The Euro 2008 Best XI

2009-09-05T15:34:02-04:00

2008-06-28T08:57:36-04:00

2008-09-10T06:38:33-04:00

2008-07-17T14:20:44-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/507/7/thumb/150px-Germany_shirt_logo.png 18 SC

jmajka

Greer 5097

Really only have 2 complaints about your XI. Frings at DM. He was key as a holding midfielder for Germany and played key balls up to Ballack who dispersed to the Wingers and Forwards. And I HAVE to give Lahm the nod over Yuri. Lahm's goal against Turkey was instrumental in Germany reaching the finals. The only reason why I could see why you made him runner up was because he should have just put the ball over the end line and given up a corner than try to take Torres 1-on-1. 2245973

2008-06-30T14:46:05-04:00

ILCAMPIONI

Rancho Palos Verdes 447521

The best and ONLY award you can give Turkey is being "The Fighting Heart " award. Spain is definately #1, personally I cannot discredit Turkey, however I cannot put them ahead of the Dutch, nor the Russians (eventhough they displayed a pathetic performance against Spain) [what a game that would be Turkey vs. Russia] even ITALIA but until 2010 we will see it all unfold....... 2101685

2008-06-30T13:27:02-04:00

Schnerres

Penokee 443463

The best team overall??? Turkey? What do you think about spain? Great defense, best midfield, great forward in torres and g??iza when he came in. Not to forget the best keeper of this euro. 2100464

2008-06-30T11:53:06-04:00

Roggers me Doggers

No City 447791

There have been a number of Spanish commentators who have said that Puyol was carried through the tournament by Marchena. Puyol is a great leader but he was not the best centre back 2099006

2008-06-30T09:20:40-04:00

Quacky64

No City 447749

awesome 11, but what about the BEST TEAM overall??? I vote TURKEY! 2096715

2008-06-30T03:25:04-04:00

ILCAMPIONI

Rancho Palos Verdes 447521

PARDON ME, BUT I FORGOT TO MENTION, FORZA ITALIA!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2096065

2008-06-30T03:23:11-04:00

ILCAMPIONI

Rancho Palos Verdes 447521

Hello EL GALLEGO! Thank you for the recognition. We will see in 2010, especially if it is still in South Africa? If it is the UNITED STATES, i will sincerely be in a state of EUPHORIA, however that is pure speculation at this point, 2nd however, FORGET about MEXICO because speaking about politics and all that would be involved, MEXICO is definately out of the question! If it were to change destinations, it would either be the UNITED STATES 1st, ITALY OR ENGLAND a short 2nd, and CHINA a far distant longshot 3rd. THAT'S POLITICS! BBBBBBBOOOOOOOYYYYYYY would I be in ITALIA 4 the CUP!!!!!!!!! But enough about that!! Possibly ENGLAND! I will grant that. Yes I am not a god. Just realistic! Now if these SPANIARDS play as enthusiatically as this tournament they should be in the top 3. The RUSSIANS could be there however my belief is they are still up and coming. My wish is vengeful ITALIA beat BRASILE in 2010 here in LOS ANGELES. Finally reality is what it is and 2 years is far to long from now to speculate from now! Anyways Lippi is back!!!!!!!! As well as we all will see what happens as destiny getsx NAKED in front of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2096064

2008-06-29T20:39:23-04:00

real31179

Stamford 447599

Let's not forget that St Iker did NOT give up a goal in 3 Knockout games. 2095016

2008-06-29T20:36:54-04:00

real31179

Stamford 447599

Let's not forget that St Iker did NOT give up a goal in 3 Knockout games. 2095044

2008-06-29T20:05:17-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/445/919/thumb/600px-Flag_of_Galicia.svg.png 19 FL

el gallego

Miami 446359

Hello Dennis, No.. but maybe I should... LOL however, if you are able to read in Spanish - I really like this blog. http://planetaaxel.blogspot.com/ But thanks for the kind word.. it seems like a huge time commitment.. so who knows... 2095002

