World Cup fever has descended upon us and everyone here at Cue+Case has been getting in the spirit. But that got us thinking, what if some of Snooker’s finest talents both past and present swapped the green baize for the green grass, making for a combined “Snooker XI”? Would they become worldbeaters? Or would they be doomed from the start?
 

Defense

Every World Cup winning team needs a great defense, and the world of Snooker offers us many defensive talents to choose from. In goal, we have Peter Ebdon – known for his pace of defensive play (or rather, lack of), he would certainly put a stop to opposition’s scoring chances while dictating the pace the team plays at.

Our Centre backs are comprised of the Marks, that being Selby and Williams. The former is known for his granite safety play and he would be sure to steer his defense away from any danger, whereas the latter is sure to use his icy cool temperament to avoid being phased by any attacker in his way.

Ken Doherty and Kyren “The Warrior” Wilson make up our duo of fullbacks. There’s a reason the former is described as “Crafty”, as he knows all the tricks in the book, which he can utilize defensively at the back, and offensively when the team moves forward. Wilson is much of the same, with a solid, tight tactical game however he also has the capabilities to get in and amongst the scoring. 

Midfield

The engine room of the team consists of two of the finest players ever to hold a snooker cue. At CDM, we have The Wizard of Wishaw John Higgins. The Scot is notorious for being one of the hardest players to beat on the tour, and his IQ is sky high which means he would be able to control the Snooker XI and act as a solid anchor for them.

 John is joined in the midfield by fellow Class of 92 member Ronnie O’Sullivan at CAM. Ronnie is exceptionally technically gifted, and he has the creativity that a CAM requires to dismantle the opposition’s defense. Moreover, he has experience in spades and will stay mentally calm when being pressured by defenders.

Attack

Snooker has evolved into much more of an attacking game, and so there are a plethora of options to choose here. The people’s champion Alex Higgins is perfect for the right wing – blisteringly fast and an eye for the extravagant, Higgins’ style would be reminiscent of his compatriot and friend George Best both on and off the pitch. On the left, we have Judd Trump. He would bring a lot of panache and attacking flair to the team. Moreover, he sees/plays shots no one else can, demonstrating his vision which lends itself extremely well to the wing. Maybe Judd would act as an inverted winger, cutting inside and scoring just as he does on the table.

 Our strike force acts as the central area for converting attacking chances into goals, and here we think Neil Robertson would be a force to be reckoned with. A born scorer with over 1000 centuries to his name on the table, Neil would bully his way into the box and bury chances with lethal efficiency. Finally, Zhao Xintong completes our starting lineup. Zhao’s flair on the table is unmatched and so he will be the kind of striker that glides his way past defenders and places his shots to the top corner. He is the kind of player that makes the game look effortless.

Manager and Super Subs

Every winning squad has one more jewel in their crown – its manager. This may be unorthodox pick for some, however we think a 2026 Stephen Hendry could fulfil this role greatly. An ex champion himself, Hendry’s tactical analysis as a pundit will allow him to lead the team confidently. Moreover, he is not afraid say things as they are – no doubt he would dish out a few hairdryer treatments in the locker room if he needed to.

The starting 11 cannot start every game, and we have 2 super subs who need a mention. Firstly, Wu Yize must get a mention. Need to make something happen in the dying embers of the match? Wu is your man, as his World Championship victory showed that he only improves when the heat is turned up. His talent is impressive, however it remains to be seen whether he can keep this up before he becomes a first team starter.

Finally, Cue+Case’s own Stan Moody would make an excellent super sub. His 25-26 season showed that he can mix it with the big boys, and his campaign at the Crucible in 2026 exemplified that he is not afraid to perform when the lights are shining their brightest. A touch more experience is the only thing stopping Stan from becoming a first team staple.

What do you think? Do you think this team would go on to lift the cup? Or would they be destined for group stage doom and gloom? We’d love to know your thoughts!