The aura of the impending Euro 2016 is already in the air with less than a month to go. With the footballing season almost at its fag end, speculations regarding the Euro squads have already started rising.
The season has seen many new, as well as old talents, rise up and they’ll be vying for a spot in the starting XI for their respective national teams in the 2016 UEFA European Championship to be held in France from 10th June.
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Here we take a look at 10 players who have been absolutely fantastic for their clubs this season and leaving them out of the starting XI would be no less than a sin for any manager.
A notable absentee from the list is N’Golo Kante, who has started featuring for the French national team and is a clear cut first choice midfielder set to start in Euro 16.
#1 Renato Sanches
Renato Sanches has just been announced to the world with his big money move to Bayern Munich. The £27.6 million price tag has come at the backdrop of his stellar season with Portuguese giants Benfica.
Renato has been instrumental in taking Benfica to top of the Primeira Liga, two points above second-placed Sporting and leading the club to the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
His energy and defensive work rate are evident by the fact that he has managed a better duels-per-game ratio (7.17) than any other teenager in the Champions League and has the best percentage of duels won by any outfield player of Benfica this season.
The highly-rated box-to-box midfielder can add to the strengths of Portugal with his dynamic style of play and can provide marksman Cristiano Ronaldo with some much-needed support.
#2 Danny Rose
Since arriving at the club in 2007, Danny Rose has steadily climbed through the ranks at White Hart Lane.
Starting off as a left winger, he has seen through loan spells with Watford, Peterborough United, Bristol City and Sunderland before converting to a left back. This season has proved to be a breakthrough for him as he was arguably the most improved player under Mauricio Pochettino and has commanded the left flank completely.
The defender has improved defensively as well and has played his part in the attack, winning a total of 56 tackles and creating 24 chances in as many appearances in the Premier League.
The 25-year-old has been the best left-back in this Premier League season and was selected in the PFA Team of the Year.
#3 Moussa Dembele
The unsung hero of Tottenham’s best season in the Premier League era has been their central midfielder Moussa Dembele.
With Dier sitting at the back, Dembele has enjoyed the freedom to roam about through most of the season and has helped both, defensively as well as in attack. He does look uncomfortable with the ball at times, but his quickness in changing directions makes it tough to win the ball from him, almost always breaking line by beating a man to open up spaces for the more flair players to operate.
He had an impressive dribble success rate of 88.6%, the best of all players to have attempted at least 20 take-ons this season. The impact the midfielder has had on his team is evident from the fact that Spurs have scored 2.1 goals per game with him in the side as compared to 1.3 per game without him.
With Nainggolan sitting just in front of the defence and players like Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne spearheading the attacks, Dembele could well prove to be a lethal weapon for Belgium, given his defensive work rate and control over the ball.
#4 Alvaro Morata
Morata has been linked with a move away from Juventus with Real Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all said to be interested in the striker. He has played a key role in firing Juventus to two consecutive League titles and the Champions League final last year.
Morata has scored some very crucial goals for Juventus, finding the net in the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid last year and scoring twice in this year’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Inter Milan. He also assisted in either legs against Bayern Munich and has 11 goals and 12 assists to his name this season across all competitions.
Guiseppe Marotta, Juventus’s football director, heaped praise on the 23-year-old forward saying “We’ve never considered selling Morata. He is part of the backbone of this team; he’s a youngster who has shown he is the real thing. We are used to keeping hold of players like him.”
Morata could address Spain’s problems up ahead and could knock up a few goals with feeding being no problem considering Spain’s world-class creative midfield.
#5 David de Gea
His exploits need no introduction. David de Gea is hands down the best in-form keeper in the world and has saved Manchester United from humiliation more often than not in the past few seasons.
The shot-stopper has been Manchester United’s Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons now, making a club record and has looked absolutely impenetrable in front of the goal. It is also the third time that the 25-year-old Spaniard has been named the best goalkeeper in the Premier League.
Despite being 5th in the Premier League table, Manchester United have the second best defensive record only behind Spurs, all thanks to De Gea’s exploits between the sticks, keeping 14 clean sheets in 32 appearances.
