The greatest European Championship XI of all time

Only a select band of men can be considered genuine contenders for an all-time European Championship XI, having made an outstanding contribution to their nation's Euros history.

Of course, choosing from over 60 years of tournament finals makes the task quite forbidding, and many much-feted superstars simply did not make the cut.

Leaving aside club achievements or success at World Cups, Sports Mole selects the team that defines greatness at UEFA's international showpiece - and the coach best qualified to manage them.

Goalkeeper

Iker Casillas

While goalkeeping legends such as Dino Zoff, Lev Yashin and Peter Schmeichel all excelled at various Euros, an impeccable record sees Spain's double winner take the number one jersey in this all-time XI.

The only man ever to captain two winning teams, Iker Casillas lifted the trophy for La Roja in both 2008 and 2012, keeping a clean sheet throughout the entire knockout phase of both championships.

Naturally, the former Real Madrid and Porto stopper was also named in the team of the tournament on each occasion, in addition to playing his part in no fewer than five different Spain squads overall.

Casillas made a total of 11 appearances as captain of his nation at the finals, and he holds the record for most minutes without conceding a goal at the European Championship (509).

Right-back

Lilian Thuram

Having featured for the first time in 1996 and then wrapped up his glittering international career at Euro 2008, a French full-back par excellence is the obvious choice to start on the right of our all-time back four.

After proving an unlikely hero in the World Cup semi-finals two years earlier, Lilian Thuram played an integral part in the France squad that claimed victory at Euro 2000 - often cited as being one of the best international championships ever - and was named in the team of the tournament.

A true Les Bleus legend, he not only got his hands on the Henri Delaunay Trophy in Rotterdam but finally finished with a record of nine wins from 16 European Championship matches.

Renowned for his spells in Serie A with Juventus and Parma, Thuram could play anywhere across the defence, and in his last tournament he captained France from centre-back.

Left-back

Paolo Maldini

Captain of Italy at the 2000 finals, Paolo Maldini may have come up just short in the decider that year, when France pipped the Azzurri to top spot on the podium, but he more than deserves his place in this all-time XI.

A graceful but forceful defender, equally capable of performing on the left or at centre-back, he played 13 times at the Euros throughout a long and successful career.

The AC Milan legend was renowned for his immaculate timing in the tackle, and when he finally retired from international duty in 2002, no Italian player had made more successful tackles at the European Championship.

Albeit an apparently obvious choice, an honourable mention must go to German pocket-rocket Philip Lahm, who fronted the queue for selection behind Maldini and Thuram by acquitting himself with distinction in either full-back position.

Centre-backs

Sergio Ramos

Another contender for the right-back slot, having started off his Spain career in that position, Sergio Ramos is instead selected at the heart of our defence, to compliment his rather more cerebral centre-back partner.

A spiky, resilient character, the ex-Real Madrid man made a total of three Euros appearances, with the first two resulting in ultimate success - La Roja were just too good in both 2008 and 2012.

Before the Seville-born star's generation came through, Spain had only ever won one major trophy - the 1964 European Championship - but he added some steel to the silky-smooth passing of Xavi and co.

His nation's most-capped player, Ramos was named in UEFA's team of the tournament at Euro 2012, before featuring at his last continental finals four years later in France.

Franz Beckenbauer

Synonymous with the World Cup - which he won both as a manager and a player - one of football's certified all-time greats also made a major impact on Europe's main event during the 1970s.

Franz Beckenbauer captained West Germany to the final in both of his Euros appearances, the first of which preceded home success at FIFA's global tournament two years later.

In fact, 'Der Kaiser' not only led his nation to victory over the Soviet Union in 1972, he also went on to receive that year's Ballon d'Or.

Despite just missing out on doing the double, as the Germans lost on penalties to Czechoslovakia (and Antonin Panenka etched his name in football history forever) four years later, he was still selected in the team of the tournament and was again named the world's best player.

Midfielders

Andres Iniesta

Mostly remembered for his crucial role in Spain's 2010 World Cup breakthrough, diminutive midfielder Andres Iniesta also made a giant impact at two European Championship finals.

The Catalan schemer started all 12 of La Roja's games in both 2008 and 2012, being named man of the match in their semi-final win over Russia at the former before going up a gear soon after.

