We witnessed the end of another cracking international tournament as Italy lifted their second European title by beating England in the final on Sunday.
Many teams managed to exceed expectations in UEFA Euro 2020, especially the likes of Denmark and Switzerland. On the other hand, tournament favourites like France and Portugal failed to make a mark this year.
A plethora of brilliant performances has us picking the following players in our UEFA Euro 2020 Best XI.
Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Donnarumma makes it into the XI as the goalkeeper. The 22-year-old Italian was handed a task of replacing the legendary Gianluigi Buffon between the sticks and there’s no doubt that he did a lot more than asked for.
Donnarumma kept 2 clean sheets in Euro 2020. The new Paris Saint Germain signing was also instrumental in the semifinal against Spain, saving Alvaro Morata’s penalty in the shootout. He also saved two penalties in the final, denying Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka the chance to keep England in the game.
Defence
Joakim Maehle and Luke Shaw were the standout performers as fullbacks/wingbacks. Maehle was one of Denmark’s best players in the tournament. The Atalanta wingback scored against Russia and Wales and was a great attacking threat for his side. Luke Shaw picked up where he left off and continued his great form in Euro 2020. The Manchester United left-back assisted 3 goals for his country and also scored in the final against Italy.
John Stones and Harry Maguire made a great centre-back duo for England. Gareth Southgate’s side conceded only one goal from open play in the entire tournament. Stones and Maguire played a role of paramount importance in the middle of the defence.
Midfield
Jorginho and Pedri did a commendable job in the middle of the park for their respective countries. Jorginho was one of the standout players for Roberto Mancini’s side. He contributed efficiently in midfield and scored the winning penalty in the semifinal against Spain. Pedri, an 18-year-old prodigy from Barcelona, played like a veteran for his country and won a lot of plaudits of football fans and experts.
Attack
Federico Chiesa played exceptionally well for Italy in Euro 2020. The Juventus winger showed a great level of energy and desire for his side, also scoring 2 goals in the competition. Raheem Sterling had 4 goal contributions (3 goals and an assist) for England and played a key role in England’s journey to the final.
Patrik Schick was the competition’s top goalscorer along with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Czech Republic striker scored 5 goals, leading his country to the Euro 2020 quarterfinals. Harry Kane was pivotal in England’s run. The skipper served as a talisman and scored 4 goals in the tournament.
