Ronaldo out but ‘functional’ Liverpool forward named in Euro 2024 team of the group stage
Cristiano Ronaldo has been pushed out of the Euro 2024 team of the tournament so far, with Liverpool represented and a disgruntled Manchester City player in.
The Euro 2024 team of the tournament will be updated if necessary after every game in Germany, up to the final on July 14 to give a definitive best XI.
Goalkeeper: Giorgi Mamardashvili (Georgia)
As the busiest of all goalkeepers, facing at least six more shots on target than his contemporaries throughout the group stage, Mamardashvili has undoubtedly had more opportunity to impress than others. But the £35m-rated Newcastle target has undoubtedly taken it.
After a spirited performance in defeat to Turkey, the Valencia shot-stopper was in inspired form to safeguard a point against Czechia – Georgia’s first at a major tournament.
That turned out to be invaluable, combining with a heroic victory over Portugal to secure a place for Georgia in the last 16. Mamardashvili was not their best performer on the day – which says a lot about Cristiano Ronaldo and friends – but his input was still crucial.
Right-back: Dani Carvajal (Spain)
Hoping to follow in the stuttering footsteps of Jorginho and a select few others in winning the European Cup and European Championship in the same season, Carvajal scored in the final of the former and the opener of the latter within a fortnight.
The Real Madrid defender was not flawless defensively against either Croatia or Italy but contributed heavily to the clean sheets Spain kept in both games. He even earned a nice little rest in the dead-rubber against Albania, something he will be thankful for when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia rocks up on his flank in the next round.
Centre-back: Jaka Bijol (Slovenia)
No player has made more clearances at Euro 2024 so far than Bijol (28), whose agent should expect a call from Sean Dyche in the coming days.
The list of strikes Bijol has helped Slovenia keep quiet is impressive: Rasmus Hojlund, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic and Harry Kane might not be at the peak of their respective powers but a 25-year-old fresh from a Serie A relegation battle with Udinese should not have been able to handle them with such ease.
There was one slip in the England game which resulted in a yellow card when Kane wriggled free, but Bijol has otherwise been impeccable at the heart of a remarkably stingy defence.
Centre-back: Pepe (Portugal)
As is reiterated after each of his appearances, Pepe is 41 but still thriving as the lynchpin of an emerging Portugal side. There remain legitimate questions over the incongruousness of Ronaldo as the spearhead of this brilliant young team but no such complaints have been aired about the Porto centre-half.
No cards after two games is a bit of a disappointment but then Pepe did not make even a single foul against Czechia and Turkey, both of whom Portugal mostly dominated. He was one of the many changes Roberto Martinez made for the Georgia defeat amid the sort of performance which only enhanced the reputations of those not picked.
Left-back: Marc Cucurella (Spain)
“I think this is my best form since coming to Chelsea,” Cucurella said heading into a tournament which, at least initially, has seen that steadily upward trajectory continue.
Cucurella’s recent personal improvement has been linked more to a change in role and his ability in possession, but he has underlined his defensive development with important interventions against Croatia and Turkey. Maybe Todd Boehly is simply a genius who played the long game.
Central midfield: Toni Kroos (Germany)
It is difficult to think of a more masterful stroll into the sunset than retiring with winner’s medals from the Champions League and European Championship in each back pocket. If Germany are to make that a reality then Kroos will be central to it.
His midfield battle with Granit Xhaka – unfortunate to miss out here – was the only time Kroos and Germany have looked anything other than imposing. Neither Scotland nor Hungary really had any sort of answer to his deep-lying conducting and it is no surprise to see that the 34-year-old has misplaced just 16 of his 340 passes, nor that no other played has attempted more than 238.
Central midfield: Fabian Ruiz (Spain)
“If his name wasn’t Fabian, you would be talking about him non-stop. He has everything and has known how to do everything well at all times,” said Spain manager Luis de la Fuente after the 3-0 thrashing of Croatia, in which Ruiz displayed some sublime footwork to score a fine goal.
It was the sort of calm control he exuded against Italy in something close to the perfect midfield performance as Spain laid down their tournament credentials early on.
Perhaps the PSG man is more appreciated elsewhere. Ian Wright even referenced how England needed to end their Trent Alexander-Arnold “experiment” and bring Adam Wharton into midfield “simply because he’s the closest I’ve seen to Fabian Ruiz”.
Right-wing: Jamal Musiala (Germany)
The most competition for places comes on the right side of attack, where Federico Chiesa, Lamine Yamal and Arda Guler have all thrived thus far. But Musiala set an immediate high bar which no-one has quite reached since.
The standard of opposition does have to be taken into account but even then, no Germany player tormented Scotland with the same unrelenting brutality as Musiala. Hungary did not fare much better and he was probably the team’s best performer in the Switzerland draw.
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Attacking midfield: Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
One of only five players with two man-of-the-match awards at the tournament – N’Golo Kante, Stanislav Lobotka, Granit Xhaka and Christian Eriksen round out that brilliant Powerleague team – thus far, De Bruyne leads Euro 2024 for shot-creating actions (25) and touches in the attacking third (118).
But Belgium are one of many teams who seem frustrated at the supporter reaction to lacklustre performances. De Bruyne trying to lead applause of the fans after the goalless draw with Ukraine, only to guide his teammates away after being booed, felt instructive.
Left-wing: Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)
Having used the 2022 World Cup as a platform upon which to multiply his value and earn a move to Liverpool, Gakpo continued his major international tournament form with a deflected goal and tenacious showing from the left side of attack against Poland.
He even took the step up against France in stride, seeing far less of the ball but playing an important role in a solid team performance, before scoring in the defeat to eventual Euro 2024 champions Austria.
Cesc Fabregas likes Gakpo as “a functional player” with “great ability” who “needs to be told constantly what to do,” which is no bad thing. He is a coach’s dream, basically.
Centre-forward: Georges Mikautadze (Georgia)
The ninth player to score in all three matches of a European Championship group phase, Mikautadze upstaged the most recent man to accomplish that feat – Ronaldo in 2021 – to inspire Georgia into the last 16.
It has been a wonderful summer already for a forward who might single-handedly reignite the phenomenon of clubs signing players based purely off an impressive international tournament. The laptop nerds almost eradicated that beautiful quirk out of existence with their xG nonsense but 23-year-old Mikautadze, recently relegated with Metz and unwanted by parent club Ajax, is a prime candidate to join West Ham for £20m and do nothing.
