Euro 2016: Best XI comprising of team captains

Defence

Ashley Williams (Wales)

If Wales are to have a great Euro 2016, Williams will have to lead from the back.

Wales just shipped 3 goals to Sweden in a friendly, and Chris Coleman did his best to shrug away the result. He certainly can’t let the alarm bells start ringing so close to the beginning of the tournament but will surely be sweating over their defensive performance.

He’ll be hoping Williams can use his Premier League experience to counter the threat of Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane when the Welsh take on England in the group stages. Gareth Bale will look to make the most of his searing pace up front but how Williams is able to organize his defence will be equally critical in determining how far Wales can go in Euro 2016.

Lorik Cana (Albania)

Albania’s two best-known players are in defence. Elseid Hysaj is now being scouted by the best teams on the planet after his storming season with Napoli, but it is captainLorik Cana who will be the star man. After cementing his reputation as one of most consistent centre backs in Serie A at Lazio, he spent last season with Nantes in Ligue 1.

With 92 appearances for the national team, he’ll look to organise a strong defence as Albania look to shock a few big guns at the championship in France.

Christian Fuchs (Austria)

Following a memorable Premier League triumph with Leicester, Fuchs will be looking for another miracle in France.

A year ago not many people had heard his name, but Fuchs is now the toast of English football. His gorgeous crosses from the left flank were imperative to Leicester’s unprecedented title winning run.

Fuchs made his debut for Austria when he was 20 years old and has amassed 75 appearances in 10 years. The Austrian faced a lot of setbacks in his career and even after the great season he’s had, he will go into this tournament with a promising Austrian side with nothing to lose, and a lot to gain.

Stephan Lichsteiner (Switzerland)

The 32-year-old Swiss right back is as dependable a player as any. Having just completed a fifth season at Juventus, he’s been at the center of a lot of transfer speculation in recent times. Clubs of the stature of PSG and Chelsea have been linked with him which shows how in-demand he is, even at his age.

‘Forrest Gump’, as he’s fondly called by the fans for his stamina and athleticism, there couldn’t be a more apt nickname and he’ll certainly inspire his Switzerland teammates to give their all and reach the Round of 16 at the very least.