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After ten months of non-stop domestic football action, the stage is perfectly set for the UEFA Euro 2020 to take over.
The much-anticipated tournament was initially scheduled to take place last season, but was moved to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The blockbuster European competition is less than a fortnight away from kicking off, with Italy and Turkey set to lock horns in the Euro curtain-raiser.
The competition has been known to feature some of European football's biggest names, and this year is no different. From the likes of Real Madrid legends Karim Benzema to Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Euro 2020 is littered with incredible names.
There are, of course, a few noteworthy players who won't feature in Euro 2020 such as Norway duo Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, and Slovenia's Jan Oblak. Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk is also set to miss out via injury, much like Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is set to undergo surgery this summer.
Apart from these few exceptions, however, there is no doubt that the competition will be a delight for football watchers all over the globe. On that note, here, we take a look at the five most valuable players set to feature in the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020.
UEFA Euro 2020 — Most valuable players
#5 Kevin De Bruyne | Belgium | €100m
Belgian maestro Kevin De Bruyne kicks off this list as the fifth most valuable star set to participate at Euro 2020. The Manchester City superstar is arguably the best midfielder in the world and is expected to be Belgium's biggest creative threat this summer. He has been in top form for the Cityzens, scoring nine goals and assisting 16 in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
There were high hopes from the playmaker ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup but the Belgian's displays were relatively underwhelming.
De Bruyne will look to make amends and help his side do well at Euro 2020 as one of their most experienced players. The midfielder has played 80 times for the Belgian Red Devils, scoring 21 goals.
#4 Romelu Lukaku | Belgium | €100m
While De Bruyne is Belgium's biggest creative hub, there is no doubt that his team-mate Romelu Lukaku is their biggest goalscoring threat. The towering striker has arguably enjoyed the best season of his club career, scoring 30 goals and assisting ten in 44 games across all fronts for Internazionale. The 28-year-old fired the Nerazzurri to their first Scudetto in a decade.
Lukaku is the Belgian Red Devils' all-time top-scorer, having racked up 59 strikes in just 91 games at an average of 0.65 goals per 90. He has at least 27 more goals to his name than Eden Hazard in second place, who scored 32 in his 106 games.
After a season where he's already enjoyed an immense amount of success in Italy, Lukaku will look to fire his homeland to glory at Euro 2020.
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#3 Jadon Sancho | England | €100m
England superstar Jadon Sancho is the youngest player to make this list, as he's valued at a staggering €100m at the age of 21. Sancho has established himself as one of the Bundesliga's finest and one of the best English players overall in the last few years. With the quality possessed by the Borussia Dortmund winger, he will surely have his say at Euro 2020.
Although he had a relatively slow start to 2020-21, Sancho had a brilliant second half to the season and ended with 16 goals and 20 assists across all fronts. He also fired BVB to the DFB-Pokal, scoring twice in the final against RB Leipzig.
Despite playing over 100 times for Dortmund, Sancho is relatively inexperienced on the international stage, scoring three and assisting five in 18 games so far.
#2 Harry Kane | England | €120m
Sancho might be short on experience for England, but the next player on this list certainly isn't lacking in this area. The Three Lions' skipper, Harry Kane, is set to enter Euro 2020 as the second most valuable player in the competition at €120m. It's hardly surprising to see Kane this high on the list, given his incredible credentials and that he has three years left on his current Tottenham Hotspur deal.
Kane became only the second player in Premier League history to win the Golden Boot and Playmaker Award in the same season. He topped the charts with 23 goals and 14 assists in 2020-21 and is possibly one of the most in-form players at Euro 2020.
The 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner is the highest active England goalscorer with 34 goals to his name in only 53 appearances.
#1 Kylian Mbappe | France | €160m
Two weeks after France suffered heartbreak in the Euro 2016 final at the Stade de France, Kylian Mbappe fired their junior side to the U19 Euros title in Germany. The French starlet almost single-handedly took them past a Ruben Dias-inspired Portugal in the semi-final, scoring a superb brace.
Fast forward five years to this summer, and Mbappe heads into Euro 2020 with Les Bleus not only as the most valuable player in the competition, but in world football. The French superstar has emerged as arguably one of the best players in the world over the last few years and helped France win the 2018 World Cup. He's scored 16 times overall in 42 games for France.
Mbappe has also been in surreal form for Paris Saint-Germain as well, scoring 42 goals and assisting 11 in 47 games across all competitions. Quite remarkably, since France's 1-0 loss to Portugal in the Euro 2016 final, Mbappe has gone on to score 174 goals and deliver 88 assists in 260 games for club and country. Les Bleus will need Mbappe to be at his very best to help them win Euro 2020.
Also read: 5 Most expensive Bundesliga exports of all time
