UEFA announces Euro 2016 awardees and team of the tournament

The title of UEFA’s Euro 2016 player of the tournament has been awarded to the French striker Antoine Greizmann, as reported by the Independent.

Great Greizmann

Griezmann also finished the tournament with the Golden Boot as he scored six goals, which was double that of any other player, to help France make the final.

Despite not being able to score in the final, whilst missing a great opportunity to do so with a header as France lost 1-0 to Portugal, Greizmann’s earned the award of the tournament’s most outstanding player by producing a series of excellent performances throughout Les Bleus campaign and particularly during their knock-out phase wins against the Republic of Ireland, Iceland and Germany.

Superb Sanches

Ultimately an unfitting end to a fantastic tournament transpired for Greizmann, whilst Portugal’s Renato Sanches enjoyed an altogether happier conclusion to his first major international finals. Specifically at 18 years and 328 days old, the Bayern Munich midfielder became the youngest ever European Championship finalist and winner, whilst also winning the Young Player of the Tournament award ahead of his France’s Kingsley Coman and fellow Portuguese Raphael Guerriero.

Team of the Tournament

The 22-year-old left back, who recently signed for Borussia Dortmund from Ligue 1 side Lorient, has also been included in UEFA’s team of the tournament, with three other Portuguese players featuring. They are goalkeeper Rui Patricio, centre back Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo, whilst the German trio of Joshua Kimmich, Jerome Boateng and Toni Kroos also made the team, along with the Welsh duo of Joe Allen and Aaron Ramsey. The other two remaining members of the side selected by an expert panel of Fifa delegates, which included Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes and Gareth Southgate, were Dimitri Payet and Greizmann of France.

Close of an excellent tournament

As such the distribution of UEFA’s awards and announcement of their team of the tournament, represents the final chapter of an excellent 2016 European Championships, which presented wonderful entertainment and an abundance of memorable moments.