European Championship players of the tournament 1968 - 2006

The World Cup players have been much discussed, let's gather some thoughts about the european championship players of the tournament.

1968: For this tournament no (unofficial) vote was held but I know Dragan Dzajic was perceived in these terms - at this very poor and defensive tournament (1.25 goals per game). In the semi final he stood out against England (video). In the final he scored a goal in the 1st leg, but lost against Italy, which some perceived as a questionable performance by the referee (Yugoslavia filed a protest against Gottfried Dienst). Dzajic broke into the official FIFA XI for a match against Brazil later that year (10th anniversary of first World Cup win), and he was tipped for winning the Ballon d'Or by a number of players, but eventually he 'lost' it with 15 points difference (or 12% difference) against George Best. He also played in the quarter final demolition of France, where he provided the assist for the opening goal and scored a goal (in total 3 assists and 3 goals in 5 matches from quarter finals onward).

1972: For this tournament a vote became organized by the German press agency and some sponsors. Gunter Netzer was singled out, despite the quarter final not being part of the main tournament. It seems to be a fair and accurate choice although it can be asked to what extent he differentiated himself from his team mates at the main tournament itself. Maybe the distinction would have been clearer if the tournament (the final game) had been played at a neutral venue and against stronger opponents, for the England team was a fairly weak and overaged one and the Soviet Union was also thinking about the Olympics later in the year. Belgium in the semi final missed their best player in midfield-boss Van Moer (broken leg in quarter final against Italy's Bertini) and saw a (by meters) onside goal disallowed. Goals per game had almost doubled to 2.33 goals per game. Netzer had two assists against Belgium and scored a penalty against England (1 goal (PK), 2 assists in 4 games).

1976: Czechoslovakia won the tournament and goalkeeper Ivo Viktor ran away with the honors, voted by the journalists. He had spectacular saves in the closing stages of the Netherlands match in the semi final. He was again commanding his penalty area in the final, with a 'clean' style (not thumping someone's head in the process, which happened at that tournament). Remarkable at this goalkeeper win is the high goals per game scored in the tournament: 4.67 per match, while euro 2000 and euro 1984 were at 2.74 and 2.73 respectively as 2nd and 3rd highest. While euro 1968 (1.25) and euro 1980 (1.92) are the lowest (and two poorest) with euro 1996, euro 1992 (which had in turn the most fouls per game) and euro 1988 following behind.

... To be continued ...

 

1980: The runner-up in the 1979 Ballon d'Or Karl-Heinz Rummenigge became voted ahead of Ceulemans and his team mate Schuster (who played just two games but was good in the final). His colleague in the forward line Klaus Allofs was very likely better and more dangerous in the game against the Netherlands and in the final, more often fouled too, while Rummenigge was the best forward of his team against Greece and Czechoslovakia. He scored one goal and one assist in 4 games, including the assist for the late winner in the final (from a corner kick) as they capitalized on their superior stamina and perseverance. Ceulemans was in particular impressive against Spain, to a lesser extent England (1 goal, 2 assists). Rummenigge looked in two matches good too at euro 1984 (at one game possibly better as he ever was at euro 1980, with more dribbles and initiating chances, but this was a more open tournament), but his team went out in the group stage.

1984: This tournament delivered one of the most obvious stand out performances. On home soil captain Michel Platini scored 9 goals (1PK) and 1 assist in 5 matches. While L'Equipe funnily rated Chalana and his own team mate Tigana higher, the brilliance against Denmark and Czechoslovakia in particular (Belgium too, but they were miles below sub-strength) leaves no doubt. The captain made the difference in extra time against Portugal with a goal and an assist. In output no one came close to the 1983 Ballon d'Or winner and he won the press plaudits with a landslide.

1988: Hotel swaps, setbacks and as usual a strong schedule on hostile territory couldn't stop Marco van Basten while he delivered 5 goals and 2 assists in four-and-a-half games (without extra time). As goals per game dropped from 2.73 to 2.27 he showed his best against a schedule that virtually none can match. Netherlands played twice against the #1 ranked team, once against #6 and once against #3 (who were hosts on top). Ireland was ranked #11. Who came close at euro and World Cup level? His contribution, including a few spectacular moments and an unfairly disallowed goal, at euro 1992 has become under-appreciated a bit. But as his benefiting team mate Bergkamp remarked: "He had a characteristic way of running with his feet a short distance apart which was also like me. Later, when he had problems with his ankle, his posture sagged a bit whereas I stood straighter."

