 "Euro 2016: Players to watch out for")
CRISTIANO RONALDO (Portugal)
Arguably the world’s best known footballer alongside Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo’s list of accolades and awards would be the envy of many, not just in football but across sports. At the same time it would not be entirely far-fetched to say that the 31-year-old Portuguese has for his exceptional skills flattered to deceive whilst playing for his country. He will be appearing in his fourth European Championships, to go with three World Cups, and he hasn’t ever quite exerted the influence he does while at club level. That said, given his current form, Euro 2016 may well be his best chance to not just have a quality tournament at an individual level but to also help his country go the maximum distance.
One of the world's most celebrated footballers over the past decade and a half, Ibrahimovic may be seen for the last time at a major international tournament given that he's 35 years old. That said, age has only been a number for Ibrahimovic who appears to be getting better as he gets older. He scored 11 goals in qualifying, second only to Lewandowski, and enjoyed a phenomenal club season with Paris Saint Germain scoring 38 goals in 31 league games. This is his fourth European Championships. He is tied alongside Ronaldo with six goals, the record being held by Michel Platini who has nine. Whether or not he plays another major tournament after this, one hopes Ibrahimovic can give his fans something to cheer about this summer in France.
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Muller, while not blessed with the finesse of a Ronaldo or a Messi, still remains one of the world’s most high-profile players. It is not just a coincidence that the 27-year-old attacking midfielder shares the same surname with one of Germany’s greatest players, Gerd Muller. He also plays for Bayern Munich and wears the number 13 shirt for Germany. Significantly, at major international tournaments, Thomas Muller has been a lethal goalscorer in much the same way as Gerd Muller. His two World Cup appearances fetched him 10 goals, and while he didn’t score any in the last Euros, he was his country’s leading scorer in qualifying for Euro 2016 with eight goals. Germany’s chances of winning the Euro after their 2014 World Cup triumph rest heavily on him.
Although his country is not a football heavyweight, the 28-year-old Bayern Munich striker is arguably amongst the most feared marksmen going around. In a reasonably tricky group that comprised Germany, Ireland and Scotland, he ended up as the leading scorer in the qualifiers with 13 goals. Lewandowski, who also captains his national team, comes to Euro 2016 on the back of an outstanding club season, scoring 42 goals in 51 games across all competitions. Poland were a formidable side in the 1970s and early ‘80s, reaching the World Cup semifinals twice. They have achieved little since, though with a striker in the form of his life in Lewandowski, Euro 2016 represents a massive opportunity for them to come out of those shadows.
The 23-year-old midfielder who plays with Italian champions Juventus has evolved rapidly since making his international debut in March 2013. He is the pivot around which the hosts revolve, and France’s chances of winning the title will rest heavily on him. Interestingly, the last two occasions when France hosted a major competition, they won both with a Juventus-based midfielder being the fulcrum of the side— Michel Platini (Euro 1984) and Zinedine Zidane (World Cup 1998). Pogba was also named the best young player at the 2014 World Cup, where France were beaten by eventual champions Germany in the quarterfinals. Helping his country to another victory on home soil can put him amongst the world’s elite, something for which he has been touted for long.