Euro 2024 is now in the books, and it’ll be a tournament fondly remembered by many – particularly those from Spain.
Spain deservedly saw off a spirited England team in the final on Sunday to become the most successful team in men’s European Championship history, winning the tournament for a record fourth time – previous triumphs came in 1964, 2008 and 2012.
So with it now being time to reflect on Euro 2024, we at 90min thought it’d be as good a time as ever to pick out very own team of the tournament.
If you watched the Euro 2024 final, you’ll know exactly why Jordan Pickford has made our team of the tournament.
The England number one bailed out his team on a number of occasions in Berlin on Sunday, and throughout the rest of the Euros too to be perfectly honest.
Pickford is a completely different, utterly brilliant, goalkeeper when he dons a Three Lions jersey.
It is pretty remarkable that Euro 2024 was Dani Carvajal’s first European Championship with Spain.
What isn’t remarkable, is the fact that the man who has lifted six UEFA Champions League, five FIFA Club World Cups and four La Ligas ending up being a European champion with his country.
As he has with Real Madrid time and time again down the years, Carvajal came up big when it matter most for La Roja – putting in a number of huge performances at right-back throughout.
Drafted into England’s starting lineup after Harry Maguire was struck down with injury pre-tournament, it’s fair to say that Marc Guehi more than held his own at the heart of the defence.
Be it in a three or a four, Guehi didn’t once look out of place in Gareth Southgate’s XI and now looks set to be a nailed on starter for his nation for the foreseeable future.
The best centre-back in the Premier League was also the best centre-back at Euro 2024.
Go figure.
While France’s forward line were struggling to hit a barn door in Germany – four goals in six games tells that story, William Saliba at least held up his end of the bargain at the other end of the pitch. The defender was superb for Les Bleus both on and off the ball.
Yep, Marc Cucurella was the best left-back at Euro 2024.
That is a thing that really happened.
The Chelsea defender put in career-best performances for Spain to prove his many, many doubters wrong. He even popped up with the final-winning assist for Mikel Oyarzabal. Nice one.
With Rodri in your starting lineup, chances are you’re going to win every game of football you play.
That’s exactly what Spain did. The midfielder was at his brilliant best throughout Euro 2024, putting in all-action midfield performances and even chipping in with the odd crucial goal too.
He’s now the heavy favourite to win the Ballon d’Or…
Rodri’s partner in the middle of the park was also bloody brilliant throughout Euro 2024.
Fabian Ruiz’s four goal contributions and consistent brilliance in and out of possession where key reasons why Spain went all the way in Germany this summer.
PSG fans will be hoping he brings his international form back to club football.
Celebrating your 17th birthday by winning the Euros is something that has quite literally never been done by a footballer before.
Lamine Yamal was utterly extraordinary during Euro 2024, providing Spain with quality way beyond his years on the right flank and even scoring the goal of the tournament in the semi-finals.
The sky is the limit for the Spaniard.
Considering the fact that Dani Olmo wasn’t a starter for Spain until Pedri suffered a tournament-ending injury in the quarter-finals, it is pretty damn remarkable that he’s earned a place in this team.
He’s more than deserving of his place in it too.
From his game-winning contributions in the quarter-final and semi-final victories, to his header off the line in the dying embers of the final, Olmo came up big when it mattered most for Spain.
The player of the match in the Euro 2024 final is available this summer for €58m this summer.
That may be the bargain of the century.
Nico Williams was utterly sublime in the final win over England, as he was during 99% of the rest of the tournament too.
Put simply, the Netherlands do not make it as far as the semi-finals this summer without Cody Gakpo.
In fact, they probably don’t even make it out of the group stage.
The Liverpool man was the driving force offensively for the Dutch in Germany, scoring three goals to drag his nation to the latter stages of the tournament.
