EURO 2008 was packed full of more twists and turns than a Hollywood blockbuster.
The tournament has lit up Austria and Switzerland this summer, ending with last night's final between Germany and Spain.
But who were the stars that have excelled in the past three weeks?
We have put together our choice right here — and you can tell us who your top player was using MY Sun below.
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No10: Cesc Fabregas
Although the midfielder was mainly deployed as a substitute by Spain, his impact was crucial. Complementing the equally impressive Xavi and Andreas Iniesta, Fabregas demonstrated why he is already a world-class player at just 21. The Arsenal star's performance in the semi-final win over Russia was critical to their progress.
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No9: Wesley Sneijder
Holland were glowing in the group stages and Sneijder was at the heart of their stunning performances. The midfielder finished off one of the goals of the tournament against Italy before topping that with a rasping strike against France. The Real Madrid star was dynamic as the Dutch almost rediscovered Total Football. |
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No8: Gianluigi Buffon
Italy were dumped out on penalties by Spain but they were set for an early exit in the group stages against Romania. Adrian Mutu had a glorious chance to put the underdogs through but Buffon denied his spot-kick with a superb stop. The keeper made a string of brilliant saves until his country's exit.
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No7: Lukas Podolski
Despite starting with Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez up front for the group games, it was Podolski who stole the headlines early on for Germany. The Bayern Munich star started slotted home three goals to guide his country out of Group A and was constantly the most dangerous frontman for the finalists./TD> |
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No6: Semi Senturk
This man epitomised Turkey’s never-say-die attitude. After getting off the mark in the key group win over Switzerland, Senturk popped up beyond the 120th minute to take Croatia to a shock penalty shootout defeat in the last eight. The striker then repeated the trick against Germany before their last-gasp elimination.
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No5: Fernando Torres
The Spanish star worked his socks off during the tournament and can take much of the credit for David Villa's scintillating form. The Liverpool striker was a constant threat for the eventual winners with his power and pace, as well as scoring the final devastating decider. Now needs a good holiday.
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No4: Andrei Arshavin
The suspended playmaker only made his tournament debut in the crunch final group game against Sweden but he soon brought Russia to life. Arshavin's penetrating dribbles, incisive passing and eye for goal have Spanish giants Barcelona salivating. But is his ego worth accommodating?
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No3: Michael Ballack
The German skipper was the inspiration behind his side's journey to the final. The Chelsea midfielder scored a stunning free-kick against Austria before adding a vital header in the last eight against Portugal. But it was Ballack's leadership and dominance that stood out throughout.
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No2: Marcos Senna
The unsung hero of the Spanish set-up. As his team-mates grabbed the headlines, Senna quietly ran the show for the winners. The Villarreal veteran was vital in breaking up opposition attacks, as well as triggering forward forays for his country. Inches away from a deserved goal in the final.
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No1: David Villa
The Spain hotshot finished as the competition's top scorer despite sitting out of last night's final through injury. Villa started his tournament with a flourish with a hat-trick against the Russians before scoring a neat winner against Sweden. Expect a scrap for the Valencia star after proving himself as one of Europe's finest finishers.
RUSSIAN RIOT ... Andrei Arshavin inspired his country to a semi-final clash against Spain
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