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Euro 2024: What Is The Ultimate European Championships XI?
Van Basten, Platini, Ronaldo, Maldini… the illustrious list of names who have shone on the European Championship stage simply rolls off the tongue.
But who represents the cream of the crop? Whose marauding wing play or midfield majesty sets them apart from the rest? Whose aptitude for the big moments makes them undroppable despite the scores of sublime players to choose from?
BetMGM is undertaking that very task as, ahead of the 2024 tournament, we try to construct the best XI from across European Championship history.
That’s right, we have gone over each previous tournament to create a mega team that could give even the mighty Manchester City a game.
Our Ultimate European Championships XI lines up in a 4-3-3 formation. Read our selections below.
GK: Iker Casillas
Nation: Spain Best finish: Winner (2008, 2012) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2008, 2012)
While Spain was a team brimming with magicians, they have their athletic and dependable number one to thank for their incredible success in 2008. He saved two penalties in the quarter-final against Italy and kept clean sheets in the quarter-final (0-0 vs Italy), semi-final (3-0 vs Russia) and final (1-0 vs Germany).
In 2012, Casillas went even further, ensuring he reached 509 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal – breaking a record previously held by Italy legend Dino Zoff (494 minutes). He gets the nod between the sticks with two appearances in the team of the tournament in his pocket as well as two winner’s medals.
A special shoutout here for Gianluigi Buffon – a veteran of European Championships, having travelled to four tournaments – as well as the great Russian Lev Yashin. Both have a viable case for inclusion.
RB: Lilian Thuram
Nation: France Best finish: Winner (2000) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2000)
Known as ‘The Philosopher’ by some, no outfield player has amassed more caps for France (142) than pacey and cultured defender Thuram, who gives our Ultimate XI some defensive balance.
Yes, he gave away a penalty in the 2000 final but it mattered not when striker David Trezeguet scored the only tournament-winning Golden Goal in history.
With his stellar consistency at club level for the likes of Juventus and Barcelona as well as his trophy-laden international career, Thuram is often referred to as one of the best right-backs in history.
Even legendary German Phillip Lahm would be the backup option here.
RCB: Fabio Cannavaro
Nation: Italy Best finish: Runner-up (2000) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2000)
Nicknamed ‘Il Muro di Berlino’ (The Berlin Wall) by Italian fans in the aftermath of Italy’s famous 2006 World Cup win, he was also outstanding in the Azzurri’s run to the final of the 2000 European Championships.
Despite his small stature (5ft 9in), he was magnificent in the air and could read the game better than anyone. Conceding just twice en route to the showpiece alongside the likes of Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta, Cannavaro was named in the team of the tournament just a few years after being named best player at the Under-21 European Championships.
LCB: Franz Beckenbauer
Nation: Germany Best finish: Winner (1972) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (1972, 1976)
A titan of the backline and a pioneer in terms of how modern-day coaches approach defending, Beckenbauer captained his team to European Championship glory in 1972 with a 3-0 victory over the Soviet Union in the final.
In 1976, he again led his team to the final but this time succumbed to a penalty shootout defeat against Czechoslovakia.
Nicknamed ‘der Kaiser’, he was twice voted European Player of the Year and was renowned for his ability to start attacks from the back. It is an approach most coaches agree is critical to building sustained dominance and pressure.
His compatriot, 1996 Player of the Tournament Matthias Sammer, can feel unlucky to miss out but there is no replacing the two-time-team-of-the-tournament Kaiser.
LB: Jordi Alba
Nation: Spain Best finish: Winner (2012) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2012)
The combative left-back remains one of the most successful and effective defenders of his generation.
A pioneering and buccaneering attacking prong on the left-hand side, Alba even managed to score a memorable goal in the 4-0 thrashing of Italy in the 2012 final before making the team of the tournament.
Starting the move in his own half, Alba passed it into Xavi in midfield before making a scorching run to receive the return pass by the opposing penalty area. Producing a perfect touch in greeting a perfect pass, he burst past the blue wall and flashed a finish past the legendary Buffon in goal.
CM: Andres Iniesta
Nation: Spain Best finish: Winner (2008, 2012) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2008, 2012); Player of the Tournament (2012)
A living legend, Iniesta is sometimes referred to as ‘El Ilusionista’ because of his ability to see passes others cannot.
Flair, composure, quick feet and incisive passing, the midfielder was a key part of possibly the greatest international team the world has ever seen.
He played every game in the 2008 European Championships and was unsurprisingly named in the team of the tournament. Four years later he was arguably even more effective and was named Player of the Tournament.
It was Iniesta’s enterprising run and clever inside pass to Alba which set up Xabi Alonso for the first of his two goals in the 2-0 quarter-final victory over France. It was emblematic of what he offers his teams: guile, skill, precision.
