Semi-final heroes Yamal and Watkins feature in Euro 2024 Team of the Round
With the Euro 2024 final set after two entertaining semi-finals this week, we’ve taken a look at the standout performers across both matches. Represented in our Team of the Round are all four teams, Spain, France, the Netherlands and England.
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon may well feel he could have done more to deny Randal Kolo Muani’s ninth-minute header in Munich on Tuesday, but the Athletic Club man was largely solid otherwise. The 27-year-old made two saves in all, while he also completed 33 of the 39 passes he attempted at the Allianz Arena.
France defender Jules Kounde could do little to stop Dani Olmo’s goal-bound effort from ricocheting off him and into the back of the net on Tuesday. The Barcelona right-back has been one of Les Bleus’ standout performers at Euro 2024, and was impressive once again against Spain. Kounde completed both of the dribbles he attempted, while he was also successful in each of the three tackles he attempted.
The first England representative in our XI is defender John Stones, who misplaced just two of the 87 passes he attempted in the victory over the Netherlands on Wednesday. Stones also made eight passes into the final third, five accurate long balls, and retained a 100% duel success rate (3/3 ground duels, 1/1 aerial duel).
Aymeric Laporte (Spain) - 6.49
Partnering Stones at centre-back, as he once did for Manchester City, is Spain’s Aymeric Laporte, who has looked just as good at Euro 2024 as during his time with the Premier League champions. The 30-year-old looked assured against France, making 73 passes, of which 15 were into the final third, as well as five clearances and one interception.
After returning from injury to feature in the quarter-finals, Luke Shaw was brought on at half-time in Wednesday’s semi-final clash with the Netherlands. The Manchester United full-back looked sharp, completing all but two of the 27 passes he attempted, while he also made one key pass, for a WhoScored rating of 6.45.
With a WhoScored rating of 7.72, Spain star Lamine Yamal is our Player of the Round for the Euro 2024 semi-finals. The 16-year-old equalised for La Roja after 21 minutes, with a wonderful curling effort that slammed in off the post, while he also made two key passes and won five duels.
Spain’s second goalscorer on the night, Dani Olmo, joins Yamal in our XI after starring in what was only his second start at the tournament. Nonetheless, the RB Leipzig man now has three goals to his name - no player has scored more at Euro 2024.
Xavi Simons (Netherlands) - 7.62
Wednesday’s semi-final could not have started more perfectly for the Netherlands, and Xavi Simons, as it did in Dortmund. The 21-year-old fired a stunning strike past Jordan Pickford and into the top corner after just seven minutes, a fine way to score your first senior international goal.
Kylian Mbappe (France) - 7.00
Despite a subdued display in Munich on Tuesday, France captain Kylian Mbappe makes our XI having provided the assist for Randal Kolo Muani’s ninth-minute header with a wonderfully weighted cross. The Real Madrid man also managed four shots on goal, two accurate crosses and one successful dribble, to return a WhoScored rating of 7.00.
England captain Harry Kane broke the record for the most goals scored in the knockout stages at the European Championships when he brought the Three Lions level from the penalty spot on Wednesday. The Bayern Munich talisman had come in for some criticism after recent performances, but looked improved in the first half at least, making a key pass, completing three accurate long balls and winning two duels.
Ollie Watkins (England) - 7.02
Rounding off our Team of the Round is the man who fired England through to the final in the 91st minute: Ollie Watkins. The Aston Villa striker was brought on by Gareth Southgate with 10 minutes to play, finding the net from an acute angle with his only touch inside the Netherlands’ penalty area, to send the Three Lions to their first ever major tournament final on foreign soil.
