Some truly great players have won and made their name in the Euros, but there have also been some absolute legends of the game who have just fallen short of the prestigious Henri Delaunay trophy.
World Cup winners, Ballon d’Or winners, true legends of the game, all make this list. Without much ado, let us look at the greatest XI to have never won the Euros.
Note: Players who are currently active have not been considered, Also preference has been given to players who came close to winning the Euros.
Peter Shilton – Goalkeeper
One of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Peter Shilton was unlucky to be part of an era where the England squad was average to say the least. The great English goalkeeper took part in two Euro championships in 1980 and 1988, with both ending in disappointment.
He is considered to be the greatest England goalkeeper of all time and he still holds the record for most number of appearances in the English national team with a total of 125 caps. Standing at a height of over 6 feet, Shilton was a commanding presence in the box and he was very good at dealing with crosses.
Shilton was also an excellent shot-stopper and he pulled off extraordinary saves with amazing consistency. Truly one of the greats of the game, Shilton is definitely unlucky to have not won Euros in his long and distinguished career.
Philipp Lahm – Right-back
Although Lahm is right-footed, he is able to play on both sides of the pitch. He often cuts from the flank to the inside of the pitch to either shoot and/or pass. He is renowned for his pace, stamina and precise tackling abilities as well as his small stature, giving him the nickname the "Magic Dwarf".
The consistency and brilliance of Lahm is highlighted by the fact that the German made UEFA team of the year 5 times in eight years in 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014. The German captained his side when they won the World Cup, however, he has narrowly missed out on the Euros on two occasions:
Once in 2008, when they lost the finals to Spain and in 2012 when Germany finished third. Lahm is one of the best right-backs of all time and it really is unlucky that he has not managed to win this prestigious competition.
Fernando Hierro – Central Defender
Real Madrid and Spain legend, Fernando Hierro is the other centre-back in this team. Hierro was so consistent at the back that he was named in the FIFA XI of the year for three years in a row from 1996-1998.
At his peak, Hierro had the ability to combine solid defensive play with an almost unlimited passing range making him one of the most sought after players in the world. Hierro was known for his excellent positioning skills and his ability to play out from the back.
He also chipped in with crucial goals for his side and he was comfortable playing in the centre-back, sweeper and defensive midfielder role with equal ease and comfort. Hierro represented Spain in two European championships in 1996 and 2000 where on both occasions, Spain were narrowly eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Franco Baresi – Central Defender
AC Milan and Italian legend, Franco Baresi takes the position of centre-back in this team. A complete and consistent defender who combined power with elegance effortlessly, Baresi was gifted with outstanding physical attributes such as pace, stamina and strength. He was also almost unbeatable in the air and was a fixture in the Italian back-line for more than a decade.
Although Baresi won the FIFA World Cup in 1982, the Euros somehow always seemed to elude the Italian legend. He was a semi-finalist in both 1980 and 1988, narrowly missing out on the big prize on both these occasions.
Baresi was known for his professionalism, longevity and leadership skills and he went on to captain both the AC Milan and Italian side. Although Baresi almost won every trophy possible both for club and country, the Euros was one trophy which he did not get his hands on in his long and distinguished career.
Paolo Maldini – Left-Back
Italian legend Paolo Maldini’s inclusion in this team is a no-brainer. The AC Milan legend is rightly considered by many as one of the most complete defenders of all time.
Maldini was renowned for his technical ability, athleticism, sliding tackles, stamina, and fast energetic forward runs as a left-back. He was also an excellent crosser of the ball, and was an effective attacking threat, scoring and assisting several goals throughout his career.
Maldini was a symbol of his club and the Italian national football team. He was renowned for his consistency, versatility and longevity, breaking into the Milan starting lineup as a teenager and remaining there throughout his career until he retired at the age of 41.
The Italian legend came close to winning the Euros on two occasions, once in 1988 where Italy lost out in the semi-finals and once in 2000, where they lost to a very impressive France team.
Andrea Pirlo – Central Midfielder
Andrea Pirlo might not have made the Euro 2016 squad for Italy, but there is no denying the fact that Pirlo has been Italy’s best midfielder in the last 20 years. Although not gifted with pace, the Italian midfield maestro is renowned for his ability to keep possession. Pirlo is also blessed with extraordinary close control, dribbling skills and passing range.
Tactically, Pirlo is capable of playing in a number of positions, but he is usually employed in the deep-lying playmaker role where he dictates the pace of play. He is also a set-piece specialist and he has scored and created plenty of goals through his free-kicks and corners.
