The European Championship has delivered many stories between triumphs and tears. And a number of outstanding individual services. Players of teams who failed prematurely also shone. Only one player from European champion England. The team of the tournament of Sportschau.de.
Gate: Ann-Kathrin Berger (Germany)
Even though the 34-year-old became a tragic heroine in the semifinals against Spain when she had Aitana Bonmatí shot in the 113th minute for 0: 1 in the short corner, the keeper played an outstanding European Championship. The heroic deeds of the eleven-meter shoot-out in the quarter-finals against France remain unforgettable. Against the “Les Bleues”, Berger had also prevented an own goal of Sjoeke Nüsken in a spectacular way. And even in the duel with Spain, the goalkeepers multi -trigger thwarted the deficit. Her 92-year-old Grandpa Herbert, who had traveled to Zurich for the semi-finals, was proud of his granddaughter. And football Germany too.
Right -back: Lucy Bronze (England)
Even if the 138 -time international is no longer as strong as in earlier times – bronze is still indispensable for the “Lionesses” due to its operational readiness and its constant urge to offend. The wooden 33-year-old was made of in the quarter-finals against Sweden. Despite the damaged thigh, bronze competed in penalty shooting and transformed her attempt with everything she distinguishes: conviction, strength and precision.
Conducture: Elena Linari (Italy)
In the defense center, Linari was a bank in all games of the “Azzurre” and played a large part in the surprising move -in of the team into the semi -finals. The 31-year-old captivated with duel and header strength as well as a good building game.
Left -back: Selma Bacha (France)
For the position of the left -back, several players applied with good performances, including the young Franziska Kett, who was only used twice. Bacha stood in the starting eleven in all four French games and convinced with a good positional game and dynamic advances.
Defensive midfield: Lia Wälti
The captain of the European Championship hosts went to the European Championship, bit on their teeth and then showed outstanding performance in all games as a kind of libera in front of the chain of four. The 32-year-old was a wave broken person who took a lot of pressure from defense due to intercepted opposing attacks.
Central offensive midfield: Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas (Spain)
The two “world footballers” also impressively demonstrate in Switzerland to be a class of their own. The appearances of BONMATI were particularly remarkable, behind the EM’s use of which had been a big question mark for a long time after the 27-year-old had a brain inflammation shortly before the tournament started.
Aitana Bonmati shines after surviving meningitis at the European Championship.
Actually, Patricia Guijarro would also have to go to the eleven of the tournament, who plays in the center with Bonmati and Putellas. Without the valuable work of the 27-year-olds, the two world-class players could not have shined.
Midfield outside: Jule Brand (Germany) and Géraldine Reuteler (Switzerland)
Before the European Championship, it was known for a long time that the former Wolfsburg native is a highly agreed footballer. Sometimes the 22-year-old was missing in the past of constancy and resistance. In Switzerland, she has now passed her matriculation examination. Brand not only put a lot of pressure forward, but also worked in an exemplary manner. Her performance against France was outstanding when she took on a lot of responsibility after the early red card against Kathrin Hendrich and won many defensive two-struggles.
Reuter had at least the same value as fire for the DFB team for Switzerland. The offensive woman of Eintracht Frankfurt was named the “player of the game” by UEFA after the first three group games of the Swiss federal games. The 26-year-old was also one of the most striking Swiss women in the quarter-finals against Spain (0: 2). Against the world champions, however, she was largely alone in the hallway because the hosts played forward too rarely.
Attack: Cristiana Girelli (Italy) and Esther González (Spain)
At the tender age of 35, Girelli was allowed to dream of the final. Until one minute before Ultimo, the “Azzurre” in the semi -finals against England led 1-0 before they still conceded the equalization and later also the goal to go 1-2. The attacker then sheds bitter tears, but can proudly look back on the European Championship. Because with three goals, two of them in the quarter -finals against Norway (2-1), she had a large part in the Italian summer fairy tale.
Cristiana Girelli shot Italy into the semi -finals with a double pack against Norway.
González also laced a double pack – right at the start of the Spanish 5-0 gala against Portugal. Then she followed another goal in the other group games against Belgium (6: 2) and Italy (3: 1). The 32-year-old has been empty in the KO games. But as an anchor player in the storm center, the team comrade from Berger at Gotham FC has an enormous value for the Iberians. And by the way: With four goals, she won the title as an EM goalkeeper queen.