Italy were well represented here in Euro 2024 since they have their share of stars like the Bundesliga, Premier League, and La Liga.
According to Football Italia, a total of 97 players from Serie A, Serie B, and Serie C have represented their respective nations in Germany. Save for England, Germany, Spain, and Scotland, there’s at least one Italian professional player in 20 out of the 24 squads.
23 of the 97 players from Italian clubs are on Luciano Spalletti’s Italy national team, and only three from the Azzurri, such as Jorginho, Guglielmo Vicario, and Gianluigi Donnarumma, are playing outside the country.
So, who are the ones that stood out in Euro 2024? Without further ado, check out our SBOTOP list below.
Riccardo Calafiori, Italy
Riccardo Calafiori may move out of Bologna soon after emerging as one of the unexpected stars of Euro 2024, as he established himself as Italy’s starting centre-back for now and the future.
Arsenal have been knocking on his door since the Euros concluded, as the Gunners try to revamp their backline. For Mikel Arteta and co., Calafiori would be their own version of Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol, given his unique physical profile and ability to play centre-back and left-back.
According to reports, Bologna want at least €40 million for Riccardo Calafiori to make a transfer happen. Arsenal are willing to pay that much, but Bologna and Basel are at odds over Calafiori’s sell-on clause, causing a major transfer delay.
It’s easy to see why Arsenal admire Calafiori. Standing at 6’2”, he is an absolute unit at the back, and at the same time, he looks like a veteran out there on the pitch with his excellent man-marking skills and positioning.
If Calafiori wasn’t suspended in their Round of 16 match against Switzerland, the Euro 2024 odds could argue that Italy would’ve advanced to the quarter-finals.
Stefan de Vrij, Netherlands
Stefan de Vrij is another centre-back that deserves plaudits after a solid run for the Netherlands in Euro 2024. The Inter Milan star started all games for the Oranje, serving as one of the team’s stabilisers with Virgil van Dijk as his centre-half partner.
His biggest moment came in their 2-1 comeback against Turkey in the quarter-finals. After trailing for much of the match, the Oranje regained momentum when Stefan de Vrij headed in Memphis Depay’s cross during the 70th minute.
From there, the Oranje took the lead for good through Mert Muldur’s own goal in the 76th minute. Stefan de Vrij was rightfully named the Man of the Match for his steady performance.
His goal against Turkey meant a lot for the Netherlands, as it helped them reach the Euro semi-finals for two decades. However, England eliminated the Netherlands in the next round.
Like Riccardo Calafiori, Stefan de Vrij has suitors in the transfer market, such as PSV and Al-Ittihad, but the 32-year-old insists that he is keen to stay at Inter Milan.
Stefan de Vrij will negotiate a new deal with the club because he has one year left on his current contract.
Hakan Calhanoglu, Turkey
Another Inter Milan stud makes the list, as Hakan Calhanoglu has been one of the best No. 10s in Euro 2024.
Turkey made it to the quarter-finals, scoring eight goals in five games, and Calhanoglu had a hand in most of them, even if he didn’t have a single assist in the tournament.
Hakan Calhanoglu completed 230 of his 247 passes for a 93.25 passing percentage, including 69-of-72 from short range, 139-of-149 in medium range, and 22-of-26 from long range. His stats would’ve been higher if he hadn’t been suspended against Austria.
The 30-year-old made it to the Euro 2024 highlights reel, as he gave Turkey a 1-0 lead against Czechia with his wonderful strike into the bottom corner in the Group F match.
Inter Milan supporters are accustomed to seeing this from Hakan Calhanoglu, especially after he is coming off yet another productive campaign in 2023-24 (14 goals, three assists).
Razvan Marin, Romania
Razvan Marin finished Euro 2024 as one of the top scorers in the tournament, with two goals under his belt. The 28-year-old midfielder set the tone for Romania in their 3-0 rout of Ukraine in the opener, and he also found the back of the net in their 1-1 draw against Slovakia.
His equaliser from the penalty spot against Slovakia was particularly important for Romania, as it ensured them the top spot in Group E. However, Romania were eventually defeated by the Netherlands in the Round of 16 (3-0).
After a loan stint with Empoli, Marin is back with Cagliari, where he’s expected to take on a larger role.
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