attacking strikers, likely injuring them for the season. He also would be the type of goalie to try scoring in the final minute if we were trailing by a goal.
Team Name: Langrenn IK
Submitted By: Adam Doogan Smith
Coach: Thomas Alsgaard
Justification
In his day, the Norwegian was one of the best footballers in the world. Like so many world class athletes, after he hangs up the football boots, he looks for place in management and passes on his experience and wisdom of being on top of the world to those he is mentoring and is able to put the best team on the field. Though young for the coaching position, he has shown why he is the right man for the job.
Striker: Jesper Modin
Justification
Models his game after Niklas Bendtner. An intimidating striker towering at 6’7″, he rarely looses aerial battles in and around goal. Add his rawness and speed, he makes the perfect striker. Though young and inexperienced, he has a lot to learn and lots of room to improve on his great all-round game which is a scary thought for those whole already play against him.
Left Wing: Emil Jönsson
Justification
Models his game after Lionel Messi. His blazing speed will open up room for himself down the flanks where he can either cut in or cross it into the box. His control and technique make him one of the best players in the world. He’s not tall enough and that is why he’s not the central striker, he will not win any head balls. His improvement in endurance has made him a first team regular as his fatigue is minimal during a 90 minute match. Is also a very effective supporting striker.
Right Wing: Andrew Newell
Justification
Models his game after Andrei Arshavin. Though Alsgaard sings praises about the American in practice, when it comes to game time, Newell seems to falter. He needs to work on his consistency to become as world renowned as his teammate Emil Jönsson. His coach believes he needs more competition in training to go from a good player to a great player. A similar skill set to Jönsson, he is also taller which makes him an aerial threat as well.
Stopper: Petter Northug
Justification
Models his game after Stevie Gerrard. The teams clutch player. Comes through time after time to win matches in the dying minutes. He is a game changer. His stature makes him very strong on his ball. He can control the game with his explosiveness and is always marked closely by the opponents because of this.
Left Midfielder: Marcus Hellner
Justification
Models his game after Christiano Ronaldo. Links up well with his fellow countryman Jönsson especially on the overlaps to try to space to throw crosses in for Modin. Although not the most explosive or best sprinter on the team, his control and trickery on the ball is vital to his game. Excellent crosser of the ball, he also doubles as the teams penalty kick taker and freekick specialist.
Right Midfielder: Lukas Bauer
Justification
Models his game after Cesc Fabregas. He sits slightly deeper in the midfield which enables him to utilize his vision of the play in front of him. While he doesn’t have the same explosiveness as Northug, he has the vision and instincts which allows him to thread the needle and makes him the best playmaker on the team.
Sweeper: Alexander Legkov
Justification
Models his game after Gerard Pique. Though not the fastest player, he is dominant in the air and stays calm under pressure. The most defensive minded player on the back line and rarely jumps up into rushes. It took a while for him to make his way into the first team regulars, but once he got here, he’s never wavered and will be a mainstay in Langrenn IK for many years to come.
Center Back: Dario Cologna
Justification
Models his game after Thomas Vermaelen. One thing you need in your final defender is consistency, and that’s what Cologna brings to the squad. He will always be there to organize and push up the line, but be in there to defend set piece and clear out the box. Not only a great defender, he is also a player that goes up for set pieces and notches up 5-10 goals a season.
Left Back: Tobias Angerer
Justification
Models his game after Patrice Evra. His endurance and sprint speed (especially late in matches) makes him very dangerous when he links up with Hellner on the left flank for balls into the box. Having grown up playing with the tender Teichmann, they have a great understanding which becomes extremely valuable when pressure is on the back four defenders. He is much more offensively minded than the Italian Piller Cottrer, but that doesn’t mean he is not an outstanding defender as his tracking back skills are the best on the team.
Right Back: Pietro Piller Cottrer
Justification
Models his game after Dani Alves. With defending height coming from Cologna and Legkov,Piller Cottrer is the perfect wing-back who has the experience and footballing instinct to help out in both ends of the pitch. He knows when to jump in on the counter attack and when to stay in his native position. More of an offensive defender, the reliability of Cologna and Legkov allows the Italian to roam up and down the left flank all game. Much like his ski career, his positioning on the pitch is stellar and he is rarely caught out.
Goalie: Axel Teichmann
Justification
Models his game after Gigi Buffon. He’s been a star since he was a junior. The level head of the team, stay almost eerily calm under all conditions. He xoesn’t let distractions get the best of him. His demeanor demands respect from his back line and they know what he wants from them. Instead of yelling at them after making mistakes, he just gives them the emotionless stare of death and they know what needs to be done.
Team Name: Airplane made out of Biceps
Submitted By: Joe Howdyshell
Coach: Ulf Morten Aune
Justification
Damn mean looking. Knows how to breed a culture of size, strength, speed, and physicality.
Striker: Emil Joensson
Justification
Incredible finishing speed, uses his “turbos” to find the opening every time.
Left Wing: Pietro “Killer Piller” Piller Cottrer
Justification
Nothing screams Italian flair like a little yellow hat with a bobble. Expect him to make a lot of flashy moves no one see coming. Also, dives at the slightest contact.
Right Wing: Maurice Magnificat
Justification
1. He can do anything.
2. Best. Soccer. Name. Ever.
Stopper: Martin Bajcicak
Justification
Kamikazi!!!!!
Left Midfielder: Devon Kershaw
Justification
Tireless and punchy, good over short distances, but able to last the whole game.
Right Midfielder: Anders Sodergren
Justification
Attacks, attacks, attacks
Sweeper: Axel Teichmann
Justification
Big mean, and still fit. Would be an excellent mid, but CAN’T SCORE A DAMN GOAL.
Center Back: Polsa!!
Justification
Big, intimidating, talks a lot of $hit.
Left Back: Anders Gloerson
Justification
It’s all about the intimidating combination of 36 abs and an old mans haircut.
Right Back: Borre Naess
Justification
Neck? What neck.
Goalie: Petter Northug
Justification
Just when someone thinks they’ve won, he crushes their dreams.
Team Name: Granola Crunching Chumps
Submitted By: Sadie Bjornsen
Coach: Ben Husaby
Justification
King of Hustling
Striker: Amy Glen
Justification
Not afraid to get nasty at all costs. Very aggressive!
Left Wing: Caitlin Patterson