With Casillas a shade of his previous best, De Gea is likely to take over from Spain’s long-serving fading captain and should prove to be an excellent replacement.
#6 Dimitri Payet
West Ham’s story may have gone unnoticed with Leicester pulling the greatest underdog story of the millennium, but Payet’s form has surely turned a lot of heads.
The 29-year old midfielder has been termed as one of the signings of the season, scoring 12 goals and assisting another 12 in 38 appearances for the Hammers across all competitions. He has also proved to be a dead ball specialist, scoring five times through free kicks and creating a lot other chances through his brilliant set pieces.
Payet featured for France in their last two friendlies against Netherlands and Russia and received praise from Didier Deschamps, hailing him as being in ‘top form’. His performance against Russia showcased his talents, controlling the midfield and even scoring from a 35-yard free kick.
#7 Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial’s £36million move to Manchester United at the start of the season raised many eyebrows, but his performance for the Red Devils has answered all critics in style, justifying his hefty transfer fee.
He was introduced to the world in some fashion, scoring against arch rivals Liverpool in his debut match at the Theatre of Dreams in a 3-1 triumph and has been their top scorer in all competitions, scoring 18 and assisting 7 times. He was named the Premier League Player of the month in September, becoming just the third youngest player to win the award.
The 20-year-old has been a constant threat for the opposition throughout the season, using his pace and dribbling skills to skip past defenders with ease, and can play as a forward and a winger, capable of playing on either of the flanks.
With Benzema missing from France’s Euro squad, Martial and Griezmann could supplement their attack up front, with both of them capable of playing as striker or on either of the wings.
#8 Koke
Atletico Madrid have had another great season under Diego Simeone, defeating favourites Barcelona and Bayern Munich both en route to the Champions League final, their second in three seasons. The Rojiblancos have already triumphed against Real Madrid in the Liga once this season and would be looking to repeat the result on 29th May.
Koke has been the heart and soul of Atletico’s midfield and has combined excellently with Griezmann and Torres. In the Spanish La Liga, he has scored 5 goals this season, creating 77 chances and 14 assists. He has played in every position in the midfield this season, be it right, left or the centre of the field.
Spain’s midfield maestro, Xavi was full of praises for him, saying “He has everything: talent, physical ability, he is a footballer of the present and the future... He has been marked out as the conductor of Spain's orchestra for the next 10 years.
“I have a special affection for him because we play in the same position and I think he is an extraordinary player.”
#9 Jamie Vardy
It’s been all Leicester City this season, and the hero of their fairy tale has been their leading goalscorer, Jamie Vardy.
The 29-year-old has been the most improved player in the Premier League season and is in the form of his life. Vardy was on an inspired run in the first half of the season, smashing Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record by scoring in eleven consecutive Premier League matches.
He was voted as the Premier League Player of the Season, finishing the season with 24 goals, only behind golden boot winner and fellow England international Harry Kane.
Leicester City’s gameplay has relied on long balls being played over the defence for the forward to chase and has worked more often than not. Vardy’s pace, power, finishing and work rate make him a perfect forward in the modern game and could prove to be lethal for England in the Euros.
#10 Eric Dier
Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side has looked entirely different this season, heading to their best finish in Premier League history. The show in the midfield has largely been run by their dominating defensive midfielder, Eric Dier.
As a defensive midfielder, the number of interceptions you make largely determines how well your team is able to counter attack. Dier’s incredible work rate and his relentless box-to-box style of play have enabled Tottenham to incorporate the counter-attacking style in their play so well in this season.
He has managed 77 interceptions, 19 blocks and has completed 1483 successful passes, outlining his impact on Spurs’ brilliant performances.
Dier earned a call up to the England team in November last year, and his side has triumphed in the two games he has started, against Euro hosts France and World Champions Germany. He even scored the winner against the latter in injury time in a 3-2 thriller.
With Jordan Henderson a doubt to make it on the plane to France following his knee ligament injury, Eric Dier could be the answer to Roy Hodgson’s problems.
