EURO 2024 Excellence: Ranking the Top 5 Players

The EURO 2024 tournament was amazing from start to finish, featuring surprising performances and culminating in Spain lifting the trophy for the fourth time, thereby becoming the most-titled nation in the competition’s history. 

As is tradition, the end of the tournament marks the beginning of various rankings. Determining the best players is challenging, given the absence of clear favourites. Instead, we’ll focus on the most captivating performances, ranking the top five players of the tournament.

5. Jules Koundé

Barcelona’s right-back emerged as one of the tournament’s best players while playing for one of the most disappointing teams. Despite France’s journey ending in the semifinals against Spain’s dominance, Jules Koundé’s performances were consistently impressive.

Koundé surprisingly became one of France’s most creative outlets, often excelling in the creative department. This feat is even more remarkable given the presence of talents like Tchouaméni, Griezmann, Mbappé and Dembélé in the team.

Defensively, Koundé was rock-solid, rarely putting a foot wrong while regularly contributing to France’s attacking dynamics. 

His remarkable performance underscores the importance of his role at right-back for Barcelona, showcasing his capability to execute the role with finesse. He might not be an attacker, but his contributions to France’s (few) attacking sequences were significant and should not go unnoticed.

4. Jamal Musiala

Germany’s run may have ended in the quarterfinals against Spain, but Jamal Musiala left a lasting impression with his brilliant displays throughout the tournament. He regularly played between the lines, and his dribbles and actions in the final third often allowed Germany to threaten the enemy’s net without much trouble. 

Musiala became Germany’s main man, even with the return of Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos. He scored, he created, and he was full of dynamism. Germany needed a player of his calibre who would continue to fight for the goal even when it didn’t seem to arrive. 

Though not yet a household name, Musiala’s detractors were silenced by his sheer genius on the field. He’s still very young, suggesting that his best is yet to come, and Germany can look forward to even greater things from him in the future.

3. Nico Williams

There is no way Nico Williams could be left out of this list. We can’t overlook his contributions, especially considering his dynamic partnership with Lamine Yamal. While Yamal garnered more hype, Nico’s experience with Athletic Club provided the perfect balance. 

At just twenty-two, he consistently emerged as one of the best players on the pitch alongside Yamal.

This tournament marked his major breakthrough on the international stage, and a move to a bigger club wouldn’t be surprising. Barcelona has been tracking him for months, but interest from abroad, including the Premier League, could land in Athletic Club’s DMs. 

There is no shock in saying that he’s been one of the best wingers of the tournament, regularly outmanoeuvring his opponents with ease.

He symbolises the rejuvenation of Spain, a squad now known for its enjoyable and attacking football. His confidence and skill allowed him to overcome all types of obstacles, and his stellar performance in the final speaks volumes about his impact throughout the tournament.

2. Cody Gakpo

Cody Gakpo’s tournament speaks for itself. The Netherlands, under Ronald Koeman, didn’t particularly shine in the group stages, but Gakpo made the left wing his domain. 

Not many players can play well in a dysfunctional team, but Cody did. While Memphis Depay was expected to be the team’s main character, Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo stepped into the spotlight. He regularly found the back of the net and had the clearest ideas amidst a depleted squad.

Gakpo remains raw in some aspects, but there’s no denying that he has been one of the best players in the entire tournament. He dribbled, he scored, he did what he knew best. His performance also provides a template for how Arne Slot might use Gakpo in the future.

1. Lamine Yamal

While UEFA awarded the Player of the Tournament trophy to Rodri, it’s clear that Lamine Yamal deserves recognition for his extraordinary performance. The 17-year-old forward, who only turned 17 the day before the final, has been nothing short of sensational. At an age where he should be a rookie, Yamal has become indispensable for Spain on the right wing.

Spain’s reliance on Yamal’s actions proved to be the right bet. Lamine Yamal ran the show more than once, assisting Nico’s opener in the final against England and scoring a stunning equalizer against France with a curled shot that showcased his technical prowess. His catalogue will be immense, and no player has impressed as much as that age since Kylian Mbappé in 2018. 

Despite his recent introduction to the first team. His ability to consistently find solutions and create threats from wide positions is remarkable. His signature move – cutting in from the wing and surprising the goalkeeper – became a recurring nightmare for opponents.

The expectations were sky-high for the teenage sensation, and he exceeded them all, cementing his status as one of the tournament’s standout players. 

The entire country is behind the little man, and his 17th birthday was celebrated with the honour of becoming the youngest player to start in a final of a major tournament, surpassing Pelé’s record. That’s how good he is.