Top Players of Euro 2020

The long-awaited Euro 2020, which was postponed due to the last year’s outbreak of COVID-19, is finally around the corner and we could not be more excited. Fans are finally back in the stadiums, although in a limited capacity, and will get to see Europe’s finest compete in what is to be one of the most exciting Euro tournaments of recent memory.

Exciting because with the exception of a few players, most of Europe’s top players from the last couple of seasons are present in Euro 2020. So we’ve compiled a list of

top players of Euro 2020

, focusing on the players who have been on great form recently while ranking the top 10 players at EURO 2020. Let us now see who is on this list:

Euro 2020 Top Players

As always with these kind of competitions, there are always players who surprise everyone by starring in the tournament but we will leave that discussion for after the Euro 2020. Now without further ado here are the Euro 2020 top players:

Nicolo Barella (Italy)

Nicolo Barella was touted as one of Italy’s future stars for years and last season he was finally able to deliver on his potential as he helped Inter Milan clinch its 19th domestic league title. Barella could be described as either a box-to-box midfielder or a

mezzalla

because of his ability to win back the ball, drive it forward and eventually score or create an opportunity for his teammates. Conte’s

relied heavily on the 24-year old last season and it seems that it would be the same for Italy as he is one of the

top 10 best players in Euro 2020

.

The Cagliari-born

, who was part of Cagliari’s youth academy between 2006 and 2015, made his debut for the Islanders in 2014. but it wasn’t until their return to Serie A in 2016 that he became a regular starter. Barella soon piqued the interest of several big Italian teams and finally joined Inter at the start of the 2019-20 season on a loan deal that was later made permanent. a decision that paid off in doves for Inter Milan.

Barella’s journey to wear the Azzuri colors has been an interesting one as well since he has been a regular for Italy’s youth teams from when he was 15. He has played at every level for Italy since, finishing 2nd with them in 2016 Under-19 Euros and then finishing 3rd in the U-20 World Cup a year later before finally making his debut for the senior side in 2018. Since then, Nicolo Barella has been a favorite of Roberto Mancini, featuring in 23 matches in 3 years and scoring 5 times.

Italy, who is in group A with Turkey, Switzerland and Wales, starts the tournament having been unbeaten in their past 28 games. it would be interesting to see if Italy with Nicolo Barella, who is one of the top players of Euro 2020, and the likes of Insigne and Immobile could deliver a proper challenge in the Euros. They certainly started the tournament in style by beating Turkey 3-0. Now let’s see what they’ll do after this.

Ruben Dias (Portugal)

Fresh off his first season with Manchester City, where he won the Premier League and the League Cup as well as the Player of the Season award, Portugal’s Ruben Dias heads into the tournament as one of the finest defenders in the Euros. The 24-year old center back, who spent his entire career at Benfica prior to joining

last summer, has been considered as one of the finest young talents in Europe in the past couple of years and now he finds himself amongst

top players of Euro 2020

after having such a standout season with the Cityzens.

has also been involved with Portugal’s national team on various levels, starting from 2013 when he made his debut for Portugal’s U16 side up to when he made his debut for the senior side in the 28th of March, 2018. Since then, Dias has made 27 appearances for Portugal, scoring 2 goals and becoming an integral part of Portugal’s defense under their manager Fernando Santos.

Portugal goes into Euro 2020 as the title-holder and one of the favorites to win the competition again. With Santos’ defensive tactics that rely on tiring the oppositions out before their considerable attacking force, spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo, finish the job and with a player like Ruben Dias at the back to ensure their great defensive shape, Portugal’s chances of actually going the distance in the Euros are very high. But first they have to qualify from the Group of Death, by competing with the likes of France, Germany and Hungary, before they even have a shot at the title.

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)

Kevin De Bruyne had a fairly typical season this year, compared to the 2019-20 season where he assisted 20 times and scored 13 goals in the Premier League and was subsequently named Player of the Season. And yet the Belgian was able to win his 3rd Premier League title and 5th League Cup trophy with Manchester City as well as winning the PFA Player of the Season award again. Despite suffering an injury in the Champions League final which required him to get a minor surgery, De Bruyne is still one of the first players that came to our mind while ranking the top 10 players at EURO 2020.

De Bruyne, who just recently joined Belgium’s squad after doing that aforementioned surgery and is likely to miss Belgium’s first and most important game of the group stages against Russia, played a big part in Belgium’s perfect record in the Euro 2020 qualifying stages, where Belgium and Italy were the only two teams to have won all of their 10 games. He scored 4 goals in the qualifying stages and was the joint top assist provider with 7 assists.

With Euro 2020 being the last chance for Belgium’s Golden Generation to finally win something together, Belgium fans look up to players like Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard and perhaps most of all to Kevin De Bruyne to deliver. They got so close in the 2018 World Cup and were placed 3rd but can they finally step up and win a trophy?! Well, with Kevin De Bruyne as one of the top players of Euro 2020 and with a striker of Lukaku’s caliber in front of him, they’ll certainly have a chance!