Pep Guardiola once mused that it was Iniesta who opened his eyes “to the importance of an inside forward or midfielder being able to dribble”. His impact on the game is far-reaching and he deserves to make this squad despite stellar competition from the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Ruud Gullit.
CM: Xavi
Nation: Spain Best finish: Winner (2008, 2012) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2008, 2012); Player of the Tournament (2008)
‘La Computadora’ walks into any team in any era.
Xavi had his head on a swivel at all times and knew his next pass before the player who passed him the ball had even received it. Like his partner in crime Iniesta, he was an ever-present in Spain’s two European Championship victories in 2008 and 2012.
His dominance in a game is perhaps best summed up by his performance in a 4-0 victory over Ireland in the group stage at Euro 2012, where Xavi left his indelible mark on the match with 136 attempted passes (127 completed, 94% success rate) – the most ever in a European Championship.
A passing carousel and a legendary playmaker, many credit him as the major contributor to the Spanish era of dominance.
CM: Zinedine Zidane
Nation: France Best finish: Winner (2000) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2000, 2004); Player of the Tournament (2000)
In many ways, the 2000 European Championships solidified Zidane as the leading midfield talent of his era.
‘Zizou’ was named Player of the Tournament after a memorable series of displays, which included two goals and an assist as well as two man-of-the-match awards.
The Frenchman believes he was at his best in this tournament while many observers maintain only Diego Maradona (in the 1986 World Cup) has dominated a major international competition like Zidane did in 2000.
So much so, in fact, that he even edges out compatriot Michel Platini, who scored nine goals when captaining France to 1984 European Championship glory amid a phenomenal run of three consecutive Ballons d’Or.
LW: Thierry Henry
Nation: France Best finish: Winner (2000) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2000)
Graceful, powerful, elegant, skilful… there aren’t enough superlatives in the football dictionary to sum up Henry in full flow.
After finishing the 1998 World Cup tournament as a world champion and his team’s top scorer, he carried on his international form in 2000, scoring another three goals and earning a joint-record three man-of-the-match awards.
In total, he has six goals at the European Championships (across 2000, 2004 and 2008) with only Platini and Antoine Griezmann scoring more for France.
ST: Marco van Basten
Nation: Netherlands Best finish: Winner (1988) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (1988, 1992); Player of the Tournament (1988); Top Scorer (1988)
When one attempts to name the greatest-ever goal scored at the European Championships, all roads lead to Van Basten’s wonder strike against the Soviet Union in the 1988 final.
A first-time volley at the far side of the penalty area, close to the byline, arrowed over goalkeeper Rinat Dasayev into the net, it was a spectacular strike that is still replayed over and over again and helped the Netherlands to their first international trophy.
He was named player of the tournament in 1988, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer, while he added a second team of the tournament nod in 1992 ensuring he beats out stellar competition from Alan Shearer, David Villa and Dennis Bergkamp here.
RW: Cristiano Ronaldo
Nation: Portugal Best finish: Winner (2016) Key stat: Team of the Tournament (2004, 2012, 2016); Top Scorer (2020)
We could not leave out one of the best players of all time. A phenomenon in all senses of the word, Ronaldo has been consistency personified on the international stage.
No player has more international goals (128) or more international appearances (206). Within those eye-watering figures he has also scored more goals than any other player in European Championships history (14).
Add in his stellar 2016 tournament as he led an unfancied Portugal to victory and the three-time team of the tournament pick simply has to make the cut.
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Alternative All-time Euros XIs
It’s a game of opinions. That’s why we’ve put together some alternative teams that could push our Ultimate XI all the way. What do you think? Let us know via our social media channels.
5-3-2: Gianluigi Buffon (ITA); Philipp Lahm (GER), Pepe (POR), Matthias Sammer (GER), Alessandro Nesta (ITA), Bixente Lizarazu (FRA); Steven Gerrard (ENG), Andrea Pirlo (ITA), Michel Platini (FRA); Fernando Torres (ESP), Jurgen Klinsmann (GER).
4-4-2: Lev Yashin (USSR); Gianluca Zambrotta (ITA), John Terry (ENG), Giorgio Chiellini (ITA), Paolo Maldini (ITA); Luis Figo (POR), Didier Deschamps (FRA), Ruud Guulit (NED), Karel Poborsky (CZE); Dennis Bergkamp (NED), Antoine Griezmann (FRA).
3-4-3: Peter Schmeichel (DNK); Ronald Koeman (NED), Carles Puyol (ESP), Leonardo Bonucci (ITA); David Beckham (ENG), Lothar Matthaus (GER), Frank Rijkaard (NED), Pavel Nedved (CZE); Andrey Arshavin (RUS), Alan Shearer (ENG), David Villa (ESP).
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