They impressed with talent, technology and goals and shone on the big football stage. With five players, Italy makes up the majority of ORF.at’s dream team. Three players from the final opponents England made it into the selection. A far advance in the course of the tournament naturally increased the chances of a nomination. The dream team doesn’t just consist of finalists. A Spaniard, a Portuguese and a Dutchman are also in the 4-3-3 system. The substitutes for the top players are mixed up for this.
Tormann: Gianluigi Donnarumma
Donnarumma seamlessly continues the great tradition of Italian goalkeepers like Dino Zoff and Gianluigi Buffon. The 22-year-old was extremely reliable and became the father of triumph, especially as a penalty killer. In the semifinals against Spain Donnarumma held one penalties, in the final against England even two penalties. As a reward, he was the first goalkeeper in history to be voted best player of the tournament. Team boss Roberto Mancini ennobled Donnarumma “the best goalie in the world”, which he is after his performance at the European Championships.
Replacement: Jordan Pickford (England)
Defender, right: Kyle Walker
At 31 years of age, Walker was the oldest player in the English squad, but it was precisely this routine that the ManCity defender played out with all the rules of defensive art. With his robustness and impressive speed, Walker put constant pressure on the opposing striker and did not let them unfold. Walker was reluctant to attack, but when he got involved in the attack, it was all right. Walker also demonstrated his versatility when he played flawlessly in a back three in the round of 16 and the final.
Review: Giovanni di Lorenzi (Italy)
Center-back: Harry Maguire
Had Maguire been in Harold Godwinson’s army on the English coast in 1066, Wilhelm would not have even conquered a sandcastle and would have sailed back to Normandy without having achieved anything. The 28-year-old was the cornerstone of a strong English defense and exuded an immense physical presence. Maguire also impressed with his overview, calm on the ball and in the opening of the game. In set pieces, the ManUnited captain was a constant threat due to his strength in the ball.
Replacement: Simon Kjaer (Denmark)
Center-back: Leonardo Bonucci
Bonucci’s “Siamese defensive twin” Giorgio Chiellini, with whom he has played over 300 games in central defense, could also be at this point. The equalizer in the final, the dismantling of striker Harry Kane and the subsequent election as player of the game tipped the balance in favor of the 34-year-old. The Juve defender crowned his 109-game team career with the title. At the EM he presented himself as in his international debut in 2010: strong in duels, perfect positional play and secure on the ball.
Ersatz: Giorgio Chiellini (Italien)
Defender left: Leonardo Spinazzola
Spinazzola embodied the new prototype of the full-back. The 28-year-old delivered remarkable dribbles. His tempo runs over the left side were a characteristic of the sometimes breathtaking performances of the “Squadra Azzura”. The Roma player was perhaps the best player of the tournament before suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in the quarter-finals against Belgium. Against Spain and England Spinazzola was condemned to watch, but flew to London and provided moral support, which was rewarded with the title.
Replacement: Luke Shaw (England)
Right midfield: Denzel Dumfries
Dumfries played his way into the spotlight in an EM for the Dutch that was screwed up on the bottom line. The 25-year-old played on the right in a five-man chain, but impressed with his speed, goal danger and excellent crosses. He was directly involved in the first five goals of “Oranje” against Ukraine and Austria – he scored two of them himself. Dumfries demonstrated his class in just four games. It is unclear whether he will continue to play at PSV Eindhoven. According to reports, there should be interest from Italy and Bavaria.
Replacement: Steven Zuber (Switzerland)
Central midfield: Jorginho
The “professor”, as Jorginho is also called, was a key player on the way to winning the title. The native Brazilian set the pace and rhythm in midfield like a metronome. In the final, the 29-year-old was the key to turning things around. In the semi-final against Spain, he calmly converted the decisive penalty. In the final he was lucky enough to be able to play that his missed penalty had no consequences. After winning the Champions League and the European Championship, he is a candidate for World Footballer of the Year.
Replacement: Paul Pogba (France)
Left midfield: Pedri
At the age of just 18, Pedri completed his first EM at a constant and extremely high level. If the young star from FC Barcelona can hold onto this, he is the future of the Spaniards and a legitimate successor to the legends Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. Pedri was not only extremely strong, he was also very good with the ball. His composure, technical skills and accuracy of the pass were excellent. In the semifinals against Italy he had a pass rate of 100 percent in regular time.
Replacement: Marco Verratti (Italy)
Right wing: Federico Chiesa
The apple doesn’t fall far from the trunk, at least as far as Chiesa is concerned. While father Enrico stormed 17 times for Italy at the end of the 90s, son Federico has already made 33 international matches. The 23-year-old’s real breakthrough came during the European Championships. Chiesa was an absolute asset to the new European champions. As a tireless fighter, the Juventus player always radiated goal danger. Against Austria he scored 1-0 in extra time, against Spain worth seeing with a flick to the 1-0 lead.
Replacement: Joakim Maehle (Denmark)
Center forward: Cristiano Ronaldo
With five goals and one assist – mind you in just four games – Ronaldo secured the top scorer’s crown at a major tournament for the first time in his extraordinary career. Otherwise the best marks tumbled again. With 14 goals, the Portuguese is the only record scorer in the European Championship. With 109 goals, he broke the world record for international goals. No other player has 25 EM games in five finals either. Ronaldo is still the measure of all things at the age of 36, not much more needs to be said.
Replacement: Patrik Schick (Czech Republic)
Left wing: Raheem Sterling
The final did not go according to plan for Sterling, but until the final the 26-year-old yelled the loudest in the “Three Lions” team. Victory goals in the group stage against Croatia and the Czech Republic in the group stage, the opening goal in the round of 16 against Germany and the penalty taken against Denmark speak volumes. After a mixed season at ManCity, Sterling worked tirelessly for success and caused confusion in the opposing ranks with his speed and speed dribbling.
Replacement: Lorenzo Insigne (Italy)
Trainer: Roberto Mancini
Mancini’s performance cannot be rated highly enough. After missing the qualification for the 2018 World Cup, the 56-year-old formed the new European champion from an insecure troop. Mancini gave the “Squadra Azzurra” a new face and also relied on players from Atalanta, FC Turin and Sassuolo. It wasn’t the name of the club that counted, but only performance and character. From this pool of players Mancini formed a team that excited football fans. Next goal: the fifth world title.
Kotrainer: Vladimir Petkovic (Switzerland)
