The biggest names failed to make it and others emerged from the chorus to become protagonists. This was a central theme in the story of Euro 2024, until Sunday's final, in which Spain beat England 2-1 after a late goal from substitute Mikel Oyarzabal.
The goals were much lower than in the previous edition, when 142 were scored, while this summer 117 were scored. Is it due to player fatigue given the number of games the stars play these days? Is it a return to the risk-averse “football of fear”? Or has the lost art of proper defending been rediscovered with great success?
Despite the drop in goals, there has been plenty of drama, particularly in the closing moments of games, as exemplified by Ollie Watkins' fine goal to send England into the final against the Netherlands. It was also a tournament that produced the fastest Euro goal (Nedim Bajrami, 23 seconds, for Albania vs. Italy), the oldest goalscorer (Luka Modric, Croatia vs. Italy) and the youngest (Lamine Yamal, Spain vs. France).
So without further ado, here is my best XI and my most disappointing XI on display in Germany this summer.
BEST XI
Formation: 4-2-3-1
GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili, Georgia: The 23-year-old, who plays for Valencia, produced a series of wonderful saves to ensure his underdogs beat Portugal and reached the knockout stages against all odds. His performances have certainly alerted the big clubs to his talent.
RB: Jules Koundé, France: It's not his favourite position (he prefers to play centre-back) but the Barcelona star was solid there for an otherwise disappointing France side, even when up against electric Spaniard Nico Williams in the semi-final. He's a defender who wants to defend.
CB: Antonio Rüdiger, Germany: You couldn't argue with him – not even over the phone. Strong, quick, authoritative and intimidating in the German defence, Rudiger kept his team organised and focused on their way to a dramatic quarter-final exit against Spain.
CB: Jaka Bijol, Slovenia: The Udinese defender was a revelation in Slovenia's underdog win over England and Portugal. He has a “no-go” mentality and it seems the 25-year-old wouldn't concede a goal even in a backyard football match.
LB: Nuno Mendes, Portugal: The Portuguese defender, a Rolls Royce, has emerged from an injury-plagued season at PSG and has managed to progress with ease in the tournament. Turkish left-back Ferdi Kadioglu also deserves a special mention.
CM: Rodri, Spain: He is the new Sergio Busquets for Spain, and his presence is vital for The Red A remarkable form: he has gone over 400 days unbeaten with the national team. He is already the best midfielder in the world at his club, Manchester City, and has had a strong presence at Euro 2024.
CM: Tijjani Reijnders, Netherlands: The Milan man made sure that Holland did not miss the injured Frenkie de Jong too much. He had plenty of energy from midfield and caused plenty of problems for opponents with his late forays into the box. He and Spaniard Fabian Ruiz were neck and neck for a place in the starting XI, while hard-working Englishman Declan Rice was also a candidate.
AM: Arda Güler, Türkiye: At just 19, the young attacking midfielder showed why Real Madrid signed him last summer, helping his side reach the quarter-finals. He can create something out of nothing, has an eye for the precise pass or goal, and is intelligent – opponents must keep a close eye on him at all times, which opens up space for his teammates to benefit from.
FW: Lamine Yamal, Spain: The big story of the tournament. Yamal has been a regular for Spain before returning to his room to do his homework. His beautiful goal in the semi-final against France was a moment to remember, and it's hard to believe he can be so good at this age: he only turned 17 on the eve of the final and was instrumental in Spain winning Euro 2024, assisting the opening goal. He could still be playing in 2044!
FW: Nico Williams, Spain: Pace, crafty and a constant threat to any defence, he turned the experienced Italian Giovanni Di Lorenzo upside down when they met in the group stage (Spain won that match 1-0). The battle between him and England's Kyle Walker was fascinating in the final, which Spain eventually won 2-1; beyond that, a bidding war is expected for his services, despite the fact that he recently signed a new contract with Athletic Club.
ST: Niclas Fullkrug, Germany: This team needs a proper No.9 and, with bigger names (Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski) struggling, the German is the ideal candidate. Julian Nagelsmann didn't use him enough during the Euros, but Fullkrug made the difference every time he came on, scoring twice and generally unsettling defences.
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Leboeuf: “Mbappé can expect heavy criticism for his performance at Euro 2024”
Frank Leboeuf analyses France's semi-final exit from Euro 2024 following their 2-1 defeat to Spain.
THE MOST DISAPPOINTING XI OF EURO 2024
Formation: 3-4-3
GK: Angus Gunn, Scotland: It could be said that they never quite recovered from the 5-1 thrashing they received at the hands of hosts Germany on the opening night of the tournament, when Gunn could have done better with his first and last goals. They improved, but the damage was done.
CB: Josip Sutalo, Croatia: Playing in the central defensive position long occupied by the reliable Dejan Lovren, he and Croatia's defence creaked, conceding three goals against Spain and two against Albania as they failed to produce their usual deep run in the tournament.
CB: Maximilian Wöber, Austria: An unfortunate headed own goal cost the Austrians dearly against France and, despite their frenetic pressing game, they never looked good enough defensively to live up to their reputation as 'dangerous foreigners'.
CB: Ryan Porteous, Scotland: The Watford and Scotland man is far better than the player who was transfixed by the headlights in Germany. His red card against the hosts in the opening game meant his tournament was over before it started.
RM: Federico Chiesa, Italy: In the Euro 2020 squad of the tournament, the Juventus star has since suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and looked lacking in threat and confidence as part of an Italian trio force that was largely impotent.
CM: Antoine Griezmann, France: The Euro 2016 Golden Boot winner failed to score at Euro 2024 and was far from his usual menacing role for France, moving around the attacking third. However, it was a surprise when he lost his place in the starting XI for the semi-final. Opponents may have found a way to nullify him.
CM: Dominik Szoboszlai, Hungary: Towards the end of the season, he had noticeably lost his form with Liverpool and did not improve this time with his national team, which relies on him as a talisman. The Magyars were a failure.
LM: John McGinn, Scotland: A top player who has his own special chant from the wonderful Tartan Army (they and the Dutch fans were the best in the tournament), but he looked tired after a long and demanding season for Aston Villa.
FROM: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal: One of the greatest players of all time, but at 39 he failed to score at a major tournament for the first time in his career. His tears after missing a penalty against Slovenia showed his utter frustration, although he had the strength of character to convert one in the shoot-out that followed. There was a widespread feeling that Roberto Martinez indulged him too much. Was this his last tournament? It was surely his sixth and final European Championship.
FROM: Kylian Mbappé, France: It seems that he and the Euros don't get along. Three years ago, his missed penalty knocked France out at the first opportunity, and this time, the facial injury he suffered against Austria left the French captain sleepless, with limited vision in games and no goals in open play. Even without the mask, he missed a great chance to equalise in the semi-final loss to Spain.
ST: Benjamin Sesko, Slovenia: RB Leipzig's young star was Slovenia's most anticipated hope, but he failed in this game and squandered a glorious last-minute chance to earn his country a place in the quarter-finals, announcing where he was going to place the ball in a one-on-one with Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
