Standout stars of Euro thus far

DEADLY DUO: Payet kisses the shoe of Griezmann in celebration after the striker’s two-goal salvo in the space of three minutes against Ireland. The Les Bleus pair has been one of the star acts of the Euro 2016 tournament with vital goals. PHOTO BY AFP

Although there remains much football to be played at the France finals, I can’t resist the temptation to distribute plaudits to the outstanding stars of the Euro finals thus far.
1- Manuel Neuer. Between the sticks, I have Germany’ number one ahead of veteran Italian shot stopper Gigi Buffon and Icelandic custodian Hannes Halldorsson. Neuer and Buffon have commanded their defenses very well, but my choice would have been Halldorsson had he not given away a penalty against England. I think Buffon and Neuer have eclipsed predecessors Dino Zoff and Sepp Maier.

2-Lukasz Piszczek. Poland’s right back has not set a foot wrong as his side have negotiated their way into the last eight. His partnership with Jacub Blaszczowsky has given opposition defenses nightmares. He is my team ahead of Italy’s Antonio Candreva because I am naming a 4-3-3, not a 3-5-2 with no wing backs.

3- Giorghio Chiellini. This 31-year old seems to have been playing forever. Solid as a rock, the Azzuri veteran has improved his overall game well enough to be on the score sheet with the winner against outgoing champions Spain.
4- Leonardo Bonucci. The difference good coaching can make! Find it hard to believe Italy’s imperious back four is the same that imploded so badly for Juventus in a most forgettable 10 minutes of their Champions League quarter final with Bayern Munich. Bonucci hasn’t set a foot wrong and should follow Antonio Conte to Chelsea.

5- Jerome Boateng. The best defender at the European Championships. I wrote six years ago, that this German has ability to eclipse Rio Ferdinand and he has done exactly that. His physical strength, game reading and ability to convert defense into attack with long, raking passes have been a joy to behold. Bayern would have won the Champions League if he wasn’t injured for so long.

6- Toni Kroos. I am seeing a much better player with Germany than with Real Madrid. Kroos has been resolute in the tackle and taken his already immaculate passing to a higher level. He is in my side ahead of France’s Ng’olo Kante.

7-Kevin de Bruyne. The Manchester City star has recovered from going Away Without Leave (AWOL) in their opening game defeat to Italy with a string of man of the match performances. I still want him to improve further by showing he can open packed defenses. But so far so good from the Belgian midfield kingpin.

8- Emmanuel Giaccherini. This Sunderland midfielder has been the surprise performer of the tournament. Who needs Claudio Marchisio and all those absentee Azzuri midfielders when Giaccherini is available? He has executed a very tactical role for Conte

9- Gareth Bale. Sometimes its easy to forget that the Welsh talisman is the worlds most expensive player. But not at these Euros. By far the tournament’s best dead ball expert, he has rediscovered his zeal for running at defenders and led Chris Coleman’s side with gusto. He forms part of my three man attack.

10- Dmitri Payet. Where has French maestro Payet been all these years? In Ligue One where he was a top assists maker. Truth is, Payet says his move to West Ham has enabled him to take his game to a new level. He started the tourney with the jury still out on him, but has become Les Bleus most important star, creating and scoring goals for fun.

11- Jacob Blaszczykowski. Dynamic Polish winger Blaszczykowski is in the shortlist for Most Valuable Player. The Borussia Dortmund star has been causing left backs ceaseless problems with his incisive running, intelligent wing play and eye for goal. He completes my three man attack.
Honorable mentions go to Iceland’s Gylfi Sigurdsson, Germany’s Julian Draxler, France’s emerging star Kingsley Coman and Italy’s Graziano Pelle. Whoever says the English Premier League is overrated doesn’t know what they are saying.