1992: For the first time no player from the winning team (Denmark) was voted by the press. Thomas Hässler was, scoring two goals (both free kicks; C.I.S. and Sweden) and registering 0 assists in 5 games. Brian Laudrup came 2nd in the vote and Thomas Brolin 3rd. This is probably the first edition I'd change with certainty. From the winners saves king Peter Schmeichel and the subtlety of Brian Laudrup (1 assist) stand out. The other stand out dribbler of that tournament Dennis Bergkamp (3 goals) would be a fine choice too, although he benefited from the fuss and confusion that the three forwards (Gullit, MvB, Roy) ahead of him created, as is visible at all three goals he scored. Brian Laudrup his numbers do not look spectacular, despite his dribbles, but this is the tournament with clearly the most fouls per game and a record 40% of the matches ended in a draw (2.1 goals per game). Schmeichel had fantastic late saves in the semi final (as well as the shoot out) and in the final itself.

 

1996: It has become pressed to the background that Dieter Eilts was voted as player of the tournament by the press, while UEFA assigned retrospectively this honor to defensive colleague Matthias Sammer (2 goals, 0 assists in 6 games). They did have at the time official man of the match awards and Karel Poborsky had most of them (three times). An alternative option would be captain Jurgen Klinsmann, who registered 3 goals and 1 assist in four games although he didn't make the official team of the tournament. It's a problem to pick out one (click).

2000: Although Zinedine Zidane only had one assist, a (controversial) penalty goal and a free kick goal in 6 games; this is again one of the least doubtful choices. Others as Luis Figo were maybe as good (2nd source), no one was better and they didn't win the team trophy either of course. UEFA gave more 'man of the match' designations to his team mate Thierry Henry, but their first ever official player of the tournament award went to Zidane (decided several months later). He was also decent in flashes at euro 2004; the only player who can compare to him in through balls and chances created at the European Championship is Dennis Bergkamp (who like him played in three tournaments, while ofc someone like Platini played in one with fewer matches). At the semi final against Portugal he succeeded in nine of the ten attempted dribbles. Is Iniesta really better than him?

2004: They gave it to Zagorakis (1 assist) of winners Greece but maybe Wayne Rooney (4 goals, 1 assist), Pavel Nedved (1 assist - similar case to Zidane before he fell out with injury in semi final) or even Arjen Robben (3 assists) would have been more deserving? I don't have a defined group of candidates for this one. Or maybe even I became swayed by the European Commission statement concerning a Greece vs Portugal final.

2008: Many thought of Marcos Senna as the dominant midfielder behind Spain's triumph. But he was a naturalized stopgap playing for lowly Villarreal... that is definitely not what the stakeholders want to see. By that time the championships had grown 10 times bigger as what it was 40 years earlier. So they gave it maybe rightly to Xavi Hernandez (1 goal, 2 assists), who was more technical and ran definitely the most kilometers for the team with the highest intensity and distance run of the competing countries.


http://scoreshelf.com/bkcs/en/European_Cup

 

As an overview to start thoughts, and possible replacements for tournaments or alternative choices.

Summary (goals per game aside):

1968 (5 games): Dzajic (3 goals, 3 assists), average opponent rank #12
1972 (4 games): Netzer (1 goals (1PK), 2 assists), average opponent rank #6
1976 (4 games): Ivo Viktor (goalkeeper @4.75 gpg), average opponent rank #8
1980 (4 games): Rummenigge (1 goal, 1 assist), average opponent rank #17
1984 (5 games): Platini (9 goals (1PK), 1 assist), average opponent rank #17
1988 (5 games): Van Basten (5 goals, 2 assists), average opponent rank #4
1992 (5 games): Hassler (2 goals, 0 assists), average opponent rank #11
1996 (6 games): Sammer (2 goals, 0 assists), average opponent rank #10
2000 (6 games): Zidane (2 goals (1PK), 1 assist), average opponent rank #8
2004 (6 games): Zagorakis (1 assist), average opponent rank #8
2008 (6 games): Xavi (1 goal, 2 assists), average opponent rank #15

 

OK, just showing some of the same basic stats for these alternatives (don't take it in the wrong way):

Tigana 1984: 0 goals, 3 assists
Gullit 1988: 1 goal, 2 assists
Suker 1996: 3 goals (1PK), 1 assist
Gascoigne 1996: 1 goal, 1 assist
Rui Costa 1996: 0 goals, 0 assists
Totti 2000: 2 goals, 0 assists
Figo 2000: 1 goal, 3 assists
Henry 2000: 3 goals, 1 assist
Barros 2004: 5 goals, 1 assist
Dellas 2004: 1 goal
Villa 2008: 4 goals, 0 assists (all in group stage though)
Sneijder 2008: 2 goals, 3 assists
Pirlo 2012: 1 goal, 2 assists
Iniesta 2012: 0 goals, 2 assists (vs Ireland and Croatia)

Detailed 2012 stats can be seen at WhoScored of course.

It's immediately noticeable that Figo registered good numbers. Both his assists number (in his five-six best years), also things as match grades (Don Balon trophies) and looking at GoalImpact (higher than for ex. Zidane) too stack up very well - but Zidane is for 2000 indeed the obvious choice because no other noteworthy performer was as good or better than him. Also agree about Tigana that he was probably ahead of Giresse for them. He was quite widely talked about as 2nd best and was 2nd in the 1984 Ballon d'Or.

