Euro 2024: Every nation's best player including Real Madrid and Barcelona stars

Twenty-four countries and over 600 players arrived in Germany for Euro 2024, but only a select handful of scintillating Spaniards left with winners' medals around their necks and their names in the record books.

By edging out England 2-1 in the Berlin final, La Roja won an unprecedented fourth men's title at the European Championship, and while some teams had more standout performers than others, all 24 nations had at least one player worthy of their own mention.

Here, Sports Mole selects every country's best player at Euro 2024.

ALBANIA: NEDIM BAJRAMI

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Scorer of the quickest goal ever seen at the European Championships, Nedim Bajrami struck with just 23 seconds gone in the narrow loss to 2020 winners Italy and played the full 90 in his side's hard-fought draw against Croatia.

AUSTRIA: STEFAN POSCH

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A rearguard rock throughout Austria's run to the knockout stages, Stefan Posch made the second-most blocks at Euro 2024 while also ranking inside the top 10 for tackles won and passes into the penalty area, as Ralf Rangnick's men sprung a surprise to finish first in Group D.

BELGIUM: KEVIN DE BRUYNE

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Another forgettable major tournament for a shot-shy Belgium, who only scored a paltry two goals in total. One of those came from the foot of Kevin De Bruyne, who ensured a pivotal success versus Romania and posted 28 shot-creating actions in total - the third-most of the tournament - only to be let down by wasteful teammates.

CROATIA: JOSIP SUTALO

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As well as making a tournament-high 13 interceptions, Croatia defender Josip Sutalo also completed 96% of his passes - second only to William Saliba's marginally better 96.1% - and could pat himself on the back despite his nation's early elimination.

CZECH REPUBLIC: TOMAS SOUCEK

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Responsible for just one of three goals that the Czech Republic scored at the Euros, Tomas Soucek gave his nation slim hope against Turkey - netting with his only shot on target - before their last-minute heartache.

DENMARK: CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN

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Mentions for Joachim Andersen and Morten Hjulmand, but Christian Eriksen's heart-warming Euros return could be considered successful on an individual level. The Manchester United man finished off a lovely move to score his side's first of the tournament against Slovenia and created 16 chances in total, second only to Lamine Yamal.

ENGLAND: MARC GUEHI

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As Gareth Southgate's attackers were often found wanting, Marc Guehi - who played the Harry Maguire role for England - did himself proud and then some, excelling with well-timed challenges and making the joint-second most blocks in the competition.

FRANCE: N'GOLO KANTE

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William Saliba and Jules Kounde are unlucky to miss out, but few could envisage N'Golo Kante running the France show in the manner that he did, as the ex-Chelsea man rolled back the years in midfield and collected two Man of the Match awards.

GEORGIA: GIORGI MAMARDASHVILI

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Without Giorgi Mamardashvili and his incredible 30 saves, tournament debutants Georgia would not have condemned Portugal to an almighty shock en route to the last 16, and the Valencia man was undoubtedly the finest goalkeeper to grace Euro 2024. Three-goal Georges Mikautadze, you were highly unfortunate to miss out.

GERMANY: JAMAL MUSIALA

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A few worthy contenders here, but Jamal Musiala takes it, as well as taking a chunk of the Golden Boot with three goals at the competition. One of the trickiest players in world football to stop when he is in full flow, he was bestowed with the Man of the Match prize in the opening drubbing of Scotland, where he became the second-youngest German - after Florian Wirtz - to score at the Euros.

HUNGARY: ROLAND SALLAI

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Hungary were another nation bereft of truly brilliant performers in their short-lived run, but attacking stalwart Roland Sallai provided the assist for Kevin Csoboth's sensational Scotland winner and at least carried some consistent threat in the final third, also having a goal disallowed against the Germans.

ITALY: GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA

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A title defence to forget for Italy, but Gianluigi Donnarumma earned his keep, especially against Croatia, where he kept out a Luka Modric penalty before being beaten on the follow-up. Nevertheless, the goalkeeper could have done nothing about that, and he made a couple more vital saves before Mattia Zaccagni saved the Azzurri's bacon, for a few days at least.

NETHERLANDS: XAVI SIMONS

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Ending the Euros with a terrific three assists to his name and one scorcher of a goal against England, Netherlands wonderkid Xavi Simons could count himself unfortunate not to have notched a pair of goals in Germany, having seen a strike against France questionably disallowed.

POLAND: PIOTR ZIELINSKI

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While Lukasz Skorupski's goalkeeping showing against France was spectacular, playing just one game does not justify a best player of the tournament tag. As the first team to be eliminated, Poland also lacked star performers, but midfield metronome Piotr Zielinski at least managed one assist and had some good moments in attack.

PORTUGAL: PEPE

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Cristiano Ronaldo may have shown his age at the Euros, but Pepe - the oldest player to ever feature at the competition - most certainly did not. Even at 41 years old, few centre-backs can read the game as well as the Portuguese veteran, who deserved every plaudit he got in his major tournament farewell.

ROMANIA: RAZVAN MARIN

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Scorer of the penalty against Slovakia that sealed a shock first-placed Group F finish for Romania, Cagliari midfielder Razvan Marin was also one of three players to breach the Ukraine goal in his nation's opening victory, although he had some help from Andriy Lunin.

SCOTLAND: SCOTT MCTOMINAY

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Slim pickings once again. Scotland scored just one goal at Euro 2024, and it came through their perpetual principle threat - Scott McTominay - who had little to no competition for this honour.

SERBIA: STRAHINJA PAVLOVIC

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None of Serbia's attackers could leave Germany with their heads held high, but at the other end, the Eagles only let in two goals. The efforts of Strahinja Pavlovic were critical in that regard, and the defender is thought to have attracted glances from Chelsea and AC Milan with his performances at the competition.

SLOVAKIA: IVAN SCHRANZ

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One wonders whether someone, somewhere took a brave punt on Slovakia's Ivan Schranz ending the Euros with a slice of the Golden Boot. Belgium, Ukraine and England all failed to rein in the 30-year-old.

SLOVENIA: JAKA BIJOL

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A few of Slovenia's previously unheralded performers have caught the eye of Premier League teams with their inspirational Euro 2024 performances. Defensive cornerstone Jaka Bijol - who made more clearances than anybody else with 38 - is deservedly among them.

SPAIN: LAMINE YAMAL

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So many choices, only one space. In the end, the youngest player and scorer that the European Championships has ever seen takes this prize, as well as his winners' medal and Best Young Player of the Tournament accolade.

SWITZERLAND: GRANIT XHAKA

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The renaissance of Granit Xhaka was not limited to his final season in Arsenal colours. After shining bright for Bayer Leverkusen last season, the 31-year-old was as composed and classy as ever in the Switzerland midfield as the impressive Rossocrociati came to within a whisker of the semi-finals.

TURKEY: ARDA GULER

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Sticking with the theme of La Liga wonderkids, Real Madrid's Arda Guler demonstrated his enormous potential with two assists in the last-16 win over Austria and THAT goal against Georgia.

UKRAINE: ANATOLIY TRUBIN

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After Lunin's poor display in the loss to Romania, Ukraine boss Serhiy Rebrov quickly swapped out the Real Madrid man for Anatoliy Trubin. A decision that perhaps should have been made before the Euros; the Benfica man registered an 88.9% save percentage, but his valiant efforts were in vain.

Written by
Ben Knapton