Thirty Euro 2008 matches are in the books, and with only <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/grant_wahl/06/27/euro.final/index.html" target="_blank">Sunday’s final between Spain and Germany</a> yet to play I figured it was a good time to unveil my Best XI for the entire tournament. Keep in mind, I almost always go with a 3-5-2 in these circumstances since there tends to be an excess of attacking candidates and not as many exemplary centerbacks (especially in a goal-heavy tournament like this one). There’s not much else to explain. You have to stand out, of course, but preferably have more than just one good game. Performance in important games is also weighted more heavily. Let’s dive in: MY EURO 2008 BEST XI Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (Spain). Right Back: Hamit Altintop (Turkey). Centerback: Carles Puyol (Spain). Left Back: Yuri Zhirkov (Russia). Defensive Midfielder: Marcos Senna (Spain). Right Midfielder: Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany). Central Midfielder: Michael Ballack (Germany). Central Midfielder: Andrei Arshavin (Russia). Left Midfielder: Lukas Podolski (Germany). Forward: David Villa (Spain). Forward: Semih Sentürk (Turkey). Goalkeeper: It was awfully close between Iker Casillas and Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, whose penalty-kick save on Romania’s Adrian Mutu saved the Azzurri from group-stage elimination. But Casillas didn’t give up three goals in a game (as Buffon did against Holland), and he saved one more spot-kick than Buffon did when their teams went head-to-head. Runner-up: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy). Honorable Mention (in order): Artur Boruc (Poland), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands). Right Back: Very tight race here between Hamit Altintop and Spain’s Sergio Ramos, but in the end I thought Altintop had fewer defensive lapses and a bit more success going forward in the attack. Runner-up: Sergio Ramos (Spain). Honorable Mention: Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy). Centerback: Except for leaving the game with an injury against Sweden, the shaggy Carles Puyol was a rock all tournament long for La Furia, helping shut down Italy’s Luca Toni and Russia’s Andrei Arshavin in the knockout rounds. Runner-up: Christoph Metzelder (Germany). Honorable Mention: Pepe (Portugal), Robert Kovac (Croatia), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal), Carlos Marchena (Spain), Per Mertesacker (Germany). Left Back: Yuri Zhirkov was a constant menace venturing up the left flank, and the converted midfielder could actually play a little defense too. He narrowly beats out Germany’s Philipp Lahm, who played on the left and right sides and scored a huge goal to beat Turkey—but also had a few defensive miscues. Runner-up: Philipp Lahm (Germany). Honorable Mention: Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Netherlands), Danijel Pranjic (Croatia), Fabio Grosso (Italy). Defensive Midfielder: Marcos Senna handcuffed Andrei Arshavin in the semis, the latest of several masterful performances anchoring the Spanish midfield. Runner-up: Mehmet Aurélio (Turkey). Honorable Mention: Orlando Engelaar (Netherlands), Törsten Frings (Germany). Right Midfielder: Amazingly, Bastian Schweinsteiger picked up a red card in Game 2 and didn’t make his first start until the quarterfinals, but no player has had a bigger impact on the tournament in the knockout rounds. Non-stop energy. Runner-up: Andrés Iniesta (Spain). Honorable Mention: Darijo Srna (Croatia), Robin van Persie (Netherlands). Central Midfielders (2): Michael Ballack had some down games (Croatia, Turkey), but in others (Portugal, Austria, Poland) he was brilliant. Andrei Arshavin, meanwhile, was a creative revelation in Russia’s upsets of Sweden and the Netherlands. Runners-up: Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands) and Luka Modric (Croatia). Honorable Mention: Tuncay Sanli (Turkey), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Rafael van der Vaart (Netherlands), Xavi (Spain), Deco (Portugal). Left Midfielder: Lukas Podolski scored all three of his goals in the first two games, but he has been just as good since then as a passer setting up important strikes against Portugal and Turkey. Bonus points to German coach Joachim Löw for experimenting with Podolski at this spot. Runner-up: David Silva (Spain). Honorable Mention: Arda Turan (Turkey), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Arjen Robben (Netherlands), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia). Forwards (2): David Villa (4 goals) may get the Golden Boot even though he can’t play in the final, but nobody can deny that he scored in volume (hat-trick against Russia) and when it mattered (last-minute game-winner against Sweden and the all-important first penalty against Italy). Semih Sentürk had an even bigger flair for the dramatic, scoring stunning late-game equalizers against Croatia and Germany. Runners-up: Roman Pavlyuchenko (Russia), Nihat Kahveci (Turkey). Honorable Mention: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Fernando Torres (Spain), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Hakan Yakin (Switzerland). What's your take on my Best XI? Post your comments below, and check back after Sunday's final for my reaction to Spain-German. Enjoy the game! 1309 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/194/315/thumb/wahl_grant.jpg 11 MD

Grant Wahl

Baltimore 194615