25. David De Gea
The curious case of David De Gea, undoubtedly one of the best young goalkeepers in the world, but not yet a starter for his country. His form for Manchester United has kept the Red Devils in games at times, seeing him named in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year on three occasions, while earlier this year he took home United’s Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year season. Despite his immense talent, he remains behind national team captain Iker Casillas in the Spain setup.
24. Ivan Rakatic
The Barcelona star has enjoyed another stellar campaign, having been named in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Year as well as being named Croatian Footballer of the Year in 2015. While he might not get the fanfare of club mates Messi, Neymar, and Suarez, Rakatic brings a balance wherever he plays, and will be looking to help Croatia get their tournament off to a positive start when they face Turkey on match day one.
23. Gerard Pique
Eight consecutive clean sheets. That’s what Spain’s miserly defence recorded in qualifying following a surprise 2-1 away defeat to Slovakia in October 2014, with the cultured Barcelona centre half at its heart. Spain’s 2010 World Cup title was built on the defence, with four consecutive 1-0 wins in the knockout stage, and it could be more of the same in 2016 thanks to Pique.
22. Marek Hamsik
It’s hard to miss the Slovakian playmaker given his signature Mohawk, but the Napoli midfielder also leaves a lasting impression on the pitch. Skipper for both club and country, Hamsik recorded 11 assists in Serie A last season, while he has also scored 17 goals from midfield in 85 games for his country, including five in qualifying for Euro 2016.
21. David Alaba
A curious player, in that his role differs greatly depending on whether he’s playing for club side Bayern Munich or representing his country. A marauding left-back for the German champions, Alaba takes up a role in centre midfield as the chief playmaker in manager Marcel Koller’s Austrian side, feeding the likes of Stoke City’s Marko Arnautovic and former Sydney FC striker Marc Janko.
20. David Silva
A constants in Spain’s all conquering side of 2008-2012, Silva’s versatility is what makes him such an integral part of manager Vicente Del Bosque’s game plan. Deadly when played out wide and cutting in from the wing, the Manchester City man can play in behind a striker or even operate as a false nine, which Spain may need in this tournament. Silva will likely earn his 100th international cap in France.
19. Wayne Rooney
Despite a season that saw Rooney score only eight league goals, his lowest return since joining Manchester United, the England captain is still the main man for his country. Seven goals in qualifying saw the skipper break Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time Three Lions goalscoring record last September as Roy Hodgson’s side qualified for the finals in France with a perfect record of ten wins from as many games.
18. Sergio Busquets
Another that often gets lost in the galaxy of stars at Barcelona, Busquets is the player everyone wants in their team – the unassuming professional who will do their job to make his teammates look better. This quote from Del Bosque probably sums him up the best – “You watch the whole game, you don’t see Busquets. You watch Busquets, you see the whole game.”
17. Romelu Lukaku
A return of 18 league goals last season for Everton speaks for itself, but the form of his chief competition for the first-choice Belgium striking berth, Christian Benteke, who struggled across Merseyside in his first season with Liverpool, means Lukaku should lead the line of what should be a potent Belgian attack in France. A definite smokey to take home the Euro 2016 golden boot.
16. Eden Hazard
On his day, Hazard remains one of the most devastating attacking players in Europe, and is only one year removed from a season that saw him crowned England’s Player of the Year. Yes, the past 12 months haven’t exactly gone to plan domestically, but Hazard remains central to what manager Marc Wilmots wants from his team, with the attacker scoring five goals in qualifying as the Red Devils secured their place at Euro 2016 with ease. Still, the question remains – which Eden Hazard will turn up in France?
15. Gianluigi Buffon
Despite fielding a much-changed side from the one that lost to Spain in the final of Euro 2012, the one constant for the Azzurri remains their ageless goalkeeper. Having made over 600 appearances for both Juventus and the national team, Buffon will bring experience to an Italian side that is flying somewhat under the radar heading into this tournament.
14. Andres Iniesta
One World Cup, scoring the winning goal in the final, two European Championship titles, four European Cups, eight La Liga titles, and countless other trophies – Iniesta is Spain’s most decorated player, and he will again play chief conductor in midfield, pulling the strings and directing the ‘tika-taka’ as La Roja seek an unprecedented third-consecutive continental title.
13. Harry Kane
Debate has centred on which of the Premier League’s leading scorers will partner Wayne Rooney up front for England – 25-goal Harry Kane, or 24-goal Jamie Vardy. While Vardy had a historic season for champions Leicester City, Kane’s goal scoring exploits saw him join the likes of Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, and Luis Suarez as the only players to score 20 or more Premier League goals in consecutive seasons - more than enough to earn him the starting nod for the Three Lions.
