Euro 2008 - Euro Power Rankings

Spain and Germany will contest the final of Euro 2008, but which side goes into the game on top of our Euro Power Rankings?

(Previous ranking in brackets)

1. Spain (3)

Spain really turned on the style in their semi-final victory over Russia, and will go into the final backed by neutrals everywhere. Their slick passing football is a joy to watch, but their unquestionably talented players will have to hold their nerve if they are to secure only a second major championship in their history.

2. Germany (1)

Joachim Loew’s men were second best for the vast majority of their semi-final against Turkey, but managed to stumble into the final thanks to Philipp Lahm’s late strike. They have yet to really convince in this tournament, but the fact that they are in the final is testament to their extraordinary resilience.

3. Turkey (4)

The quality of their performance against Germany, with a squad of just 14, proved that they were more than worthy of a place in the last four, after critics had suggested that their run to the semi-finals owed more to luck than anything else. Turkey’s contribution to the tournament will live long in the memory.

4. Russia (2)

Guus Hiddink’s side thrilled in the 3-1 quarter-final victory over the Netherlands but were distinctly average in the semi-final defeat to Spain. Players like Andrei Arshavin and flying full-back Yuri Zhirkov really caught the eye, but after all the excitement the fact remains that they really impressed in only two matches.

5. Netherlands (5)

Good lord, how did we not see this one coming? Marco van Basten’s men went from majestic to mediocre as Russia ran them ragged. 150,000 orange-clad fans in Basel saw yet another major championship end in heartache, although at least they didn’t lose on penalties this time.

6. Croatia (6)

Slaven Bilic’s men won over neutrals everywhere with their incisive passing style, but having been a minute away from the last four they lost their nerve completely when their quarter-final with Turkey went to penalties. England fans will surely sympathise.

7. Portugal (7)

Terrible defensive errors cost them dearly against a far from vintage Germany side, while the anonymous performance of Cristiano Ronaldo suggested that he might just have to wait for that Ballon d’Or.

8. Italy (8)

Did what they do best for 120 minutes against Spain before allowing a team with an awful record at penalty shootouts to beat them. A run to the quarter-finals is hardly a disgraceful performance (unlike that of, say, France) but the style of football employed by Roberto Donadoni has won the Azzurri few friends.

9. Czech Republic (9)

Took part in the best game of Euro 2004, beating the Netherlands 3-2. Their 3-2 defeat to Turkey will take some beating this time around, but the Czechs are on their way home after a dramatic collapse in Geneva.

10. Romania (10)

Sorry to say it, but Romania blew it when they had the Group of Death at their mercy. Adrian Mutu’s penalty miss against Italy turned out to prove decisive as they failed to cut it against a Dutch reserve side.

11. Switzerland (11)

Performed admirably in their 2-0 win over an admittedly weakened Portugal side, and finally had the luck that deserted them in their first two games. At least co-hosts Austria have followed them out.

12. Sweden (12)

Ancient, plodding and completely outplayed. The Swedes were never at the races against Russia and were deservedly sent packing. The oldest squad at Euro 2008 looked devoid of ideas with Zlatan Ibrahimovic below full fitness.

13. Greece (13)

Ensured they at least found the net before heading home, but three straight defeats add up to a dismal title defence by anyone’s standards. Otto Rehhagel may now choose to bow out with his head held high.

14. Austria (14)

Plucky, and they gave Germany a run for their money for 45 minutes. Although they weren’t as bad as the pre-tournament petition suggested, no goals from open play is a telling story.

15. Poland (15)

A late penalty awarded by Howard Webb led to two dropped points against Austria and the defeat against Croatia completed a damp squib of a tournament for the Poles. Ebi Smolarek, Jacek Krzynowek and Mariusz Lewandowski didn’t turn up.

16. France (16)

No team played worse at Euro 2008 than Les Bleus, who were dull against Romania, overwhelmed by the Dutch and completely self-destructed in their biggest match since the 2006 World Cup final. Madame Guillotine is already hurtling towards Raymond Domenech’s head.

Come back each day as we revise our Euro 2008 rankings!

Eurosport

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Euro 2008 - Best of Euro 2008

With only one game of Euro 2008 remaining, Eurosport takes a look at the games, goals, gaffes and girls that have caught the eye.

Player of the tournament - To be decided

At this stage of proceedings, no player has yet grabbed the competition by the scruff of its neck and bent it to his will.

Wesley Sneijder was the undisputed star of the group stage, conducting the Netherlands to sensational victories over Italy and France, while Andrei Arshavin sparkled brilliantly before fading completely in Russia’s semi-final defeat to Spain.

The tournament’s top strikers - David Villa, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Lukas Podolski - have impressed only fleetingly, while Spain’s super substitute Cesc Fabregas is yet to start a meaningful game.

Michael Ballack has led the German charge to the final, ably assisted by goalscoring winger Bastian Schweinsteiger, but any one of about six or seven players could land the player of the tournament gong with a match-winning performance in the final.

Goal of the tournament - Wesley Sneijder v Italy

There has been a dearth of quality long-range goals in the tournament, with players struggling to get to grips with a ball that’s displayed the flyaway qualities of one of those 50p balls you find in motorway service stations.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s thunderbolt against Greece, Ballack’s net-busting free-kick against Austria and Sneijder’s stunning coup de grace for the Netherlands in the 4-1 trouncing of France are the obvious exceptions, but there have also been some sublime team goals.

Arshavin’s goal in Russia’s 2-0 win over Sweden was a fine thing to behold, but it’s the Dutch who mastered the art of the counter-attack most effortlessly, and Sneijder’s beautifully struck half-volley after a flowing team move in the 3-0 win over Italy was the best of the lot.

