Jordan Pickford (England): There hasn’t been an obvious standout goalkeeper but Pickford has been as solid as anyone. England’s success has been built on a reliable backline as much as anything else — no team in the tournament has scored against them more than once. And the Everton star has been a big part of that, while he also was key to their penalty shootout win over Switzerland.
Marc Cucurella (Spain): Sometimes derided in the Premier League with Chelsea, Cucurella has been one of the unsung heroes for Spain at these Euros. He has played five out of six matches, looking solid defensively and complementing their more eye-catching attacking players.
John Stones (England): One of just four England players to have played every minute at the tournament so far (Pickford, Declan Rice and Kyle Walker are the others), there were doubts about how well England would cope without Harry Maguire but Stones has alleviated concerns with a series of assured displays.
William Saliba (France): It’s very hard to make a case for any of the semi-finalists’ attacking players given they managed just one goal from open play in the entire tournament. Yet Saliba epitomises Les Bleus’ strengths with an abundance of power, pace and intelligence at the back. Not considered a certain starter going into the tournament, he featured in all six of their matches, earning four clean sheets along the way.
Kyle Walker (England): Another ever-present in the England team. Walker remains a key asset for Gareth Southgate’s side. Like virtually every Three Lions player, he had one or two less-than-convincing displays at this tournament. However, at 34, his recovery pace and physical prowess remain superb. He was especially outstanding in the win over the Dutch, making a couple of crucial interceptions and blocks to frustrate their attackers.
Rodri (Spain): There are few superlatives left to describe Rodri. Not many people would argue against the claim that he is the best in the world in his position currently. There is also a case to be made that he is simply the best footballer, or least the most influential, in the world right now. While many elite stars have struggled to translate their club form onto the international stage at this tournament, Rodri usually looks as good playing under Luis de la Fuente as he does for Pep Guardiola. Regardless of the outcome on Sunday, Spain have unquestionably been the best side to watch in this competition and Rodri is the one who invariably makes them tick.
Kobbie Mainoo (England): There is a case here for Pedri, but he missed the semi-final and most of the quarter-final. By contrast, Mainoo was absent for much of the group stages. However, it’s no coincidence that England have gradually improved as this tournament has developed, coinciding with his introduction to the starting XI since the beginning of the knockout stages. England’s midfield looked seriously laboured with both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Gallagher in the team. Since Mainoo’s arrival, however, they have been far more accomplished in possession.
Fabián Ruiz (Spain): Spain’s midfield is easily the best in this tournament and the 28-year-old PSG star has regularly flourished as part of it. Along with Rodri, Pedri and Dani Olmo, his presence has ensured that Spain rarely look like losing control of matches. Moreover, he offers more than silky passing — two goals and two assists from five games at this tournament emphasise the end product to match his more obvious qualities.
Lamine Yamal (Spain): There was plenty of hype about the 16-year-old going into this tournament and he has undoubtedly delivered. What’s as impressive as Yamal’s joyful exuberance and bursts of majestic skill is his maturity. He rarely makes the wrong decision and unlike many skilful young wingers, there is a coolness and composure to complement his dynamism. The Barcelona teenager has registered three assists and while his first goal at the tournament took a while to arrive, the stunning outside-the-box effort against France was worth the wait.
Nico Williams (Spain): Along with Yamal, on the other wing Williams has provided Spain with the cutting edge they have so often lacked, going out on penalties in the last three major tournaments after dull draws. Born in Pamplona, Spain, the 21-year-old’s incredible backstory makes his success at this tournament all the more heartening — his Ghanaian parents crossed the Sahara Desert barefoot to reach Melilla, an autonomous Spanish city in North Africa, in search of a better life. The youngster, who has made over 100 appearances for Athletic Bilbao, has lit up these Euros, and reports over the last 24 hours that he has agreed in principle to sign for Barcelona are no surprise.
Cody Gakpo (Netherlands): The troubles of superstar strikers have been a recurring theme at these Euros. The likes of Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo have all struggled to varying degrees. Less heralded figures like Cody Gapko and Alvaro Morata have arguably been most effective in the final third. Gakpo is one of six players to be joint top scorer on three goals and he has certainly been one of Netherlands’ standout players with his intelligence and dribbling ability supplementing the threat. That said, Kane, despite struggling to influence games more often than not, could yet finish as the tournament’s top scorer if he finds the net against the Spaniards on Sunday
Formation (4-3-3): Pickford; Cucurella, Stones, Saliba, Dumfries; Rodri, Mainoo, Ruiz; Yamal, Williams, Gakpo.
Subs: Mike Maignan (France), Unai Simon (Spain), Nathan Ake (Netherlands), Aymeric Laporte (Spain), Dani Carvajal (Spain), Dayot Upamecano (France), Marc Guéhi (England), Toni Kroos (Germany), Pedri (Spain), Bukayo Saka (England), Jude Bellingham (England), Xavi Simons (Netherlands), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Dani Olmo (Spain), Georges Mikautadze (Georgia).
