To the victors go the spoils.
Nine Spanish players were named to the Euro 2008 all-tournament squad, with Xavi Hernandez earning player of the tournament honors. Iker Casillas, Xavi, Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Puyol, Marchena, Torres, Iniesta, David Villa, and Marcos Senna were the Spanish representatives.
While Xavi had a good tournament, I think Senna should have the greatest recognition. He bossed around Arshavin and then Ballack in order. He helped secure the Spanish backline that did not allow a goal in the knockout stages. And, he was a threat at times offensively with some ground missiles he launched at goal. But, a defensive midfielder is not going to win this award.
Only Lahm, Podolski and Ballack earned honors for the runners up. And, if you had watched the games, I don't think you would have given Lahm that much credit. He was worked by Turkey and Torres. He did have a nice gamewinner, but his overall tournament was not his best.
After the jump the full squad, but please note the one person not on list:
Cristiano Ronaldo.
For a team that got worked so hard defensively, I'm not sure how Portugal got two defenders on the squad. More importantly, Bastien Schweinsteiger is not on this list. He did get red-carded in the tournament, but proved invaluable to the German squad. I also think Ruud Van Nistelrooy got shafted as he acquitted himself quite well after Van Basten dumped him at World Cup 2006.
Anyway, post your thoughts or Starting XI in the comments.
Nine Spanish players were named to the Euro 2008 all-tournament squad, with Xavi Hernandez earning player of the tournament honors. Iker Casillas, Xavi, Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Puyol, Marchena, Torres, Iniesta, David Villa, and Marcos Senna were the Spanish representatives.
While Xavi had a good tournament, I think Senna should have the greatest recognition. He bossed around Arshavin and then Ballack in order. He helped secure the Spanish backline that did not allow a goal in the knockout stages. And, he was a threat at times offensively with some ground missiles he launched at goal. But, a defensive midfielder is not going to win this award.
Only Lahm, Podolski and Ballack earned honors for the runners up. And, if you had watched the games, I don't think you would have given Lahm that much credit. He was worked by Turkey and Torres. He did have a nice gamewinner, but his overall tournament was not his best.
After the jump the full squad, but please note the one person not on list:
Cristiano Ronaldo.
UEFA's squad of the tournament:
Goalkeepers: Buffon (Italy), Casillas (Spain), van der Sar (Holland).
Defenders: Bosingwa (Portugal), Lahm (Germany), Marchena (Spain), Pepe (Portugal), Puyol (Spain), Zhirkov (Russia).
Midfielders: Hamit Altintop (Turkey), Modric (Croatia), Senna (Spain), Xavi (Spain), Zyryanov (Russia), Ballack (Germany), Fabregas (Spain), Iniesta (Spain), Podolski (Germany), Sneijder (Holland).
Striker: Arshavin (Russia), Pavlyuchenko (Russia), Torres (Spain), Villa (Spain).
For a team that got worked so hard defensively, I'm not sure how Portugal got two defenders on the squad. More importantly, Bastien Schweinsteiger is not on this list. He did get red-carded in the tournament, but proved invaluable to the German squad. I also think Ruud Van Nistelrooy got shafted as he acquitted himself quite well after Van Basten dumped him at World Cup 2006.
Anyway, post your thoughts or Starting XI in the comments.
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5 comments:
Roxburgh was a much better Scottish coach than selector of tournament best XIs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Roxburgh
On an unrelated note, being on the UEFA Technical Committee sounds like a good job, no? Endless hospitality, great tickets, ability to pontificate to world's media as if you are some sort of expert...
Schweinsteiger and his hair should be on the list. Both had a strong tourney.
Shouldn't Ronaldo be on . . . oh. Yeah. Right. Of course.
This would've been the greatest Euro Cup ever if the Spanish players had dropped Aragones on his head.
I was 100% certain that Aragones was going to suffer from a heart attack during that celebration.
That would have been even better than dropping him. But I'm sick.
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