12. Sergio Ramos
With his fiery on-pitch persona, it’s easy to forget Ramos is a quite brilliant defender. His goal gave Real Madrid the lead in the Champions League final, while the Spanish veteran was also able to hold his nerve and slot his penalty in the shootout victory over neighbours Atletico. A colossus for the national team, Ramos played a massive role in Spain winning the 2010 World Cup and the past two European Championships.
11. Manuel Neuer
Quite simply the best goalkeeper in the world, with goals against the world champions likely to come at an absolute premium. Club side Bayern Munich conceded only 17 league goals last season, easily the lowest in the Bundesliga (the next best was Borussia Dortmund’s 34), while Germany let in nine goals in 10 qualifying matches, with the imposing Neuer playing a massive role in those records.
10. Kevin De Bruyne
Belgium are the number one ranked team in Europe according to the latest FIFA World Rankings, and playmaker De Bruyne is at the heart of that impressive feat, with five goals and three assists in qualifying. De Bruyne has been in stellar form since leaving Wolfsburg for Manchester City last year, with a further seven goals and nine assists in his first Premier League campaign. City’s title challenge was arguably derailed when De Bruyne was sidelined for seven matches mid-season.
9. Antoine Griezmann
One of the hottest properties in football, and it’s not hard to see why as his energetic displays and key goals helped Atletico Madrid into a second Champions League final in three seasons. With 57 goals across the past two seasons for Atleti, Griezmann is one of a plethora of attacking options for what could be a breathtaking French forward line.
8. Luka Modric
The Croatian pulls the strings masterfully in Ante Cacic’s midfield. Will have a massive part to play if Croatia are to make it through a group containing Spain, the Czech Republic, and Turkey.
7. Mesut Ozil
Sitting between Germany’s watertight defence and its potent attack is Ozil, the creative cog that makes the World Champions purr. The Arsenal playmaker dished out 19 assists in the Premier League last season, and he will be looking to bring that form to the Euros to feed the likes of Lukas Podolski, Mario Gomez, and Andre Schurrle.
6. Thomas Muller
The Bayern forward scored the third-most goals in qualifying (nine) as the world champions won their qualifying group, and is another to enter the Euros following a stunning domestic season, netting 20 times in the Bundesliga. While he might not start up front in a traditional striking role, Muller is a constant goal threat, particularly at major tournaments, with five goals at each of the past two World Cups.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
As Zlatan goes, so do Sweden, and nowhere was the striker’s importance to the national team more evident than in the two-legged qualifying playoff against Scandinavian rivals Denmark. The Swedes won that tie 4-3, with Zlatan scoring three of the four, including an exquisite free kick. These were three of the 11 goals the mercurial forward bagged in qualifying to go along with 38 in 31 Ligue 1 games for PSG this season.
4. Gareth Bale
With Wales appearing at their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, and making their first appearance at the European Championships, a balanced side playing in memory of the late Gary Speed will look to Bale as their match winner. Don’t be fooled into thinking Bale has had a down year in Spain – despite Real Madrid’s inconsistent league season, the Welsh wing wizard scored or assisted 29 of Real’s league goals despite only featuring in 23 games.
3. Robert Lewandowski
The Polish hitman is arguably the finest pure striker in Europe, with a goal scoring record that is second to none. Lewandowski top scored in Euro 2016 qualifying with 13 goals from 10 games to go along with the 30 league goals he scored for Bayern as he took home to Bundesliga Golden Boot. Poland will be hoping for more of the same as the look to progress to the knockout stage in a group containing Germany, Northern Ireland, and the Ukraine.
2. Paul Pogba
With Euro 2016 being held in France, Pogba carries the weight of the nation on his shoulders as Les Bleus look to lift another trophy on home soil just as they did last time out at the World Cup in 1998. Pogba is already a star, having been part of the Juventus side in their last four Serie A title wins, but this could be the tournament where the 23-year-old midfielder truly announces himself as the best player in the world not named Messi or Ronaldo. Manager Didier Deschamps, the captain of that World Cup-winning side, certainly hopes so.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese superstar has been Europe’s premier player for a number of years, and enters this tournament following another dominant season in Spain that saw him score over 50 goals for Real Madrid. Despite his domestic achievements, the three-time Ballon d’Or winner still strives for silverware on the international stage, with a runner-up medal from Euro 2004 the closest Portugal have come with Ronaldo in the side.
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