Euro 2020: Team of the Tournament

Euro 2020 is over and Italy have come away with the trophy, now it’s time to name the team of the tournament after a thrilling four weeks of football.

Plenty of players performed to a high standard across the tournament and helped their countries achieve the best possible finish that they could have done.

Other players however did not perform, the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Bruno Fernandes didn’t have the impact that plenty thought they would, but here we take a look at players that did have a good tournament.

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma

Donnarumma had a great tournament and was the eventual hero for Italy as they overcame England on penalties. He was also the hero in the semi-final shootout against Spain and had an all-around impeccable tournament.

His composure in goal just calms down all the players around him and he will no doubt only push on from this tournament.

RB: Kyle Walker

A heartbreaking tournament for England after reaching their first final in 55 years but Walker can hold his head high, many doubted him coming into this tournament but he quietly went about his business and had a very good Euros.

His pace and recovery runs were vital for England on numerous occasions and he was outstanding throughout.

CB: Leonardo Bonucci

A stalwart at the back for the Italians, as Jose Mourinho once said “He could give lessons on the art of defending”.

Bonucci just does all the basics right, his positional play is second-to-none and he was a big reason for the Italians success throughout this tournament.

CB: Harry Maguire

Maguire missed the first game of the tournament as England beat Croatia but his influence on the team when he came into the side was massive.

He added composure on the ball, and with his phenomenal range of passing, he was able to get England going from the back.

He scored a huge goal in the quarter-final against Ukraine to almost solidify the victory and it was a tournament he can be proud of.

LB: Luke Shaw

This was a tough one, Leonardo Spinazzola could have easily taken this spot but his injury against Belgium has just given Shaw the edge.

With three assists throughout the tournament and one goal which opened the scoring in the final, Shaw carried on his good form from the past season with Manchester United and he will be looking to take this into next season.

CM: Pedri

The young player of the tournament, Pedri lit up the European Championships for Spain. At just 18, he showed why he is already a regular figure in the Barcelona team.

His excellent touches and his range of passing were exemplary, this could really be a breakout tournament for the young star who will no doubt light up the World Cup in Qatar next year.

CM: Marco Verratti

Most people will have Jorginho in their team but we’ve chosen Verratti. The PSG man was missing for the first game of the tournament but when he came back in, he was fantastic at picking the ball up in tight areas and getting Italy playing.

His ability to play on one and two touches in and around the area really created so much space for his teammates to be able to create more chances.

CM: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Denmark had a very good run in the tournament and that was largely down to this man, Hojbjerg. The Tottenham midfielder was at the heart of everything good for the Danes as he registered three assists throughout the competition and was really the one dictating the tempo in games.

His control on the ball in possession really allowed the likes of Mikkel Damsgaard and Martin Braithwaite to be more fluid going forward.

RW: Federico Chiesa

Chiesa came into the tournament as more of a rotation player and someone Roberto Mancini could call on late in games, but that changed when he came off the bench to score against Austria, and then was handed a start in the quarter-final against Belgium.

His pace caused defenders havoc and he ran England ragged before he went off injured in the final, a player who may well be in for a huge season with Juventus after this tournament.

ST: Patrik Schick

Schick introduced himself to the world on matchday one when he scored from around the halfway line against Scotland to open the scoring.

He went onto score four more goals as he finished with five goals and helped the Czech Republic to the quarter-final, where they were edged out by Denmark in a tight affair. If the Czech’s had gone further, he could well have made a case for player of the tournament.

LW: Raheem Sterling

Sterling had a good tournament for England, he wasn’t necessarily fantastic on the ball and in possession throughout the tournament, but without his goals, the Three Lions really would have struggled to get to the final.

Crucial winning goals against Croatia and the Czech Republic helped England to top the group. He scored the opener against Germany and also won the penalty in the win over Denmark in the semi-final, so it was nearly impossible not to pick him.

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