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OTF’s Euro 2024 Team of the Tournament (plus other things to vote on)


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Euro 2024 is over, and despite the disappointment for many of us at the end, hopefully we’ve all enjoyed the tournament.

Much like 11 months ago at the Women’s World Cup, Spain beat England in the final and the general consensus seems to be that, just like then, the best team ended up winning the whole thing. But which players does OTF think make up the best XI over the course of the tournament? 

I’d like you all to pick an 18 man squad of the tournament, consisting of a starting XI and seven subs, and once everyone has had a chance to vote, I’ll compile the results to compose OTF’s Team of the Tournament, made up to a full squad of 23 players (26 is too much).

Thats the main point of this, but we will also have some other things to vote on. Speaking of which, here are the categories.


Player Of The Tournament:
You can, if you wish, pick joint winners for this.

Most Disappointing Team:
Which team was the most disappointing during the tournament, failing to live up to even their lowest expectations? 

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:
Which team far surpassed your expectations?

Best Individual Team Performance:
Which single game performance was the best? Was it a small side earning a draw or even victory against a top side, or one big team destroying another?

Match Of The Tournament: 
Which game did you enjoy the most?

Goal Of The Tournament: 
Did Stanciu’s opener for Romania against Ukraine get you out of your seat? Perhaps it was Guler scoring against Georgia that produced your mightiest shriek. Or maybe it was Bellingham's overhead kick to keep England in the tournament as we looked set to bow out to Slovakia that caught your eye the most. These were just a few of the delightful goals scored at the Euros. Here’s a BBC highlight video of the best goals scored at the competition. Maybe your favourite isn’t even on there, but this is sure to help you decide. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/videos/c51ylewnge7o

 

Team/Squad Of The Tournament:

Please pick a sensible formation such as 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-5-1 etc as that’s what these are usually done as, and similarly for the seven subs, please try to make it 1 GK, and then no more than 3, but at least 1 for each position of D, M and F.

Please show your squad in the following format (changing positions depending on formation):

GK: 
RB:
CB:
CB:
LB:
CM:
CM:
CM:
RF:
ST:
LF:

Subs:
GK:
DEF:
DEF:
MID:
MID:
FW:
FW:

 

Commentary along with your answers is encouraged as to why you picked who you did over other options, but any response is welcome.

Get voting!

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Player Of The Tournament:
Nico Williams

Most Disappointing Team:
Czech Republic

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:
Gerogia

Best Individual Team Performance:
Georgia 2-0 Portugal

Match Of The Tournament: 
Georgia 2-0 Portugal

Goal Of The Tournament: 
Jude Bellingham vs Slovakia

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Player Of The Tournament:
Nico Williams. There wasn't a single stand-out performer this tournament, and surprised when Rodri - Who didn't even finish the final - won the actual thing.

Most Disappointing Team:
Belgium. Second is France for only scoring 1 open goal, but somehow managed their way to the semis.

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:
Turkey. Georgia losing this due to Turkey going further in the tournament.

Best Individual Team Performance:
Germany (vs Scotland 5-1)

Match Of The Tournament: 
Spain vs Germany 2-1 AET

Goal Of The Tournament: 
Jude Bellingham (vs Slovakia, Ro16)

 

Team/Squad Of The Tournament:

GK: Jordan Pickford
RB: Jules Kounde
CB: Marc Guehi
CB: Aymeric Laporte
LB: Marc Cucurella
DM: Rodri
CM: Kobbie Mainoo
AM: Jamal Musiala
RW: Lamine Yamal
ST: Cody Gakpo
LW: Nico Williams

Subs:
GK: Diogo Costa
DF: Antonio Rudiger
DF: Dani Carvajal
MF: Dani Olmo
MF: Jude Bellingham
FW: Ivan Schranz
FW: Giorgi Mikautadze

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Player Of The Tournament:
Rodri

Most Disappointing Team:
Italy

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:
Georgia

Best Individual Team Performance:
Georgia 2-0 Portugal

Match Of The Tournament: 
Germany 1-2 Spain

Goal Of The Tournament: 
Lamine Yamal vs France

Team Of The Tournament (4-3-3):

Giorgi Mamardashvili; Joshua Kimmich, Manuel Akanji, Pepe, Marc Cucurella; Vitinha, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Cody Gakpo, Nico Williams
Subs: Jordan Pickford, Dani Carvajal, Jules Kounde, Jamal Musiala, Dani Olmo, Bukayo Saka, Georges Mikautadze

Gakpo didn't play as a striker but the actual out and out strikers were rather unimpressive I thought.

