Euro 2020 was opened by the legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli at the famous Olimpico Stadium in Rome. Could it have been guessed then that the Italians would raise the trophy in a tournament that without any doubt exceeded all expectations? No. Did the players of the Italy National Team dream of such a success? They certainly did. And did Donnarumma ever think that his name would be on the list of the best players at Euro 2020, that is, that he would take the title of the best? We don’t believe he did.

A strange combination of circumstances followed this European Championship from the first to the last moment. France, as the biggest favorite of the competition, was kicked out early, which was quite unexpected, and Italy, whose team was weakened, lifted the trophy in the end.

It has been only a few days since one of the world’s biggest football competitions concluded and impressions are still being summed up, but one thing is clear – Italy is, undoubtedly, a worthy winner of Euro 2020. All fans of good football know that the ‘Azzurri’ won European Championship for the second time. However, did you know that they first lifted the cup back in 1968 in the repeated final, when they beat Yugoslavia 2-0? After last night, football did not come home (slogan of English supporters), but it definitely came to Rome (slogan of Italian supporters) at the big door, and some of the best players of Euro 2020 contributed to that…

What Preceded the Announcement of the Best Players at Euro 2020?

After 50 games, 1,218 shots, and 140 goals, the Euro 2020 final could begin. Italy and England came out on top of each other in front of the packed Wembley, while they hoped with the same strength that they would be able to lift the cup during the evening. Their meeting was repeated after 9 years since they last met at the European Championship. The presence of the home crowd at the stadium in London gave a boost to the Southgate boys not to give up. Despite that, in the end, only luck was crucial. In this case, the Italians justified the statistics, odds, and trust of the great Roberto Mancini.

The very beginning of the meeting clearly indicated that a great struggle was ahead. England was a more dominant team in the first half, however, after a short break and during the second half, it was as if their players lost their compasses and that was exactly what cost them the title. Who could have guessed the decline in the quality of the game of the ‘Three Lions’ after the goal of Luke Shaw, recorded as the fastest goal in the history of the finals of the European Championships? Namely, the net of Gianluigi Donnarumma shook after just 2 minutes!

It seemed as if no one would stop the Englishmen until the end of the match. However, the Italian team has once again proved that nothing in football is neither certain nor final. It soon stepped up the attack and pushed the rival against the wall. Southgate was unable to stop the opposing team and his boys did not seem to know what had happened to them. After the goal of Italy in the second half, it seemed that the English team was slowly but inexorably sliding towards a defeat.

Italy seems to have forgotten what a failure is after 34 matches in a row from which it emerged undefeated. So it was this time as well. Thanks to the penalty shootout, Rome celebrated until the early morning hours, while England remained in disbelief. Uncertainty costs a lot of nerves, and how did the best players of the Euro 2020 feel after the closing ceremony?

Stars of the European Championship

A man who has been up to the task since the beginning of the tournament, who saved his team’s net countless times and contributed the most to the ultimate victory – the one, only, and infallible Gianluigi Donnarumma, the best goalkeeper of the European Championship. Last season, a member of Milan, after defending two penalties in a shootout, was named the best player of the Euro 2020. He took this title more than deservedly.

According to statistics, during the group stage of the competition, Donnarumma did not concede a single goal, and during the knockout phase, he was forced to take the ball out of the net once in each match. His unsurpassed game was an excellent step with the help of which, as the first goalkeeper, he adorned himself with this award, which has been given since Euro 1996. So, now officially the new PSG player, is the first goalkeeper in history to receive this great recognition.

When we say the best players of Euro 2020, we cannot omit the title of the top scorer. This time, Cristiano Ronaldo had the honor of carrying this flattering recognition. The Portuguese megastar was also named the top scorer in 2012 and can boast of scoring 14 goals in the final tournaments of the continental championships.

Pedro González ‘Pedri’, the revelation of this competition, took the title of the best young football player at Euro 2020. The Spanish midfielder shone during this competition and received numerous compliments for his excellent performance, especially during the semifinals, in which the ‘Red Fury’ lost to the future champion. When everything is taken into account and the impressions are summed up, it cannot be disputed that what Pedri achieved at this tournament, at only 18 years old, can absolutely be compared with the achievements of Andrés Iniesta. Spain’s coach Luis Enrique himself stated that the game of young Pedri was incredible and unique.

The best players of Euro 2020, like the greatest football legends, have numerous qualities and manage the ball perfectly, but also handle perfectly many inconvenient and awkward situations in which they found themselves. Is that the secret of their success? We will see in the years to come. 

Given that the European Championship is over and that the Olympic Games are approaching, we believe that you already know whom you will bet. Visit the best online bookmakers in your country (there are platforms that have such filters for online bookmakers, so the best betting sites in Tanzania, Germany, India… are selected) and choose some of the most attractive odds that will bring you closer to winning.

We wish you good luck and hope you will enjoy the event in Tokyo!