Joshua Kimmich (Germany)

Ever since his emergence as a replacement for the former Germany and

’s legendary captain, Philip Lahm, Joshua Kimmich has been touted as a future leader for both teams. and now, at 26, he seems to be already there, since many in this German side look up to him. Kimmich has won it all with Bayern Munich but his time with Germany has been notably less glamorous, something that he certainly wishes to change as one of the top players of Euro 2020.

A highly intelligent player, Kimmich is able to operate as either a right back or a defensive/holding midfielder. His time under Pep Guardiola as well as him learning from players like Philip Lahm and Thiago has helped

become one of the best players of his generation at both positions. Kimmich has expressed interest in playing at either roles for Germany in the upcoming Euro 2020. But there is no doubt that with Thomas Muller back in the side, and his great relationship with Kimmich on the pitch, Joachim Lowe would benefit by playing Kimmich in the midfield rather than at right back.

Nonetheless, Kimmich and Germany have a difficult road ahead of them, if they’re to reach the latter stages of the Euro 2020, since they are in the Group of Death with heavy-favorites, France, and title holders, Portugal. After Germany’s embarrassing exit at the 2018 World Cup, they will look to redeem themselves in what is to be Joachim Lowe’s swan song as their manager. Whether Kimmich, as one of the top players of Euro 2020, will lead them to glory or Germany is eliminated in the group stages as most people expect them to be, remains to be seen!

Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)

On the back of helping Inter Milan win their much coveted 19th 

scudetto

, 

 is flying high into the Euro 2020 and hopes to finally win a piece of silverware at international level. The Belgian experienced somewhat of a renaissance under manager Antonio Conte at Inter in his first season and he continued his great form last season as well, becoming one of the finest strikers playing today. Belgium may have several world-class players but there is no doubt that Romelu Lukaku is their star player and one of the Euro 2020 top players.

As mentioned before, Belgium had a perfect record in the qualifying stages of the Euro 2020 with Lukaku playing a huge role by scoring 7 goals and leading Belgium to 10 victories. With Belgium’s squad mostly comprised of creative players like De Bruyne, Hazard and Yannick Carrasco, Lukaku is usually provided with a plethora of chances, many of which the 28-year old, converts. His impressive record of 60 goals in 93 games for Belgium is proof of that.

Belgium competes in Group B with Russia, Denmark and Finland and they count on Lukaku to deliver in the tournament. With Belgium’s impressive creative talent behind him as well as Lukaku’s striker partnership with fellow Serie A-alum, Dries Mertens, Belgium stands a good chance of progressing to the latter stages of the Euro 2020 and perhaps even winning with. But for them to do so, Romelu Lukaku must prove why he is one of the top players of Euro 2020.

N’Golo Kante (France)

France has arguably the best squad of players amongst the Euro 2020 teams. they were runners-up in Euro 2016 and went on to become World Cup champions in 2018 and now they are heavy favorites to win the Euro 2020. So it is telling that when France, with all those world class players, won the World Cup in 2018, every one of those players were chanting N’Golo Kante’s name as their victory song. The 30-year old defensive midfielder is at the heart of everything that France does, whether in attack or in defense, and he is without a doubt one of the top 10 best players in Euro 2020.

At Euro 2016,

had just won his first professional trophy with Leicester City and despite the lack of prior international experience, he was a regular starter for France in the tournament. He featured in most matches as France eventually reached the final on home soil and lost to Portugal but since then Kante has gone on to win the Premier League, FA Cup, Europa League and the Champions League with

as well as winning the World Cup with France.

Kante’s seemingly unending energy and work-rate lets France have a solid defensive block while going forward and a great defensive shape while staying back. Despite having a squad loaded with attackers, Deschamps isn’t afraid to let his team sit back because he knows with players like Kante - who could win the ball and instigate an attack in a flash - and Mbappe, how deadly they could be on the counter.

But as Paul Pogba has recently said, it’s not enough how good on paper France seems as they have to prove it on the pitch. They have a chance of making history and winning the Euros on the back of their World Cup victory but for them to do so, players like Kante must be on their A game, especially in the group stages!

Robert Lewandowski (Poland)

after having a record-breaking season, in which he won his 9th Bundesliga title (7th with Bayern Munich) as well as his first European Golden Boot by scoring 41 goals (a record in Bundesliga), You’d be hard pressed to find any striker on better form than Robert Lewandowski. With Lewa as their main man and captain, Poland is set to be one of the underdogs of Euro 2020 as they seem to have a relative easy path of qualifying from the group stages. But even if they’re not, we had to include Robert Lewandowski when

ranking the top 10 players at EURO 2020

.