Pirlo is best remembered in the Euros for his stunning performance in 2012, when he almost guided the Azzurri to victory through his stunning passing and set-piece abilities. However, Pirlo’s Italy were beaten by a very strong Spain squad in the finals. Pirlo’s role in the team can be best described by this quote from Michael Cox:
“Is he the best player of his generation? Not quite, but he is the most important.”
One of the greatest Italian players of all time, Pirlo definitely deserved to be a Euro champion.
Johan Neeskens – Central Midfielder
The Netherlands team from 1974 to 1978 was considered to be one of the greatest teams of all time and they were the pioneers of ‘total football’.
His first name was Johan, but his last name wasn’t Cryuff, rather Neeskens. Johan Neeskens was Holland’s one-man engine room, the man without whom Total football might have just been a dream. While there have been players who played the role he did before, it was Neeskens who gave birth to the modern box-to-box midfielder.
A tireless runner and an aggressive presser, he was the heartbeat of the Total football that Ajax and Holland became famous for. Tackling, intercepting, passing, dribbling or finishing, you name it, Neeskens could do it. Neeskens was one of the key reasons for Cruyff’s success.
Neeskens and this legendary Netherlands team suffered heartbreak throughout in their international career when they finished runner-up in the 1974 and 1978 World Cups and only came third in the 1976 Euros. This Netherlands squad was probably the greatest team ever to never win a major trophy.
Pavel Nedved – Attacking Midfielder
One of Czech Republic’s greatest ever players, Pavel Nedved played a crucial role in both the 1996 and 2004 Euros. Nedved gained widespread recognition for his role in the 1996 Euros where he played a starring role in Czech Republic’s run to the finals where they narrowly lost out to Germany.
He was also one of their key players in 2004, where they lost in the semi-finals to eventual champions Greece. A complete, tenacious and two-footed player, Nedved mainly played in the left side of the midfield, but he was also capable of playing in the attacking midfielder position and as a support striker.
Primarily known for his powerful shots and volleys from distance, as well as his stamina, Nedved also had a surprising burst of pace and was renowned for scoring important goals at crucial times.
A Ballon d’Or winner and one of the most complete players of all time, Nedved has undoubtedly been Czech Republic’s greatest player in recent times.
Luis Figo – Right Winger
Luis Figo is the most capped player of Portugal having made 127 appearances for the national team in a long and distinguished career. Renowned for his creativity and having the ability to get past defenders, Figo is regarded as one of the greatest wingers of his generation.
At his physical peak, Figo was a quick, elegant, highly skillful player with a dribbling ability that allowed him to frequently take on and beat defenders in one on one situations. Capable of delivering pin-point set pieces, Figo also scored some crucial goals due to his powerful striking ability from distance and his accurate free-kicks.
Figo came closest to winning the Euros in 2004 when it was held in Portugal, but they surprisingly lost the finals to underdogs Greece. Figo was the star of the 2004 tournament and he definitely is one of the biggest names to miss out on winning this prestigious tournament.
Johan Cruyff – Left Winger
The late, great Johan Cruyff has to make this list. A man who pioneered a completely new style of football and made football an absolute joy, Cruyff was not just a part, he was the heartbeat of the legendary Netherlands squad from 1974-1976.
In terms of talent, technique and temperament, there is no doubt that Cruyff was Europe’s greatest attacking player of all-time. Whether it was pulling the strings from the wings, or more centrally as an attacking midfielder, scoring goals for fun as a striker or creating as a second striker, Cruyff was every manager’s dream.
Cruyff was the captain of the 1976 Netherlands squad which finished third in the Euros. A truly great footballer who culd play in any position across the forward line, Cruyff made football beautiful and it was an absolute joy for anyone to watch the way Cruyff and his Netherlands team played.
Alan Shearer – Striker
One of the greatest ‘number 9s’ of all time, Alan Shearer was England’s star player in the 1996 Euros. England were the hosts themselves and Shearer played a key role in England’s run to the semi-final where they were eliminated on penalties to eventual champions Germany.
Shearer was a prolific goalscorer and he was known for his strength, stamina, powerful shot and heading abilities. Shearer’s impact in the 1996 Euros tournament can be seen from the fact that he finished the tournament as the Golden Boot winner and he was also named in the UEFA team of the tournament.
A striker who always gave his heart out on the pitch, Shearer never shied away from any challenge and his performances in 1996 truly made him a worldwide star. Let us now have a look at how the team lines up and in what formation they will play:
