Euro 2008 - the most valuable players

Football Lesson by Big Three

Arshavin is, no doubt, the best player of Russian football ship at the moment, but Yuri Zhirkov is its decisive commander. Podolski - in milimeters precise assistant. He brought his guys into the big final and dispersed all doubts on his football quality. Too long Spaniards have been waiting for the European Champions title. Villa has opened the door and the strawberry on the top of the cake was put by never-tired Markos Antonio Senna


By MILOŠ JEREMIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA


Our choice was Ronaldo, Ballack, Pirlo and Henry. Oh, how far have we been from the truth... Portuguese player was not even close to the award of the best player of Euro 2008. Even more - according to his play, imagination and struggling, we can not put him into the first five in the national team of Portugal! Maybe it would be completely different if Scolari's boys have kicked out Germans. But like this - Ronaldo was not even a light shadow of the player that fascinated the whole world by his miracles in the last season, playing for Manchester United. Something similar happened with the leader of Italian squad, Andrea Pirlo. He did not play a lot. Speaking frankly, he saved Italians in the match against anaemic French, but that was also the end of Apenini fair tale. Penalty roulette stopped in Spanish Red. The same story about Michael Ballack. That was quite not creative and willingless. Like there was not fire in the sneakers of German master. Was he destroyed by playing on the bench of English Chelsea or he was cooled down by islanders banknotes? Anyway, that was just a copy of his golden Munich's football partitures. So, who was the best? Torres? Arshavin? Iniesta? Xavi?

The last one, honestly, has been proclaimed as the best player of the Old Continent. We decided to choose different combination and we believe there is no mistake if we coin the next players into football stars. Maybe they are not the best but surely are the most valuable football gladiators. Here, for you - Yuri Zhirkov, Lucas Podolski and Markos Senna.

Sharpness

Since the time of Andreas Brehme, one of the most important members of German national team at the end of 80s and the scorer of the winning goal in the World Cup Final 1990 in Italy, Europe had no opportunity to watch real magicians playing back winger. And then it comes - Yuri Zhirkov. He was born on August 20, 1983. First lessons he did in Spartak (Tombov) and then he was transferred to Moscow CSKA as 20-years-old boy.

His legs, before Euro, were estimated to 7 million euros, and there is no doubt his price will be increased after these brilliant games. Dutch and Swedish players couldn't present their best performance against him. The same was with the brave Spaniards, although Russians had to congratulate them at the end, after two high wins. Arshavin is, no doubt, the best player of Russian football ship at the moment, but Yuri Zhirkov is its decisive commander, and if he keeps doing like this, he won't take off his uniform for a long time more.

Despite

He had a huge motivation to prove that he was neglected in the last season, talking about attacking line of Bayer Munich. He tried to show he was worth of "the best young player" award in World Cup 2006 in Germany. And also to confirm, not for the first time, that he is a football master. Ladies and Gentlemen, he is the football prince of Germany - Lucas Podolski!

This Polish German guy was born on June 4, 1980 and in 58 appearences in the national team of Germany, he scored 28 goals. Football game started in FC Jugend 07 from Bergheim. When he was 18-years-old, he played in Bundesliga team of 1.FC Koln and two years ago his boy's dream came true. Bayern Munich got its new star. The last season with the coach Otmar Hitzfield will not be so memorable to Podolski. He played only 25 games in Bundesliga and scored, for his standards not enough, 5 times. It was a little better in UEFA Cup. Till the semifinal, where Germans were kicked out by the later winner Zenit from Russia, he wrote down 12 matches and 5 goals.

Everything turned out in Euro 2008. If there was not Podolski, it's hard to believe that "Panzers" could reach the great final and match with Spain. He sent two goals to his former compatriots Polish, tried to make it better with one goal in defeat against Croatia, and then he replaced goal-machine role with the great assistances. In quarter-final match, Podolski made it through the Portuguese defence and sent it easy for Schweinsteiger. Replay was seen in semifinal. Again there was Bayern Munich duo: Schweinsteiger - the scorer, Podolski - precise assistant. He brought his guys into the big final and dispersed all doubts on his football quality.

Persistence

Too long Spaniards have been waiting for the European Champions title. Villa has shown the way, the door was open by Iniesta and Xavi. It was kept by Ramos and Puyol. Locked by Casillas. Stamped with Torres. And the strawberry on the top of the cake was put by never-tired Markos Antonio Senna..

In his 32, he must be placed in the category of "veterans", but just like Makalele was keeping the French team for a long period, Spanish team was saved by Senna. He became a professional in Brazilian Rio Branco in 1996. Short episodes he played in FC America, Corinthians, Jouventud and Sao Caetano, but in 2003 he jumped into "the yellow submarine" of Spanish Villareal. Playing on the position of defensive midfielder, he made it to the perfect one. He ruined the opponent's concept, but having time to make great passes to his team mates also.

This Brazilian Spaniard fullfilled his dreams. Of course, he was thinking of a great triumph with the national team of Brazil but it's far from bad this way. Today, two nations celebrate this great football worker. Spain and Brazil. And noone knows who is happier. Those whom this black-skin-player brought, so long waited, title of the best European football nation, or those who got one more sports' idol after legendary Formula 1 driver. It seems unrealistic but Brazilians were lucky. And after Senna there comes - Senna.


(Published: 10.07.2008.)