Spain beat Germany in the final, then Iniesta bagged their winner in South Africa a couple of years later; most importantly - in terms of our selection criteria - he was the standout star at the next Euros.

Winning three man of the match awards throughout his team's successful campaign, the Barcelona legend was also crowned the tournament's best player.

Ruud Gullit

Although played as a forward in 1988, Ruud Gullit's ability to exhibit the Dutch ideal of 'Total Football' saw the dreadlocked star feature in midfield and even defence throughout a highly-decorated career.

He headed in the final's opening goal when the Netherlands were crowned European champions for the first time, and was the only Oranje captain to lift international silverware until the women's side followed suit in 2017.

A year after winning the Ballon d'Or, the AC Milan man was also named runner-up to Euros-winning teammate Marco van Basten - more of whom later.

Then, in 1992, Gullit was part of a Netherlands team eliminated by surprise winners Denmark in the semis - but he was again named in UEFA's team of the tournament.

Zinedine Zidane

With the whole of Euros history to choose from, several candidates for a place in the all-time team's engine room had to miss out: honourable mentions go to Xavi, Lothar Matthaus and Andrea Pirlo.

However, Zinedine Zidane could not be denied his place in midfield, having featured in three European Championships with great distinction: in 1996, he scored in two penalty shootouts en route to the semi-finals, and eight years later he proved England's nemesis in Portugal.

In between, though, Zizou bestrode Euro 2000 like a demigod among mortals, helping France follow up a home World Cup win by bringing back the Henri Delaunay trophy in some style.

Named UEFA's player of the tournament, Zidane scored twice - including a precious 'golden goal' in the semi-final win over Portugal - and even stood head and shoulders above his peers in one of the finest French squads yet.

Forwards

Michel Platini

Joining his compatriot in the starting XI, Michel Platini made a similar mark on the French football landscape - although his time in subsequent UEFA and FIFA roles are less fondly remembered.

Purely for his playing prowess, Platini simply must be included - in spite of appearing at only a single European Championship finals: France '84.

He scored in all five games on home turf, netting nine goals in total, and after becoming the only player in European Championship history to score successive hat-tricks, a last-minute winner against Portugal in the semis was followed by the opener in the final.

With an assist to his name too, the gifted forward played a part in nearly three-quarters of France's goals en route to the trophy, captaining his nation to their first major title - putting that into context, Les Bleus had failed to even qualify for the five previous Euros.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The only player to play in five European Championships, and now set to take part in his sixth - where he could become the oldest-ever Euros scorer - Cristiano Ronaldo's list of records in UEFA's main international event is a long one.

Aged 19, the Madeira-born superstar made his first appearance in 2004, scoring against eventual winners Greece on his tournament debut, and two decades later he has registered 14 goals overall, putting him five clear of second-placed Platini.

Furthermore, CR7's tally of 137 attempts makes Thierry Henry's runner-up total of 52 pale by comparison; tellingly, though, he has yet to overtake compatriot Luis Figo for most assists, needing two more this summer.

Ronaldo does already have the most appearances to his name (25), with perhaps the most significant coming at Euro 2016, when he tearfully limped off after an early injury in the final but then took on an impromptu touchline coaching role as Portugal went on to win for the very first time.

Marco van Basten

Forever remembered as the scorer of an almost impossible volley from the very tightest of angles, Marco van Basten should not solely be acclaimed for his all-time 'worldie' in the Euro 1988 final.

Indeed, the Milan marksman had a hand in six of the eight goals that won the Netherlands their first major trophy, linking up wonderfully with Gullit in attack.

His five strikes also featured a hat-trick against England, earning the prolific striker a place in UEFA's team of the tournament, the Golden Boot, and ultimately the Ballon d'Or - the first of three wins in the latter category.

Although a flawed Dutch side were felled by Denmark in the 1992 semi-finals, Van Basten's mark on Euros folklore is indelible - and he was cruelly denied a chance to embellish his chapter in the tournament's history by a career-ending injury aged just 28.

Manager

Rinus Michels

No coach has won the Euros more than once, but a single name stands out among those who have guided their nation - or adopted nation in Otto Rehhagel's case - to continental glory.