Edited by Darius1998
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Player Of The Tournament:
I'll actually say Fabian Ruiz. While Rodri, Olmo, Yamal and Nico were also amazing, he didn't get enough mentions.

Most Disappointing Team:
Italy. Mostly because other disappointing squads have inept coaches, but for Spalletti to present us with such tactical failure was really unexpected for me.

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:
Netherlands because they dealt with lack of three important midfielders really well. Would've probably made the final with De Jong, Koopmeiners and De Roon. Switzerland also did really well.

Best Individual Team Performance:
Has to be Spain. I'd say against Italy because it should've been like 4-0.

Match Of The Tournament: 
Spain-Germany 2-1 from tactical standpoint, Netherlands-Austria 2-3 from entertainment standpoint.

Goal Of The Tournament: 
Oyarzabal against England, great play and has to be because of importance.

 

Team/Squad Of The Tournament:

GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili
RB: Dani Carvajal
CB: Stefan De Vrij
CB: Marc Guehi
LB: Marc Cucurella
DM: Rodri
CM: Fabian Ruiz
AM: Dani Olmo
RW: Bukayo Saka
LW: Nico Williams
ST: Cody Gakpo

Subs:
GK: Diogo Costa
DF: Aymeric Laporte
DF: Manuel Akanji
MF: Jude Bellingham
MF: Jamal Musiala
FW: Ivan Schranz
FW: Giorgi Mikautadze

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Player of the Tournament 

Nico Williams - I don't think any players emerged as a new superstar this tournament, but for me Nico Williams is everything a winger should be - fast, direct and can score goals.  And performed at a consistently high level.

Most Disappointing Team

Italy - I thought that they're a really poor team now.  Especially as they were the previous champions.

Surprise Package

No one comes to mind - maybe Georgia as they gave it a real go.

Best Individual Team Performance 

Again no one really springs to mind.  Hang on, Austria 3 - 2 Netherlands.  So Austria there.

Match of the Tournament

Spain 2 - 1 Germany

Goal of the Tournament

Olly Watkins vs the Dutch

Team of the Tournament

Can't think.  But some players that stood out for me were Nico Williams, Fabian Ruiz and Pedri of Spain.  Also Florian Wirtz of Germany.  Cole Palmer too, when he was on the pitch.

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Player of the tournament 

Rodri

Most Disappointing Team:

France or Hungary 

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:

Holland, but then they had the draw open up for them

Best Individual Team Performance:

Slovakia vs. England. They deserved to win 

Match Of The Tournament: 

Spain vs. Italy

Goal Of The Tournament: 

Probably Güler's

Team/Squad Of The Tournament:

GK: Donnarumma

RB: Koundé

CB: Akanji

CB: Saliba

LB: Nuno Mendes

CM: Rodri

CM: Dani Olmo

CM: Vitinha

RF: Lamine Yamal

ST: Gakpo

LF: N Williams

 

Subs:

GK: Marmadashvili

DEF: Guéhi

DEF: Hernández

MID: Xhaka

MID: Musiala

FW: Morata

FW: Güler

 

Without thinking too much about the answers. Aké was very close to being included.

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design_sans_titre_5_.png?imwidth=2048

Official one.

I really can't get behind Walker or Maignan in there.
Maignan was up to his usual level, but it's not like he had to make many great saves because their defense was solid.
Walker is there just because they needed an English representative. Should've been Guehi if they were trying to get an English defender in.

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Says a lot that England reached the final and they struggled so badly to find someone to put in the team, they went with Walker :D 

Even Pickford would have made more sense 

Edited by Barry Cartman
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Player Of The Tournament:
Fabian Ruiz

Most Disappointing Team:
Scotland

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:
Georgia

Best Individual Team Performance:
Switzerland vs Italy

Match Of The Tournament: 
Spain vs Germany

Goal Of The Tournament: 
Bellingham vs Slovakia

 

Team/Squad Of The Tournament:

Please pick a sensible formation such as 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-5-1 etc as that’s what these are usually done as, and similarly for the seven subs, please try to make it 1 GK, and then no more than 3, but at least 1 for each position of D, M and F.

