Euro 2020: Romelu Lukaku, Patrik Schick and N'Golo Kante among your best players so far
- Published
Euro 2020 on the BBC |
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Dates: 11 June-11 July. Venues: Amsterdam, Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome, Seville, St-Petersburg. Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC Radio 5 Live, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. Click here for more details |
The first round of group fixtures at Euro 2020 have showcased some stellar performances.
Romelu Lukaku and Patrik Schick have set the early pace in the race for the Golden Boot, a host of Italian players impressed, Goran Pandev rolled back the years and Kalvin Phillips shone for England.
In each game, we have given you the opportunity to rate each player involved out of 10.
Based on those ratings, here are your top Euro 2020 performers so far...
Patrik Schick (Czech Republic) - 8.66
The Bayer Leverkusen striker was clinical in the Czech Republic's win over Scotland, highlighted by a sublime goal, curling the ball over David Marshall from the halfway line for what could yet be the goal of the tournament.
He had opened the scoring just before half-time when he rose highest to meet a cross from West Ham's Vladimir Coufal.
The 25-year-old scored just nine league goals from Leverkusen during the season just completed, but has got off to a fine start at Euro 2020.
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) - 8.63
Lukaku, who had a superb season at club level with Inter Milan, took that form into Belgium's opening game victory over Russia.
Scorer of 30 goals for his club in 2020-21, Lukaku struck twice on Saturday - both neat finishes - as the Red Devils got their campaign off to the perfect start.
If the 28-year-old can keep up this form, he may well add a Euro winners' medal to the Serie A one he picked up a few weeks ago.
Ezgjan Alioski (North Macedonia) - 8.47
It is something of a surprise to see Alioski so high on the list, which is perhaps a reflection on his integral role in a relentlessly positive display from tournament outsiders North Macedonia against Austria (with maybe a dash of his popularity amongst Leeds fans).
The left wing-back put in a typically energetic display as his side took the game to their opponents, only falling to a 3-1 defeat late on courtesy of two Austrian goals in the last 12 minutes.
Kalvin Phillips (England) - 8.38
No surprises here, though. It has been a fine start to Euro 2020 for Leeds' representatives, with midfielder Phillips receiving rave reviews for his role in England's 1-0 win over Croatia.
Playing further forward than he does for his club side, the 25-year-old was his usual combative self, helping stifle the Croatia midfield, while also making a big impact in attack.
It was his driving run and neat pass that set up Raheem Sterling for the winning goal. It was a coming of age display, reflected in his ratings.
Robin Olsen (Sweden) - 8.24
Olsen shot to prominence with a stellar 2018 World Cup and his Euro 2020 campaign has started in much the same way, keeping a clean sheet in Sweden's draw with Spain.
The Everton goalkeeper may have been Jordan Pickford's back-up but he showed why he is his nation's number one.
On the few occasions that Sweden's organised backline was breached, Olsen made important saves to earn his country a much-valued point.
Goran Pandev (North Macedonia) - 8.13
Considering they suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Austria in their opening game, it is somewhat of a surprise that North Macedonia have a second player on this list in Pandev.
When Austria goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann spilled the ball midway through the first half, it fell to the feet of the 37-year-old - who rolled it into the open net.
Austria went on to win, but North Macedonia's talisman had made history with his country's first-ever goal at the Euros.
Andriy Yarmolenko (Ukraine) - 8.13
West Ham's number seven had a disappointing Premier League campaign, making just 15 appearances and failing to score a goal.
He certainly put all of his club football woes behind him in Ukraine's first match of the tournament. Cutting in from the right, Yarmolenko curled a wonder strike into the far corner in Ukraine's 3-2 loss against the Netherlands.
At the time, he might even have wondered if he had scored the goal of the tournament - although Patrik Schick surely surpassed him at Hampden Park.
Alexander Isak (Sweden) - 8.12
Before Sweden's Euro 2020 opener against Spain, Guillem Balague told BBC Radio 5 Live that Isak has developed into so much more than just a runner. Spain saw just how true that is.
Sweden's Real Sociedad striker was desperately unlucky not to open the scoring at the end of the first half when he danced through the Spanish defence only to see his effort blocked on the post by Marcos Llorente and fall into the arms of keeper Unai Simon.
Isak, Sweden's primary outlet, was bright and brave in possession, showing why he has drawn comparisons with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands) - 8.10
The Dutch captain joined French side Paris St-Germain last week, and turned in a superb performance to show his new club what they have to look forward to next season.
In Euro 2020 qualifying, he was his country's top scorer with eight goals - and started the finals just as impressively.
Wijnaldum scored the opening goal as the Netherlands beat Ukraine 3-2, and buzzed around the midfield in a strong performance.
N'Golo Kante (France) - 8.04
N'Golo Kante's form with Chelsea - for whom he was man of the match in the Champions League final win over Manchester City on 29 May - carried over into his first match of the Euros with France.
The Chelsea midfielder was his usual self, covering every blade of grass out of possession and accomplished with the ball in France's win over Germany.
The importance of Kante for France cannot be overstated. His ability to protect the back four allows Paul Pogba to get forward and create chances for the dangerous French attackers.
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