The soccer world, just like the rest of the planet, is catching “Star Wars” fever.
As the highly-anticipated blockbuster Star Wars: The Force Awakens rumbles into theaters worldwide, ESPN got in on the act with some imaginative team-building, in several sports, using the mega-franchise's huge cast of characters.
As the most popular sport in the universe (this side of podracing), soccer features prominently.
The likes of Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker and Yoda constitute the spine of this squad, arranged in an oh-so-modern 4-2-3-1 formation. And lineup creator James Martin has put ample thought into these personnel decisions.
“Obi-Wan's worldview is key to his position,” he writes of his cerebral – dare we say Andrea Pirlo-esque? – deep-lying center mid. “'Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view,' he famously said in 'Return of the Jedi.' Indeed, Obi-Wan intuitively understands soccer's moral relativism, the kind you need to be a little naughty in the defensive midfield.”
There's plenty of Dark Side representation, too, mainly in a back line that looks both capable and ruthless. But don't worry, there are also prime places for heroic favorites like Han Solo and Princess Leia in this XI.
Check out the full squad, and chime in with your thoughts on the Star Wars lineup in the comments section below.