Please show your squad in the following format (changing positions depending on formation):

GK: Mamardashvili
RB: Kimmich
CB: Saliba
CB: Guehi
LB: Cucurella
CM: Rodri
CM: Fabian Ruiz
CM: Arda Guler
RF: Musiala
ST: Gakpo
LF: Nico Williams

Subs:
GK: Pickford
DEF: Akanji
DEF: Pepe
MID: Kante
MID: Olmo
FW: Lamine Yamal
FW: Kvaratskhelia

 

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I'd have thought either of the Spanish or English CB's could have been in. Saliba and Akanji were decent, as were plenty more (Dias, VVD, Upamecano etc)

Sorry but Walker has thrown me, particularly if you consider the likes of Kounde, Carvajal, Kimmich who were fantastic.

It's a shame Belgium didn't get further because KdB was brilliant in each game and would have been nailed on. That being said, the Spanish trio is difficult to argue with.

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Player Of The Tournament:
Dani Olmo
Expect I’ll be the only one to pick him, but in each game that he came on he made an obvious and big improvement to his side, and really was fantastic. Scored a couple of quality goals too.

Most Disappointing Team:
Italy
Italy edge this for me as with not following football outside of the PL at all these days I was probably foolishly expecting them to at least look half decent, but they were so poor for the most part and were no match for the Swiss.

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:
Switzerland
Shoutouts to Austria,Turkey and Georgia for their efforts also, but Switzerland really did look like such a solidly formed side. 

Best Individual Team Performance:
Switzerland vs Italy (L16)
By far he better team in this game and honestly never looked in too much bother at any point. Admittedly Italy contributed to this, but they really impressed me in this game.

Match Of The Tournament: 
Austria 3-2 Netherlands
Thoroughly enjoyed this game more than any other. Really was just a cracking watch as a neutral.

Goal Of The Tournament: 
Lemine Yamal (Spa vs Fra)
Shoutout to Stanciu for Romania vs Ukraine as it was a superb goal that needed incredible technique, but the difference between that in your sides first group game and Yamal’s goal to open the scoring vs France in the semis is a major factor.

 

Team/Squad Of The Tournament:

GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili (Geo)
RB: Jules Kounde (Fra)
CB: William Saliba (Fra)
CB: Marc Guehi (Eng)
LB: Marc Cucurella (Spa)
CM: Rodri (Spa)
CM: Dani Olmo (Spa)
CM: Fabian Ruiz (Spa)
RF: Lemine Yamal (Spa)
ST: Jamal Musiala (Ger) 
LF: Nico Williams (Spa)

Subs:
GK: Jordan Pickford (Eng)
DEF: Antonio Rudiger (Ger)
DEF: Manuel Akanji (Swi)
MID: Toni Kroos (Ger)
MID: Jude Bellingham (Eng)
FW: Arda Guler (Tur)
FW: Bukayo Saka (Eng)

Shoutouts to a few other players here. Mainoo had a really good tournament for England, Dembele played well for France, Nuno Mendes looked really good for Portugal, Sabitzer was a driving force for Austria, and Gakpo did well for the Dutch. 

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Player Of The Tournament:
Nico Williams
Looked a dangerous player, constantly.

Most Disappointing Team:
Belgium
This may come a tournament too late as that golden generation had already begun dropping away.  Even so, De Bruyne, Lukaku, Tielemans, Doku, Onana, Courtois, Trossard...come on.

Surprise Package/Over Achievers:
Austria
Where did that football come from.  Looked nice.

Best Individual Team Performance:
Spain vs Germany
The Germans were dangerous.  Taking them down, as the host nation, was an indicator of champions.  

Match Of The Tournament: 
England 2-1 Netherlands (SF)
Maybe some bias but I loved it.

Goal Of The Tournament: 
Arda Guler (Tur vs Geo)
Was given time admittedly but it was a peach.

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Player of the Tournament: Rodri.

