Memorable EURO defensive performances: Dellas, Ramos, Pepe

UEFA.com picks out a selection of outstanding defensive performances from past EURO final tournaments.

Check out our selections below.

Traianos Dellas (Greece 1-0 Czech Rep, 2004)

Scoring the last silver goal winner in EURO history, the "Colossus of Rhodes" supplied a glancing header from Vassilios Tsiartas' whipped-in corner to propel underdogs Greece into the final.

Essential in Otto Rehhagel's defensive strategy, his endurance and dedication had epitomised the Greek spirit. With just seconds of the first period of extra time remaining, and the Czechs looking "very tired", the man of the match recalls "a now-or-never situation" as he nipped in front of a cluster of white shirts to clinch their victory in an absorbing last-four contest in Porto.

Ashley Cole (Portugal 2-2 England, Portugal won on penalties 6-5, 2004)

In an imperious performance against a young Cristiano Ronaldo, Cole's doggedness and perfectly-timed tackles made for a captivating battle with the tricky Manchester United teenager. Arguably one of Cole's best Three Lions displays, the left-back combined with Sol Campbell to withstand the waves of Portuguese attacks. Concluding in a penalty shoot-out, Cole, then 23, capped off an exceptional individual showcase, stepping up to coolly dispatch England's sixth spot-kick.

Philipp Lahm (Germany 3-2 Turkey, 2008)

In a dramatic end to a gripping semi-final, Lahm's 90th-minute winner sent Joachim Löw's charges into the final. With the end in sight, Semih Şentürk's late equaliser had brought Turkey to the brink of extra time. However, the German left-back had other ideas. Bursting forward and squaring to Thomas Hitzlsperger, Lahm exploited the inconsistent Turkish defensive line. Played back into his feet, he had little else to do but take a touch and fire Die Mannschaft into the final.

Sergio Ramos (Portugal 0-0 Spain, Spain won 2-4 on penalties 2012)

"I'd planned it in advance, I won't lie," the semi-final man of the match said of his Panenka-style penalty kick. "It was a risk, of course, but it went great for me." After a nervy 120 minutes in the Donetsk semi-final, Ramos, partnering Gerard Piqué in the middle, had successfully kept Ronaldo and Nani at bay and the tie remained goalless. Coming close himself in overtime, his free-kick thumped from distance wasn't far off target.

Commenting on the centre-back's audaciously taken kick in La Roja's shoot-out triumph, Alvaro Arbeloa was "not surprised". Spain captain Iker Casillas admitted, "he's got real guts".

Pepe (Portugal 1-0 France, 2016)

Having missed the semi-final with a thigh injury, Pepe returned in style, nullifying Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Dimitri Payet in the Stade de France showpiece. "We were warriors on that pitch," said the centre-back. Ever-present at the heart of the Portuguese defence, Pepe's two tackles on André-Pierre Gignac were enough to force the forward to scuff a decent French opportunity onto the post.

"We've written a brilliant page in the story of Portuguese football," said the man of the match. "In my opinion Pepe was the best player at the EURO," Cristiano Ronaldo stated.

Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini (Italy 1-1 England, Italy won 3-2 on penalties, 2021)

Italy got off to a shaky start to the EURO 2020 final at Wembley after conceding within two minutes. But veteran centre-backs Bonucci and Chiellini were cool, calm and collected when others may have panicked, and from that moment nullified a lively England attack containing the likes of Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling.

Bonucci scrambled home an equaliser in the second half, and the pair continued to use their wealth of experience to manage the situation in front of a partizan home crowd, with Bonucci among those to score a penalty as the Azzurri eventually won in a shoot-out. "We felt there was something special in the air," said Chiellini after lifting the trophy. "We wanted it in every way and we made history, we are champions of Europe."