 

If you google you can find a few things however, like the 9/10 success rate of Zidane at the euro 2000 semi final, or Platini his 1984 shooting accuracy and touches, or through balls, 5 goals from 7 opportunities in 1988 etc.

 

For example euro 2000:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/4755118/Euro-2000-Hail-Zizou-shy-conductor.html
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football: EURO 2000 SUPER STATS; ONLY one man in our team of the...-a065937842
[bad layout but you can see through it]
http://www.skynet.ie/~oasis/euro2000/opta.html

707 - Zinedine Zidane has completed more passes than any other player in the history of the European Championships, ahead of Xavi. Birthday.

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 23, 2012

30 - Only Deco (33) & Bergkamp (31) have created more scoring chances from open play in Euro finals history than Zinedine Zidane. Birthday.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 23, 2012

90% - Zinedine Zidane completed 9 of the 10 dribbles he attempted vs. Portugal in the EURO 2000 semi-final. Magician. http://t.co/I96O9qu2

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 2, 2012

Maybe not surprisingly there happens to be a correlation with the overall GI rating.

edit: other example

35% - Michel Platini a converti 9 de ses 26 tirs à l'EURO 1984. Capitaine.

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 30, 2012

http://leblogadoudouce.com/platini-numero-9999999/

 

Yes.
http://www.optasports.com/news-area/blog-optas-unique-historical-euros-database.aspx

Forgot to say that Xavi overtook Zidane after the end of the tournament (not that it matters a lot and it isn't the very most relevant statistic perse although it tells something about 'playmaking). He reached the mark after the quarter final match against France.

734 - Xavi has made more successful passes in Euro Finals history, overtaking Zinedine Zidane (707) tonight. Trivia.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 23, 2012

 

Sorry ---- I meant Yugoslavia of course instead of Czechoslovakia. Accidentally I typed it double. Because Czechoslovakia was typed down for 1976 and 1980.

It was against Yugoslavia a perfect hat-trick (left foot, right foot, head) for Platini in a 3-2 win. The three goals came after trailing 0-1.

5 – Five of Michel Platini’s nine goals at Euro 1984 came from set-piece situations. Specialist.

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) May 26, 2012

2 - Michel Platini is the only player to score two hat-tricks in European Championship Finals. Answer

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 6, 2012

1 - Michel Platini scored with his only shot on target during France-Spain 1984, a direct-free kick in the 57th minute. Master. #champions84

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 27, 2014

Something about euro 1980: Klaus Allofs played in 3 matches, whereas Rummenigge played in four. That almost by default rules him out for top position (like Hrubesch, Schuster) if it is not miles better in all three games (336 minutes versus 270 minutes). Of the ones who played all four games Briegel was of his team perhaps the closest (vs Greece in particular).

5 - Top five goal involvement at Euros (Goals + Assists): 1. Platini 10, 2. Ronaldo 9, 3= Bergkamp, Klinsmann and Poborsky 8. Heroes

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 27, 2012

Without penalties: Platini 9 (5 games @ 8 teams); Ronaldo 9 (14 games @ 16 teams); Bergkamp 8 (13 games @ 8 and 16 teams); Klinsmann 7 (13 games @ 8 and 16 teams); Poborsky 7 (14 games @ 16 teams)

where penalty won = assist

 

That is a good idea if you like.

I was also thinking that I've to start researching Olympic football until ~1984 a little bit more (in 1984 eligibility restrictions became inserted, making sending of the first team de facto impossible).
Until 1988 - as 1984 was boycotted by the Eastern Bloc - it was an important tournament for East European countries. For some countries at least; sometimes all countries at the same year, sometimes not all at the same year. In 1980 Czechoslovakia didn't travel with their first team to the Olympics, while the Soviet Union did. In 1976 it probably did not help the Soviet Union at the European Championship quarter finals as they were betting with the team and staff on two horses. I've seen comments by themselves saying that, before and after. Most often used solution was fielding a 2nd team in the OC qualifiers. Then at euro 1988 that balancing act didn't present itself due to inserted restrictions, and funnily they nearly won both tournaments (England, Italy at euro 1988 etc.).
It would also provide a glimpse into Blokhin his performance consistency for example (starting for club and country in 1972; bronze 1972, bronze 1976), or Deyna (gold medal 1972, silver 1976) etcetera.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_at_the_Summer_Olympics#Men.27s_top_scorers_by_tournament

 

Henry maybe too but need to check to be sure. I just took the above list and eliminated the penalties (unless self-drawn).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UEFA_European_Championship_goalscorers

 

Ah yes, you're right. I thought the ball deviated to an outcome-changing effect (which it probably still did). Don't know otherwise why I did, because I wrote it down here, and all the other ones match with the above (also Tigana etcetera):
http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/all-star-teams-of-1986-world-cup.1979342/page-2#post-26954617