EURO 2000 Team of the Tournament
sábado, 1 de enero de 2022
Resumen del artículo
Laurent Blanc, Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira and Zinédine Zidane are the four victorious Frenchmen in the 2000 selection.
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Cuerpo del artículo
GOALKEEPER
Francesco Toldo (Italy)
An unused squad member at four major finals, he was given his chance when Gianluigi Buffon injured his hand before UEFA EURO 2000. Toldo was brilliant throughout, particularly in the semi-final shoot-out victory against the Netherlands as he saved three penalties. Impressed with Fiorentina in 1999/2000 then left for Inter in 2001. He won five Scudettos and the 2010 UEFA Champions League in his ninth and final season with the Nerazzurri.
DEFENDERS
Laurent Blanc (France)
Made the team of the tournament in 1992, 1996 and 2000, where he bowed out with victory in the final – an honour cruelly denied him through suspension at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Nicknamed ‘Le Président’ on account of his authority, elegance and leadership, the centre-back started at Montpellier as a midfielder, later representing Barcelona, Inter and Manchester United. Won the title as Bordeaux coach, led France at UEFA EURO 2012, then two domestic trebles with Paris.
Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
Captained Italy to victory in the 2006 World Cup final, a year he won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year honours, having featured in every game at UEFA EURO 2000, displaying his usual poise and tactical awareness. A 1999 UEFA Cup winner with Parma, Naples-born Cannavaro returned to Juventus after winning two Liga titles at Real Madrid and finished his playing days at al-Ahli after collecting a then record 136 Italy caps. Has coached in Saudi Arabia and China since retirement.
Paolo Maldini (Italy)
One of the game’s greatest ever defenders, Maldini played over 1000 matches for club and country and made a then Italian record 126 appearances between 1988 and 2002. Came closest to international honours when runner-up at the 1994 World Cup and UEFA EURO 2000. It was ironic that Italy should win the 2006 World Cup without their talisman, but Maldini claimed EURO team of the tournament places in 1988, 1996 and 2000 not to mention five European Cups and seven Serie A crowns in 25 years at Milan.
Lilian Thuram (France)
Guadeloupe-born Thuram accrued a national record 142 caps over a feted 14-year international career, taking in seven major finals and victory at the 1998 World Cup and UEFA EURO 2000. Here, his cool-headed displays and surging runs from right-back were instrumental in France's victory. Came out of international retirement to reach the World Cup final again in 2006. Spent five years apiece with Monaco, Parma and Juventus – winning silverware with each – before ending his career at Barcelona in 2008.
MIDFIELDERS
Patrick Vieira (France)
A fringe member of the 1998 World Cup-winning side, he became a fully integrated titulaire at UEFA EURO 2000 and played all six games. Vieira was just as effective defending as attacking, and it was his run that allowed Youri Djorkaeff to score the quarter-final winner against Spain. In nine years at Arsenal, Dakar-born Vieira won three Premier League titles and three FA Cups, scoring the winning penalty in the last. Also claimed four Serie A titles in as many years at Inter. Started coaching at New York City, now with Nice.
Zinédine Zidane (France)
Zidane's jour de gloire came when his two headers won the 1998 World Cup but he was arguably even better at UEFA EURO 2000. 'Zizou' retired from international football only to return in 2006 and win the Golden Ball despite his sending off in the World Cup final. A title winner in Italy and Spain, he capped his switch from Juventus to Real Madrid with a spectacular winning goal in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final. Coached the Meringues to three straight European titles for good measure.
Luís Figo (Portugal)
The dazzling dribbler made 127 international appearances between 1991 and 2006, scoring 32 goals. His finest hour came at UEFA EURO 2000 where his brilliance steered Portugal through to the semi-finals and brought him the Ballon d'Or six months later, though he also reached the final on home soil in 2004. One of a handful of footballers to have starred for Barcelona and Real Madrid – he won two league titles and a European trophy with each – and scooped four Scudettos at Inter before retiring in 2009.
Edgar Davids (Netherlands)
Drove the Oranje to the 1998 World Cup and UEFA EURO 2000 semi-finals, even if penalty shoot-out defeats denied him each time. Courageous, determined and dynamic, he was a member of Ajax's 1995 UEFA Champions League winning side and, after a season at Milan, spent seven years at Juventus, winning three league titles to add to the three he had won in Amsterdam. Another semi-final followed at UEFA EURO 2004 before international retirement a year later.
FORWARDS
Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands)
The striker went to three EUROs but shone brightest on home soil in 2000, his five goals including a hat-trick against Yugoslavia. Scoring the winning goal for Ajax in the 1995 UEFA Champions League final, aged 18, made Kluivert's name and goals against Argentina and Brazil at the 1998 World Cup earned a move to Barcelona, before spells in England and France. Won league titles at Ajax, Barcelona and PSV, and scored 40 international goals.
Francesco Totti (Italy)
Widely acknowledged as Roma's greatest player, Totti captained the club to the 2001 Scudetto and broke the club's appearance and goal records. A revelation at UEFA EURO 2000, where he scored twice and brought flair to the Azzurri attack, he was man of the match in the final after causing the feted French back five countless problems. Helped his country win the 2006 World Cup and ended his international career on 58 caps and nine goals.