If we include the qualifiers, and possible quality games there, until 1976 (thus not only last two games) then I'd say: Dzajic 1968 Netzer 1972 Cruijff & Viktor 1976 (controversial) Platini 1984 Van Basten 1988 Schmeichel 1992 Zidane 2000 Senna 2008 Pirlo 2012 (maybe... now I start to doubt) Very dependent on teams progressing far, getting the 'timing' right and so on. The limitations and problems as mentioned in the other thread.
Nice effort Puck. This one, unlike World Cups, I didn't make an attempt at before, although you started a thread about individual Euro performances Puck of course, and comme has made some threads for the tournaments individually. I agree with the concept of it being fair to look at some qualifying games for pre-1980, at least the knock-out games played home and away immediately preceding the final tournament (with 4 teams involved). And on that basis I agree that Cruyff and Dzajic seem to have a good case, and Netzer might even be top German candidate (not to rule out Beckenbauer/Muller for '72 either though). Also Viktor, especially in the final games in the tournament seems a good call, and I also think about Yashin as a goalkeeper from 1960 who is said to have starred. If I try from 1984 onwards then I think I'd have a list like this, but I do think it's fair to add earlier players and use some qualifying games: Platini 1984 Tigana 1984 Van Basten 1988 Schmeichel 1992 Zidane 2000 Totti 2000 Figo 2000 Villa 2008 Pirlo 2012 Griezmann 2016 I think potentially Suker from 1996 was on course, if he'd stayed in longer and had some more impressive games/goals, and actually adding in his qualifying would help his case of course, but for post-1980 that's not reasonable to do.
For that matter, I'm also wondering about Sneijder from 2008 being a similar case. But ruling them both out, I guess like on the World Cup thread, I've ended up with 17 possible options for 10 places again (but due to the particular uncertainty of comparing pre-1980 tournaments, as well as the footage issues especially if we did bring some qualifying games into it). The ones from my list of 10 post-1980 that I'd be most uncertain of might be Totti, Figo, Villa and Griezmann. The other 6 I'd tend to include probably, and Puck also had all except Tigana (but was a bit unsure of Pirlo and I'd also be in two minds about saying he played better than Totti/Figo overall but maybe there would be memory issues too when trying to make calls like that).
That's right and Igor Netto too. For 1964 often Suarez Miramontes get mentioned but he played only 3 games and personally get the impression he only played well (creating things) in 1.5 games at best. Suarez Miramontes is most probably the stand-out player of that generation and if everything clicked he showed his class, so on the basis 'what if everyone is fit all the time' I can get it.
I certainly felt Suarez played well in the final game (video was/is on YouTube for him). Much better than he did in the 1964 European Cup Final I'd say (for me Mazzola was quite a lot better in that game for Inter).
Yeah, some hard calls. Thought about Villa 2008 but then wondered about Shearer and Suker (who was out earlier) of 1996. Started to doubt about Pirlo when thinking about Figo 2000 and also Bergkamp 1992, indeed. In the end for the sake of a good spread I left Pirlo in.
I don't really feel like Rummenigge showed close to his best form; Schuster I thought perhaps not very far away but I wasn't really tempted to include either tbh. I think Dasaev might have been better in WC82 overall maybe, but Rijkaard did cross my mind (like with Schuster prompted by games/highlights seen by me recently, although I was able to watch some of Euro 88 at the time and would certainly have had Van Basten in mind based on memory alone) and while again I wasn't so tempted to include I would at least think he might compare very well among defensive performances (he played as a CB of course), so potentially above Nesta from 2000, Carvalho from 2004 and suchlike maybe.
Yes, this are my thoughts. Rummenigge has (correctly) good FF grades for the Greece and Czechoslovakia matches (Greece is his best) but is it enough? Then I'd rather include Sammer/Eilts 1996 or Muller/Beckenbauer 1972 (esp. if only seeing last 2 games and ignoring the Poland + England matches). Schuster played in two of the four matches in 1980, but not too far off yes (but don't agree with dearman he had no mistakes, though yes possibly two 5/6 performances). Ruled out Dasaev because I had already another one of that tournament and had already Schmeichel and also Viktor. Viktor was in the semi final busier than Dasaev in his. Great goalkeeper of great style though, no doubt. Rijkaard maybe slightly better in 1992 as 1988, as hinted by VI too (will be away the next week but since it's appreciated I'll continue with it).
2000 - Zidane, Figo 2004 - Zagorakis, Nedved 2008 - Xavi, Arshavin 2012 - Pirlo, Iniesta 2016 - Griezmann