Whether you call it football or soccer, the FIFA World Cup is the ultimate sporting event. Thirty-two nations and the world’s top players, on the biggest stage, all vying for the chance to be called the world’s best.
To celebrate the World Cup, we picked some of the best players in the world and put them on our dream roster. And because we think many of the same qualities that make a great footballer also make great security products, we matched our top players with their counterparts from our product line-up.
Check out our roster — and let us know what you think. Who would you want on your team?
The Lynchpin – Lionel Messi, Argentina, aka UTM
A striker with a magical boot, Lionel Messi is without a doubt one of the world’s most feared and respected players. With power and speed, and a decisive finish, Messi is brilliant in any situation, much like our UTM. His versatility and awe-inspiring all around play make him a shoe-in for our squad.
The High-Flyer – Neymar, Brazil, aka Cloud Security
Neymar plays the Brazilian beautiful game like no other, and he is at the top of our list. Just like our Sophos Cloud, once Neymar gets the ball he’s up and running in no time and can score goals with incredible speed and ease.
The Veteran – Miroslav Klose, Germany, aka Endpoint Antivirus
A classic player and one of the cornerstones of success for Germany, Miroslav Klose is experienced and effective, just like Sophos Endpoint Antivirus. Klose scans the location of attackers at top speed and gets the job done. A true team player who is always good for a close.
The Newcomer – Raheem Sterling, England, aka Mobile Control
As a key player in setting up his team’s attack, a player like England’s Raheem Sterling also needs to keep the center of the field secure, and open the lines of communication with his back line. He may be new on the scene, but just like Sophos Mobile Control, he is quickly integrated into the team.
The Stout Defender – Gerard Pique, Spain, aka SafeGuard Encryption
Every team needs an effective defender that can always be counted on to hold the line and not let anyone through. Spain’s Gerard Pique is one of the world’s best defensemen, and just like our SafeGuard Encryption, his commitment to keeping the ball out of the net never fails.
The Connector – Michael Bradley, United States, aka RED (Remote Ethernet Device)
When it comes to setting up plays with finesse passing, Michael Bradley is among the best. With Bradley on the pitch, he is like a second coach, guiding secure connections between players — just like our Sophos RED secures connections to branch offices via VPN.
The Brains – Andrea Pirlo, Italy, aka Secure Email Gateway
Andrea Pirlo is known as “The Professor” for his ability to see the field and direct the play with his tactical genius. With his filtering and analysis of the game he ensures that threats are stopped in their tracks, and also sends off phishing passes from opponents. Our Secure Email Gateway is the Pirlo of our product team, discovering attacks immediately and keeping communications clear.
The Instinct Player – Clint Dempsey, United States, aka Web Application Firewall
An opportunist who intercepts passes and jumps on the loose ball, Clint Dempsey makes the best out of a dicey situation. Our Web Application Firewall takes a similar approach, picking off the attackers’ SQL injection, cross-site scripting or website exploits. All the actions of the opponent are scanned attentively and answered accordingly.
The Wall – Serge Aurier, Ivory Coast, aka Next-Generation Firewall
A powerful and commanding presence on the field, a player like Serge Aurier guarantees the best possible protection against drive-by attacks and the sophisticated tactics of the opponents. Like our Next-Generation Firewall, Aurier analyzes the threat landscape and shares reports with the players to ensure maximum security.
The Anticipator – Xherdan Shaqiri, Switzerland, aka Secure Wi-Fi
Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri is a vital link for his team, providing secure and reliable access to the ball throughout the game. Like our Secure Wi-Fi configuring access points with ease, he integrates the different players into the game and ensures smooth transitions up the field.
The Keeper – Gianluigi Buffon, Italy, aka Server Security
There is no way to win the game when the back doors are open. Gianluigi Buffon symbolizes the ideal of our Server Security, and stands as the last bastion for all types of attacks: whether Windows, Linux, Mac, or UNIX.
The Coach – Jurgen Klinsmann, United States, aka Complete Security
An experienced former player who achieved World Cup glory in his days with the German national team, Jurgen Klinsmann now faces the challenge of bringing together a diverse team of players for the U.S. side. With his strategic mind, Klinsmann effectively manages all the components of a team. Our Complete Security Suite, like Coach Klinsmann, takes care that every challenge finds a unique solution, no matter whether it plays in the network, besieges the endpoint penalty area, or attacks the server goal.