Lewa has come a long way from his days at Poland’s 4th Division to writing his name in history as one of the best strikers in Bundesliga history. His career trajectory shows that he is a winner, not because his teams are usually successful but because he always aims to better himself without setting any limitations over his success. And honestly, after winning everything there is in European football at club level with Bayern and Dortmund, Lewa’s trophy cabinet only lacks a trophy, or at least impressive achievement, with his national team, which he will certainly look to remedy in the upcoming Euros.

With an impressive 66-goal tally in his 119 games,

is Poland’s top goal scorer and most-capped player of all time. Despite Poland’s poor showings at the 2018 World Cup, there is hope that they could at least repeat what they achieved in Euro 2016 and reach the quarter-final stages. If Lewa manages to make Poland the surprise of the tournament and actually achieve something with them, he will truly be remembered as one of the all-time greats!

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

If there is one international competition that Cristiano Ronaldo knows all too well, it’s the Euros. The Portuguese superstar has twice reached the final and once the semi-final of the competition, out of 4 Euros he’s been a part of since 2004. By now everyone is aware of Cristiano Ronaldo’s hunger for winning trophies and one could argue that it was this hunger that led Portugal to be European Champions last time around in 2016.

Portugal’s team in 2016 was very much the surprise of the tournament as they didn’t exactly dazzle anyone with how they played, on their way to the final. And even in the final, where Ronaldo was forced to leave the pitch early on, due to injury, Portugal just tired out France to kill them off in the extra time. Despite his injury however, Ronaldo made a big impact from the sidelines, leading and inspiring his teammates to fight until the very end and claim the Euro 2016 title.

This time around however, Portugal is very much a more balanced and youthful team. With players like Ruben Dias, Joao Felix and Bernardo Silva, all of whom could be considered 

Euro 2020 top players

 and of course with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line, Portugal are considered to be one of the contenders and with 11 goals in the qualifying stages of Euro 2020, Ronaldo has made sure that Portugal has an easy path to the Euros.

like always, there is some personal stake for

as well. Since the 36 year-old aims to break the record for most international goals, currently held by Iran’s Ali Daei with 109 goals in 149 matches. CR7 has scored 104 goals in 175 matches and only needs 5 goals to reach Daei’s record. Whether he will do it in the Euros or not remains to be seen. But one thing is for certain and it is that Ronaldo will certainly be one of the top players of Euro 2020.

Kylian Mbappe (France)

For years, Kylian Mbappe has been touted by many to be Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s successor and the superstar of the next generation and now at 22, he seems to be already there. Apart from the numerous trophies he has won at club level with Monaco and

, Mbappe has already won a World Cup, which Ronaldo and Messi never won, and now he seems to be France’s main man and one of the Euro 2020 top players going into the tournament.

Apart from Mbappe however, France doesn’t lack for talent as the World Cup champions have players like Kante, Pogba and Griezmann in their side as well as Karim Benzema, who just recently returned to international duty and could be huge boost in attack. but it’s Kylian Mbappe who will certainly be France’s poster boy for Euro 2020 with a lot riding on his shoulders. However, the Frenchman has shown that he works well under pressure and his prior international experience will no doubt give him the confidence to carry France in attack.

With the momentum of being runners-up in the last Euro as well as winning the World Cup in 2018, France enters the Euro 2020 as heavy favorites. Their attack, spearheaded by

, will no doubt give a lot of defenders, a run for their money and Mbappe will be looking to add to his 17-goal tally for France with an eye on the Golden Boot as well. Will Kylian Mbappe add the Euros to his impressive collection of trophies, something which Cristiano Ronaldo only won at 31?! We’ll have to wait and see.

Harry Kane (England)

England’s skipper,

, had the best season of his career last year, winning both the Premier League Golden Boot and the Premier League Playmaker of the Season award. There is no doubt that there are only a handful of the top 10 best players in Euro 2020 that are operating at the same level he is. Kane recently expressed his wishes to win trophies and possibly leave

in order to do so, but with such a strong England squad and with Kane himself being on top form, there is a strong possibility that his first trophy could be with England!

After having a very underwhelming tournament in Euro 2016, England emerged as the surprise package of the 2018 World Cup with a rejuvenated squad captained by Harry Kane. Harry Kane’s goals that won him the Golden Boot of the tournament saw England reach the semi-finals of World Cup and claim the 4th spot in the end. It seemed that with Kane and Co. helmed by Gareth Southgate, England were once again serious contenders in international competitions. Harry Kane also unsurprisingly became the top goal scorer in Euro 2020’s qualifying stages with 12 goals as England prepared for the Euros.

Which brings us to Euro 2020, where an England side that belive in themselves because of their World Cup , led by their captain Harry Kane, who thirsts for a trophy, are genuine contenders to win the competition. Kane himself is as always a contender for the Golden Boot. With a relative easy path in the group stages as well as having some of the

top players of Euro 2020

with little to no injuries in their squad, England is set to have a great tournament. But will Kane help England break their curse when it comes to international tournaments? We’ll just have to wait and see!

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