THE European Championship has produced many heroes who have inspired worldwide worship in footballing circles, thanks to their outstanding feats, scintillating displays and awesome stats. We celebrate eight legends who left indelible marks on Europe’s ultimate football stage.
GIANLUIGI BUFFON (Italy)
Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon may have never won a single European Championship but that doesn’t stop the legendary Italian goalkeeper from being part of its history.
The man affectionately called “Gigi” is the record holder for the number of matches played as captain (13) and the 2006 world champion has played in four final phases of the competition (2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
In 2012, he literally carried the Azzurri all the way to the final, conceding just three goals before the showdown with Spain. In total, Buffon played 17 games at the Euros, in which he was always in the starting line-up.
MICHEL PLATINI (France)
It’s hard to believe that Les Bleus’ legendary playmaker played in only one European Championships, but he made sure it was an unforgettable one.
Platini not only led France to the 1984 title, their first major trophy, at home, the Juventus great accomplished something that remains unmatchable till today – he scored nine goals in five games – including two hattricks, back when only eight teams contested the tournament.
The fact that he was a midfielder made Platini’s feat even more extraordinary and it was a tour de force that will go down in the history books forever.
The former UEFA president also remains the all-time top scorer in a single edition, as well as the second-highest all-time scorer after Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
ZINEDINE ZIDANE (France)
Platini’s successor Zidane will always be celebrated as a true master of the big occasion.
His mercurial skills and genius playmaking inspired France to conquer Euro 2000, which was for many the most competitive and best edition in the history of the competition.
With all the top teams like England, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Yugoslavia boasting a plethora of world class players, it was indeed a huge challenge for any star to stand out - but Zizou did.
Although he was decisive on three occasions (scoring two goals and providing one assist), it was above all his technical ease that dazzled.
The midfield maestro dominated the proceedings and produced one of the most outstanding individual performances of the 21st century, as 1998 World Cup winners France went on to lift the Euro trophy after a dramatic 2-1 win over Italy in the final.
ANDRES INIESTA (Spain)
Spain left their mark on an entire generation when they won two Euros and a World Cup in the space of five years from 2008 to 2012.
In a ridiculously talented side that perfected the tiki-taka system of play, where every player seemed as good as the other, midfield dynamo Andres Iniesta is perhaps the most outstanding.
A joint record holder with Cesc Fabregas for the total number of games won at the Euros (11), the former Barcelona maestro earned himself a place in the team of the tournament in 2008, won by the Red Fury.
Four years later, he put the finishing touches to a fantastic Euro 2012, where Spain became the first nation to retain the title.
Iniesta was voted man of the match three times, including in the final, and was awarded the Golden Ball for best player.
MARCO VAN BASTEN (Holland)
It’s one of football’s great mysteries that a country like Holland, which has been home to some of the greatest players in history, has only one major trophy to its name.
And the Oranje have the great Marco van Basten to thank for that! The balletic striker’s five goals – which included a hattrick against England – fired the Dutch to the title at Euro 1988 in Germany.
The Golden Boot winner capped his remarkable performance in the tournament with his mythical volley in the final against the Soviet Union, which the Dutch won 2-0.
Three-time Ballon d’Or winner Van Basten will forever be remembered as the man who brought Holland back from the brink of disillusionment at the 1974 World Cup when they lost the final 2-1 to West Germany.
PETER SCHMEICHEL (Denmark)
The ex-Manchester United keeper sealed his legend at the 1992 Euros alone where his heroics in goal led to Denmark’s miraculous win. They had not even qualified but were called up at the last minute.
Schmeichel starred with a string of stupendous saves during the tournament.
He kept a clean sheet in Denmark’s opening 0–0 draw against England, and made decisive stops against Eric Cantona and Jean-Pierre Papin in a 2–1 win over France to reach the last four.
In the semi-finals against Holland, following a 2–2 draw after extra time, he stopped a penalty from Marco van Basten – the only miss of the shootout – which enabled Denmark to advance to the final.Schmeichel went on to make several decisive saves in the final, keeping a clean sheet in his nation’s 2–0 win over Germany.
FRANZ BECKENBAUER (West Germany)
If there’s a title for the greatest team leader ever at the European Championship, it could arguably go to the great Franz Beckenbauer of Germany.
The late Kaiser, who passed on in January this year at the age of 73, led West Germany to the 1972 title where he played the captain’s role to perfection in the 3-0 win over the Soviet Union in the final.
The only defender in football history to win the Ballon d’Or twice and who invented the role of the modern sweeper or libero, he again inspired the Germans to reach the 1976 final where they lost on penalties to Czechoslovakia.
FERNANDO TORRES (Spain)
Including a second Spaniard on the list seems unavoidable, given the extraordinary exploits of this former Liverpool and Chelsea hitman.
The prolific Torres remains the only player to have scored in two European Championship finals.
At Euro 2008, Torres capitalised on his resplendent Liverpool form that season – where he scored 24 Premier League goals – to help Spain win only their first Euros title since 1964.
He scored the solitary goal in the final against Germany, which was his second of the competition, and was named man of the match and included in the tourney’s best XI list.
Four years later, Torres arrived at the Euros not as a regular starter due to his average form with Chelsea. But he still proved to be the man for the big stage, scoring three goals in the competition including one in the final where Spain thashed Italy 4-0 and finished joint top scorer. — COMPILED by TONY YEE
