Euro 2016 has gone down in the history books. While the quality of football left a lot to be desired and many of the pre-tournament favourites failed to live up to expectations, there were quite a few players that stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Outside90’s Ayo Isaiah selects to standout individuals for our team of the tournament:
Hugo Lloris – Goalkeeper – France
Tottenham shot-stopper Hugo Lloris is our pick for the goalkeeper of the tournament after conceding only five goals and keeping three clean sheets to help Les Bleus to the final. His awareness between the sticks was exemplary and he was crucial in all of his side’s victories, although they ultimately fell short against Portugal.
Raphael Guerreiro – Left-back – Portugal
The 22-year-old French-born defender really shone at his first major tournament with some impressive performances at fullback where he gave Portugal width and pace on the left side of the defence. Borussia Dortmund will be pleased to have signed him for only £9 million before the start of competition.
Leonardo Bonucci – Centre-back – Italy
Ever-present in the Azzuri backline, Bonucci was quite instrumental to his side’s terrific defensive organisation that saw them concede just two goals in five matches. The Juventus defender also demonstrated an attacking side to his game, after providing an assist for Emanuele Giaccherini’s goal against Belgium and scoring a late penalty against Germany in the quarter-finals – although he went on to miss his spot kick in the shootout.
Jerome Boateng – Centre-back – Germany
Although Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini can lay a valid claim to the second centre-back spot in our team of the tournament, we have decided to go for Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng – who lived up to his reputation as one of the best defenders on the planet after helping the reigning World Cup champions to a third consecutive Euro semi-final.
Joshua Kimmich – Right-back- Germany
The second German player who makes the cut in our team is 21-year-old defender Joshua Kimmich, who displayed exceptional maturity in the right-back role. The youngster delivered a string of consistent performances for his side, although he was considerably better in attack than defence. Nonetheless, he is one exciting prospect to keep an eye on in the coming years.
Gareth Bale – Left-wing – Wales
A major exclusion from the official UEFA team of the tournament is Gareth Bale, but we believe he deserves his place in this list after proving his worth to the Dragons, reaching the semi-finals of the Euros for the first time ever. The 26-year-old shone in the group stages with three goals and he often drew the attention of opposition defenders which gave freedom and room for his teammates to shine.
Dimitri Payet – Central-midfield – France
West Ham’s Payet was instrumental to everything that went well for France, especially in the group stages where he scored twice before adding another in the 5-2 win over Iceland. The 29-year-old also provided two assists for Les Blues. It would not come as a surprise if a bigger club attempts to lure him away from the Hammers before the transfer window ends on August 31st.
Aaron Ramsey – Central-midfield – Wales
Aaron Ramsey had a spectacular tournament for his country, helping them to an unprecedented appearance in the semis with four assists and one goal. It is not a coincidence that Wales looked a much depleted side against Portugal, after he was suspended for that fixture.
Eden Hazard – Right-wing – Belgium
Although the Red Devils failed to live up to expectations at a major tournament once again, Eden Hazard, unlike two years ago in Brazil, made a significant contribution to his side’s advancement to the last eight with four assists (matched only by Aaron Ramsey) and a single goal, showing that the Chelsea No.10 still has what it takes to succeed at the highest level after a disappointing 2015-2016 season.
Antoine Griezmann – Striker – France
The star of the tournament and golden boot winner, Griezmann carried France to the final with six goals and two assists which has announced him onto the world stage. Though he was ultimately unable to inspire his side to a win in the final, he was still named the UEFA Euro 2016 Player of the tournament – and deservedly so.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Striker – Portugal
Ronaldo inspired his country to a first major trophy that ended several years of underachievement and effectively cements his place as an all-time great. His two goals against Hungary secured Portugal’s qualification to the knockout stages and he scored another against Wales in the semi-finals. Arguably, his most important contribution came off the pitch in the final, as he showed his leadership after picking up an injury early on in the game.
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