Euro 2024 best ever XI: Georgia beats Spain, Germany, France

After 36 games and 81 goals, the group stage of Euro 2024 has ended and we have said goodbye to eight of the 24 teams that started the tournament.

This Euros has brought us some amazing ups and downs and storylines, with some pre-tournament favorites facing massive disappointment, while other less-appreciated nations getting a breath of fresh air.

So the best XI of the tournament so far is a real mix of old and new, big-name stars and breakout players. A few players (Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori, Spain’s Fabian Ruiz, Switzerland’s Granit was easy. For making.

Valencia’s goalkeeper has been at his best so far in his position during the group stage. He has kept his team afloat in three matches with some amazing saves, especially against Czechia where he made 11 stops, the most in a match in Euro history. This is even more impressive when you consider that he is only 23 years old and this is his first major tournament.

The Fenerbahçe right-back scored one of the goals of the tournament so far, a half-volley into the top corner against Georgia. The 25-year-old has been good defensively and is always ready to go forward. Coach Vincenzo Montella put him on the bench against Portugal, but when he returned against Czechia his team performed better.

Given that the Arsenal defender has been the best centre-back in the Premier League this season, it may come as no surprise to see him in this team. However, it was not certain that he would even start for France in this tournament. But he convinced coach Didier Deschamps to give him a chance and he took it, producing three almost faultless performances so far.

In his team’s back three, Akanji plays as a sweeper and is the commander of the defence. As the leader of this organized Swiss side, the versatile Manchester City player has excelled, especially in the 1-1 draw with Germany. His understanding of the game, intelligence and calmness on the ball have really set him apart.

Now, this is a selection that no one would have predicted at the start of the Euros. Some may have even thought Cucurella would start ahead of Alejandro Grimaldo. The Chelsea left-back has not only become a starter for Spain, but he has also been the best left-back in the tournament. On the left he has a very good relationship with Nico Williams and Fabian and defensively he has Croatia’s Lovro Majer and Italy’s Federico Chiesa in his pocket.

The boss is back, and what a difference it makes for Germany and this competition. For the last few days of his long career, the maestro has been giving us a chance to pass a masterclass and showcase his super-high football IQ. Even though Switzerland disappointed him in the third game, there is no other player like him in this tournament.

Kante’s story is one of the best of these Euros. At the age of 33, after two years away from international football and out of the limelight due to injuries and then a move to Saudi Arabia, the former Chelsea midfielder bounced back and dominated the first two matches against Austria and the Netherlands. This tournament has been made even better by seeing Kante at his best again on the big stage.

Another unexpected selection, and certainly an unknown name to many ahead of the tournament, the Slovakian wide player has been the offensive leader of one of the surprises of the tournament so far. The 30-year-old scored two big goals for his country amid some impressive displays from the right back. This is a continuation of his good season with Sparta Prague, where he scored eight goals and recorded four assists in the league.

We expected him to be one of the stars of the tournament and he has not disappointed. It’s an absolute joy to watch the ball glide along, which sometimes becomes difficult to catch. Despite being only 21 years old and playing in a wider role than Bayern Munich, his two goals and nine successful dribbles are both the most ever scored. The Swiss managed to stop him in the third game, but who else can do that?

AM: Nico Williams (Spain)

That’s right, all the talk before the tournament was about Lamine Yamal and the Barcelona player has performed well so far in Germany. But Nico, his teammate and closest friend in the team, has produced his best individual performance of the tournament so far with his performance against Italy, whom he almost single-handedly upset. The Athletic Club star will have a number of big clubs keen on a move this summer.

If you haven’t followed these Euros and were asked to name the top scorer after the group stage, you would undoubtedly say one of Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku or Alvaro Morata and be right to do so. will be. But you would also be very wrong. With three goals so far (numbers of the players mentioned above) and one assist, Georgia and Metz’s Mikoutadze is winning the race for the Golden Boot. If you’ve been following Ligue 2 over the past few months, you’ll have seen him in great form with 11 goals in his final 12 games of the club season, but to keep doing that at the Euros is something else altogether.

Coach: Willie Sagnol (Georgia)

Who else? He has created one of the best stories in Euro history. He took little Georgia to a tournament for the first time and then to the knockout stage. Yes, their team is playing deep and relies heavily on superstar Khvicha Kvaratskheliya and rising stars like Mamardashvili and Mikoutadze, but they have also built an amazing team cohesion with fighting spirit and great organization. Most importantly, he has made his players believe that anything is possible in football.