Euro 2020 is less than a week away and it is time to examine the squad depth of the eight biggest contenders. This just in: France are good.
For a bit of fun, it’s time to look at the first, second and third possible unique XIs of the best nations heading to Euro 2020. Players not named in their country’s final squad for the tournament are in italics, while the notable absentees are made up only of recent call-ups. Sorry to Patrick Bamford and all of Leeds.
Let’s do it and get Euro 2020 fever.
France
First XI
Lloris
Pavard Varane Kimpembe Hernandez
Kante Pogba
Coman Griezmann Mbappe
Benzema
Second XI: Mandanda; Dubois, Zouma, Kounde, Digne; Tolisso, Rabiot, Sissoko; Dembele, Giroud, Lemar
Third XI: Maignan; Aguilar, Lenglet, Upamecano, Mendy; Ndombele, Aouar, Camavinga; Thuram, Ben Yedder, Martial
Notable absentees: Areola, Nzonzi, Fekir, Ikone
England
First XI
Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire Shaw
Rice J. Henderson Mount
Rashford Kane Foden
Second XI: D. Henderson; Trippier, White, Mings, Chilwell; Phillips, Bellingham, Grealish; Sancho, Calvert-Lewin, Sterling
Third XI: Johnstone; James, Godfrey, Coady, Saka; Ward-Prowse, Lingard, Winks; Greenwood, Abraham, Watkins
Notable absentees: Pope, Alexander-Arnold, Dier, Keane, Maitland-Niles, Ings, Barnes
Belgium
First XI
Courtois
Alderweireld Vertonghen Vermaelen
Meunier Dendoncker De Bruyne T. Hazard
Mertens E. Hazard
Second XI: Mignolet; Boyata, Denayer, Mechele; Castagne, Tielemans, Witsel, Carrasco; Doku, Trossard; Batshuayi
Third XI: Sels; Vanheusden, Delcroix, Bornauw; Foket, Praet, Vanaken, J. Lukaku; Januzaj, Chadli; Benteke
Notable absentees: Kaminski, Saelemaekers, Heynen, Lokonga, Verschaeren, De Ketelaere
Germany
First XI
Neuer
Sule Hummels Rudiger
Kimmich Kroos Gundogan Gosens
Havertz Werner Gnabry
Second XI: Leno; Ginter, Koch, Can; Klostermann, Goretzka, Neuhaus, Halstenberg; Sane, Volland, Muller
Third XI: Trapp; Tah, Kehrer, Stark; Henrichs, Hofmann, Dahoud, Gunter; Younes, Waldschmidt, Musiala
Notable absentees: Ter Stegen, Max, Schulz, Wirtz, Brandt, Amiri, Draxler, Serdar
Portugal
First XI
Patricio
Cancelo Fonte Dias Guerreiro
Pereira Carvalho Fernandes
B. Silva Ronaldo Felix
Second XI: Lopes; N. Semedo, Pepe, Duarte, Mendes; Moutinho, Sanches, Oliveira; Goncalves, A. Silva, Jota
Third XI: Rui Silva; Cedric, L. Neto, R. Semedo, Rui; Palhinha, Neves, Gomes; Rafa Silva, Paulinho, Guedes
Notable absentees: Sa, P. Neto, Trincao
Spain
First XI
Simon
M. Llorente Torres Laporte Alba
Rodri Thiago Koke
Olmo Torres
Morata
Second XI: De Gea; Azpilicueta, D. Llorente, Garcia, Gaya; Busquets, Fabian, Pedri; Sarabia, Oyarzabal; Moreno
Third XI: Sanchez; Carvajal, Martinez, Ramos, Reguilon; Merino, Ceballos, Canales; Fati, Traore; Rodrigo
Notable absentees: Kepa, Porro, Roberto, Bellerin, Cucurella, Navas, Asensio, Campana, Gil
Italy
First XI
Donnarumma
Florenzi Bonucci Chiellini Emerson
Barella Jorginho Verratti
Chiesa Immobile Insigne
Second XI: Sirigu; Di Lorenzo, Acerbi, Bastoni, Spinazzola; Pellegrini, Cristante, Locatelli; Bernadeschi, Belotti, Kean
Third XI: Meret; Lazzari, Toloi, Mancini, Biraghi; Sensi, Castrovilli, Pessina; Berardi, Politano; Raspadori
Notable absentees: Cragno, Ferrari, Romagnoli, Calabria, Soriano, Mandragora, Grifo, El Shaarawy, Caputo
Netherlands
First XI
Stekelenburg
Dumfries De Vrij De Ligt Blind
Wijnaldum Klaassen De Jong
Berghuis Depay Malen
Second XI: Krul; Veltman, Timber, Ake, Wijndal; De Roon, Van de Beek, Gravenberch; El Ghazi, De Jong, Promes
Third XI: Bizot; Tete, Botman, St. Juste, Van Aanholt; Koopmeiners, Vilhena, Strootman; Stengs, Weghorst, Gakpo
Notable absentees: Cillessen, Hateboer, Karsdorp, Schuurs, Sinkgraven, Van Dijk, Propper, Bergwijn, Babel
