EURO 1984 Team of the Tournament

GOALKEEPER

Harald Schumacher (West Germany)
A worthy successor to Sepp Maier, he was a winner and ever present in his first major finals in 1980. West Germany made a disappointing defence in 1984 but Schumacher performed heroically, a memorable last-minute save securing a 2-1 win against Romania. A beaten FIFA World Cup finalist in 1982 and 1986, he amassed 76 caps. Won the Bundesliga with Köln, where he spent 15 years, and Dortmund and was Footballer of the Year in Germany twice.

Harald Schumacher was a rare bright spark for West Germany at the 1984 finalsBob Thomas/Getty Images

DEFENDERS

João Pinto (Portugal)
An adventurous right-back and one-club man who spent 16 years at Porto, João Pinto first came to prominence for his country in 1984. There would be only one other major tournament appearance in his 70-cap career (42 as captain) – a disappointing 1986 World Cup – but at club level he won nine league titles and four Portuguese Cups and was skipper in the 1987 European Champion Clubs' Cup final as Porto beat Bayern 2-1.

Karlheinz Förster (West Germany)
The younger brother in West Germany's winning squad, Karlheinz outshone Bernd to earn a reputation as one of the world's most irrepressible central defenders. Aged 21, Förster neutralised Belgian dangerman Jan Ceulemans in the 1980 final to round off an exceptional championship. Won 81 caps, twice finishing a World Cup runner-up. A Bundesliga champion with Stuttgart in 1984, Förster also scooped a French double with Marseille in 1989.

Morten Olsen was Denmark ‘s stand-out performer in 1984 at the age of 34 ©Bob Thomas/Getty Images

Morten Olsen (Denmark)
Olsen's international career spanned almost two decades, but it was not until the mid-80s that he was established as one of the world's finest liberos. Graced the finals with commanding displays as captain before missing the semi-final through injury. Led Denmark at their first World Cup two years later, appeared at a second EURO in 1988 and won his 100th cap the following year. The longest serving Denmark coach (2000–15), he guided them to the 2002 and 2010 World Cups and UEFA EURO 2004.

Andreas Brehme was one of the game’s great wing-backs and scored the winning goal in the 1990 World Cup final ©Getty Images

Andreas Brehme (West Germany)
Brehme scored the winner in the 1990 World Cup final against Argentina and is regarded as one of the finest wing-backs to have graced the game, his 86 caps testifying to his status. His career began and ended at Kaiserslautern, sandwiching spells at Bayern and Inter – he won league titles with all three. Brehme was ever present in three successive UEFA European Championships.

MIDFIELDERS

Fernando Chalana (Portugal)
A key figure in qualifying, the left-footed playmaker was even more prominent at the 1984 finals and his two assists for Rui Jordão in the semi-final against France came close to eliminating the hosts. Produced man-of-the-match displays versus West Germany and Spain prior to that. The Benfica stalwart scooped six titles there before joining Bordeaux after this tournament and won two more championships despite struggling with injuries.

Fernando Chalana was a model of consistency for Portugal at the 1984 UEFA European Championship ©Bob Thomas/Getty Images

Alain Giresse (France)
A diminutive, zestful midfielder, Giresse was the perfect lieutenant to Michel Platini. Shone for Les Bleus at the 1982 World Cup and was equally influential here, knitting the play together and living up to his ‘Moteur’ (motor) nickname. At club level Giresse made 500 appearances and won two French league titles at Bordeaux before joining Marseille. He went on to coach Paris Saint-Germain and Toulouse as well as the national teams of Georgia, Gabon, Mali, Senegal and Tunisia.

Jean Tigana (France)
Tigana was second only to Platini in the Ballon d'Or in 1984. A perfect amalgam of technique and stamina, the midfielder demonstrated his class with a scything run before setting up Platini's extra-time winner in the semi-final against Portugal. Also starred for Les Bleus in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups on his way to 52 caps. Won Ligue 1 three times with Bordeaux and twice at Marseille. He has since coached Lyon, Monaco, Fulham, Beşiktaş, Bordeaux and Shanghai Shenhua.

Michel Platini floors Portugal in one of the great UEFA European Championship matches in 1984©Getty Images

Frank Arnesen (Denmark)
Attacking midfielder Arnesen was a key member of the Denmark side that graced this competition and the 1986 World Cup. Scorer of two spot kicks in the 1984 group phase, he set up Denmark's goal in the semi-final before going off injured. After three Eredivisie titles with both Ajax and PSV, injury forced his retirement aged 31. Arnesen has enjoyed sporting director roles since at Tottenham, Chelsea, Hamburg, Metalist Kharkiv, PAOK, Anderlecht and Feyenoord.

Michel Platini (France)
Platini exceeded all expectations when he captained Les Bleus to their first international trophy in 1984, scoring in all five matches, including hat-tricks against Belgium and Yugoslavia. His other three goals were all winners, including strikes in the semi-final and the final. The first player to win the Ballon d'Or three years running, he starred at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, scored 41 goals in 71 internationals and won the European Cup with Juventus in 1985. Coached France (1988–1992) and is a former UEFA President.

FORWARD

Rudi Völler (West Germany)
With 47 goals in 90 international appearances, Völler is among the greatest European goalscorers. He appeared in three UEFA European Championships and three World Cups, winning in 1990. His first major finals in 1984 ended with group stage elimination and four years later his campaign was cut short by a broken arm. Völler's club career, largely spent at Werder Bremen and Roma, peaked in 1993 when he won the UEFA Champions League with Marseille. Coached Germany to the 2002 World Cup final.