Euro 2024 is in the books. Spain asserted their dominance in Europe and became the first nation to win the European Championship by winning each and every game. Football didn’t come home as England was once again defeated in the final, while Kylian Mbappé still lacks a major European trophy with Les Bleus.
But enough about that, time to talk about the players that marked this competition and their triumphs. It is time to talk about the Euro 2024 team of the tournament and see whether all of these players have deserved it.
Goalkeeper
Voted as the best goalie of the competition is France’s Mike Maignan. He is actually one of the two members of the team coming from France. To tell the truth, he deserved it. Unai Simon had great moments, but Spain’s defence relied on all players, not just the goalkeeper.
Jordan Pickford was instrumental for England once again. He even got them over the hump in the penalty shootout against Switzerland. Nevertheless, Maignan was standard and secure throughout the tournament, showing why he should be France’s number one for years to come.
Defence
The defence consists of Kyle Walker (England), Manuel Akanji (Switzerland), William Saliba (France), and Marc Cucurella (Spain). Saliba was one of the bright spots for the very uninspiring French team. Akanji transferred his form from Man City to the national team. But Walker and Cucurella were a bit of a surprise.
While Walker is one of the best defenders in the Premier League, he is getting a little bit long in the tooth. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop him from being England’s best defender and one of all Euro 2024 squads. Cucurella has been criticised for much of the season. He was pitted as a failure after coming to Chelsea. But he showed that playing for his national side can motivate him to elevate his game.
Midfield
According to the Euro 2024 stats, the midfield is an all-Spain selection. Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Fabian Ruiz all had extraordinary performances at this year’s Euros. Even though Olmo tied at three goals with others with five more Euro 2024 top scorers, he was voted as the best goalscorer of the competition.
Rodri held Spain’s midfield without a single mistake. While Ruis was a breakout performer in the competition, scoring twice and providing two assists as well. Honestly speaking, the midfield of the tournament according to the Euro 2024 team rankings couldn’t have looked any different.
Attack
The attacking line consists of two more Spanish players, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, who go alongside Germany’s Jamal Musiala. Musiala also scored three times and was more than prolific for Germany in this competition. But Yamal and Williams were definitely the attacking standouts.
They are also going to be the face of Spanish football for upcoming generations. Yamal (17) scored once but was the top assist maker of the tournament with four. On the other hand, Williams (22) grabbed two goals, one of them benign in the final.