I could give it to any of the three Spanish midfielders. I really liked watching Fabian in particular, but Rodri was the metronome. His achievements over the last 12-24 months have been truly remarkable, and this Euro win is the icing on the cake.

Most Disappointing Team: Hungary.

So much for dark horses.

Surprise Package/Over Achievers: Switzerland.

Everybody else will say Georgia, but I did not really expect Switzerland to go as far as they did. Well organised in the group stage, an outstanding performance against Italy in the last 16, and unlucky to lose on penalties in the Quarters. Murat Yakin has done a fine job with this team.

Best Individual Team Performance: Spain (vs Croatia).

The eventual champions started as they meant to go on. They showed that 1) they don't need to have 80% possession to dominate a game, and 2) they can actually convert their chances now.

Match Of The Tournament: Netherlands 2-3 Austria.

Absolute madness in the best possible way. Turkey vs Czech Republic was also memorable for very different reasons.

Goal Of The Tournament: Lamine Yamal (SPAIN vs France, Semi Final).

Honourable mentions to Arda Guler (TURKEY vs Georgia) and Fabian (SPAIN vs Croatia), but there was only one winner for me. A screamer, in a Semi Final, against the pre-tournament favourites - from a 16-YEAR-OLD. An unforgettable goal from the best young player at the a tournament, and hopefully the first of many big goals over Yamal's career.

Team/Squad Of The Tournament:

GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili (GEORGIA)
RB: Jules Koundé (FRANCE)
CB: John Stones (ENGLAND)
CB: William Saliba (FRANCE)
LB: Marc Cucurella (SPAIN)
CM: Rodri (SPAIN)
CM: Dani Olmo (SPAIN)
CM: Fabian (SPAIN)
RF: Lamine Yamal (SPAIN)
ST: Cody Gakpo (NETHERLANDS)
LF: Jamal Musiala (GERMANY)

Subs:
GK: Diogo Costa (PORTUGAL)
DEF: Nuno Mendes (PORTUGAL)
DEF: Manuel Akanji (SWITZERLAND)
MID: Toni Kroos (GERMANY)
MID: N'Golo Kanté (FRANCE)
FW: Bukayo Saka (ENGLAND)
FW: Nico Williams (SPAIN)

If I could fit two more players onto the bench, I'd also throw in Joshua Kimmich (Germany) and Ivan Schranz (Slovakia). Or maybe Pepe. :D

Edited by CFuller
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Player Of The Tournament: Rodri

He¨s just getting better and better, and was world class this tournament. Give him that Ballon'd'Or he deserves :thup: 

Most Disappointing Team: Croatia

Tought call, as many failed this tournament. But Croatia were dreaful only a yera after a NL final and one and half year after a bronze medal at the WC. The team looked old, slow and with not much to offer. 

Surprise Package/Over Achievers: Georgia

Not only did they advanced from their group, but also played some entertaining football.

Best Individual Team Performance: Spain against France.

It was a tough call between some of Spain's performances, but I go with the semifinal win against French. Turning the game around against this French team, who were excellent at defending is a great performance, expecially when Spain missed 2-3 players from teir regular lineup.

Match Of The Tournament: Spain-Germany

I ofcourse didn't enjoy the result, but it was the best game between the two best teams at the tournament.

Goal Of The Tournament: Lamine Yamal against France

Such a goal in such an important game by a 16 year old is amazing. If they'll show one single goal from this tournament in 20 years time, it'll be this one.

 

Team/Squad Of The Tournament:

Please pick a sensible formation such as 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-5-1 etc as that’s what these are usually done as, and similarly for the seven subs, please try to make it 1 GK, and then no more than 3, but at least 1 for each position of D, M and F.

Please show your squad in the following format (changing positions depending on formation):

GK: Jordan Pickford
RB: Dani Carvajal
CB: William Saliba
CB: Marc Guéhi
LB: Marc Cuucurella
DM: N'golo Kanté
CM: Fabian Ruiz
CM: Rodri
CM: Dani Olmo
RF: Lamine Yamal
LF: Nico Williams

Subs:
GK: Bart Verbruggen
DEF: Antonio Rüdiger
DEF: Jules Koundé
MID: Jude Bellingham
MID: Toni Kroos
FW: Cody Gakpo
FW: Jamal Musiala

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