Miss of the tournament - Mario Gomez v Austria

19:49 BST, Monday 16 June, Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna. Germany are playing Austria and need a win to progress to the next round.

With just four minutes on the clock, out-of-form striker Mario Gomez is presented with an open goal by team-mate Miroslav Klose, but from barely four yards out and with the goal at his mercy he spoons the ball into the air and Austrian defender Gyorgy Garics is able to head it off the line.

Hakan Yakin was guilty of a similarly glaring miss in Switzerland’s 2-1 defeat to Turkey, but for the glimpse into a very private hell that Gomez’s miss provided, the Stuttgart striker gets the nod.

Game of the tournament - Turkey 3-2 Czech Republic

There have been some tremendous games in the tournament, with the Netherlands’ thumping victories over Italy and France catching the eye before they were eliminated in stunning fashion at the quarter-final stage by Russia.

Germany edged a thrilling quarter-final against Portugal 3-2 thanks to some appallingly slack defending from Luis Felipe Scolari’s men, but for pure edge-of-the-seat excitement, it has to be Turkey’s incredible comeback victory over the Czech Republic in Group A.

Needing to win to go through, Turkey trailed 2-0 with just 15 minutes to play, but after Arda Turan had halved the deficit Nihat Kahveci took advantage of a howler from Petr Cech to level before curling a superb injury-time winner in off the crossbar to send the Turks into the last eight.

Save of the tournament - Gianluigi Buffon v Romania

With nine minutes remaining of the Group C match between Italy and Romania, Christian Panucci conceded a penalty that could have knocked the world champions out of the tournament.

Romania captain Adrian Mutu stepped up and drilled the ball firmly down the centre of the goal but, despite having already dived down to his left, Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon shot out his right hand to claw the ball away and keep his side in the competition.

Gaffe of the tournament - Petr Cech v Turkey

Turkey goalkeeper Rustu Recber produced a horrendous flap which enabled Klose to head Germany into a 2-1 lead in the semi-final between the sides, but Cech’s error against the Turks - when he let a high right-wing cross squirm out of his grasp and into the path of Nihat - was probably the worst of the tournament, even more so because it was so completely out of character.

Coach of the tournament - Fetih Terim, Turkey

Dutchmen Marco van Basten and Guus Hiddink oversaw some fine performances from the Netherlands and Russia, but both sides choked when it mattered most.

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic had his side playing some similarly eye-catching stuff, and somehow managed to ally breathless touchline enthusiasm with effortless cool, but for taking a decidedly unfancied Turkey side to the brink of the final - whilst all the while throwing his arms around like an epileptic orangutang - Fatih Terim is our top boss.

Biggest disappointment - France

How a squad containing the attacking talents of Thierry Henry, Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Nicolas Anelka could exit the tournament with just a single goal to their name is something of a mystery, but in the end they were undone by too many ageing legs and a collective loss of form.

Insipid against Romania, they were then trounced by the Dutch and didn’t even look like scoring in the 2-0 defeat to Italy.

Still, every cloud has a silver lining, and in Ribery, Benzema, Samir Nasri and Hatem Ben Arfa - not to mention the likely departure of coach Raymond Domenech - there is hope for the future.

Worst match - France v Romania

Sweden’s 2-0 win over Greece in Group D was an absolute stinker, but it did at least boast some goals.

France’s goalless draw with Romania, on the other hand, had no redeeming features whatsoever, with the sides registering just one shot on target between them in the whole game, and that a side-footed pea-roller from Benzema that might not have made it into the net even if Romanian goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont hadn’t been there to get in the way.

Best WAG - Sarah Brandner

A difficult category to judge, seeing as none of the WAGs have actually done anything, but a top three of Noemie Lenoir (Claude Makelele), Sarah Brandner (Bastian Schweinsteiger) and Sylvie Meis (Rafael van der Vaart) provides plenty of food for thought.

Lenoir and Meis both score highly in the glamour stakes, but for sheer commitment (she turned up to every Germany match, quaffed pints of lager and she’s dating a footballer who looks like a pimply adolescent), it has to be Fraulein Brandner (pictured).

Best fans - Netherlands

It’s a massive cliche, but once again the Dutch fans illuminated the tournament with their crazy orange-clad antics and unstinting commitment to wacky fancy-dress.

So impressed was the mayor of Berne with the behaviour of the Oranje fans during their group-stage sojourn in the city that he presented the squad with turf from the Stade de Suisse Wankdorf where they had played.

As useless gifts go it’s right up there with ornamental animals, but at least they made an impression.

Tom Williams / Eurosport

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2008-06-20 - Croatia v Turkey

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Croatia Euro 2008 Squad

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic has named his 23-man squad for Euro 2008 with only six defenders after extending his contract with the country’s Football Association until 2010.

Even though Bilic included only six defenders, some of his nine midfielders, notably Danijel Pranjic and Darijo Srna, are versatile wing backs who can play in several positions.

Croatia open their campaign against Austria in Vienna on June 8 and play their remaining Group B matches in Klagenfurt against Germany on June 12 and Poland four days later.

Croatia Euro 2008 Squad

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow), Vedran Runje (RC Lens), Mario Galinovic (Panathinaikos)

Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Manchester City), Dario Simic (AC Milan), Robert Kovac (Borussia Dortmund), Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Dario Knezevic (Livorno), Hrvoje Vejic (Tom Tomsk)

Midfielders: Danijel Pranjic (Heerenveen), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Niko Kovac (Salzburg), Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb/Tottenham), Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth), Jerko Leko (Monaco), Ivan Rakitic (Schalke 04), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Pokrivac (Monaco)

Forwards: Mladen Petric (Borussia Dortmund), Ivica Olic (Hamburg SV), Ivan Klasnic (Werder Bremen), Igor Budan (Parma), Nikola Kalinic (Hajduk Split)

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