We’re into the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 and England aren’t alone in being mighty fortunate to be there. Portugal needed a shoot-out to beat Slovenia, Turkey required a finger-tip save in the last minute to get past Austria and France are barely out of first gear yet.
But which of the players can count themselves lucky still to be involved? This is the worst XI of players still in the tournament courtesy of WhoScored, and their excellent ratings that in this case we suspect with regard to one particular individual will be deemed ‘a load of tosh’, or something a little less PG.
Players must have played at least 120 minutes to be in with a shout, so Conor Gallagher is spared further embarrassment having been named in the worst XI of the group stages, and must have featured in their nation’s last-16 game.
GK: Yann Sommer (Switzerland)
His save percentage of 66.7% is the fourth worst of all the goalkeepers at Euro 2024 let alone those remaining in the competition. Bart Verbruggen’s the next worst of those in the last eight on 75%. England will hope to test him more frequently as Sommer’s faced just nine shots on target across the four games. We won’t hold our breath.
RB: Kyle Walker (England)
His defending has been ropey at best, which begs the question: what is the point of Walker? Here’s another question: why didn’t Steve Holland just apologise to Ben White? And another: why is Reece James sitting on a beach somewhere? We’re all quite concerned about Ruben Vargas.
CB: Abdulkerim Bardakci (Turkey)
Centre-back partner Merih Demiral stole the headlines but Bardakci was just as impressive in defence in the last-16 win over Austria. The damage was done to his rating in the group stage after bookings in each of their first two games.
CB: Robin Le Normand (Spain)
Scored the own goal to give Georgia the lead in the last 16 and if there’s a Spain weakness – and we’re grasping at straws here – it’s in defence.
LB: Ricardo Rodriguez (Switzerland)
Most of his 109 international appearances have been at left-back but he’ll almost certainly play on the left of a back three against England, as he has done for the opening four games of the tournament. Not entirely clear why his rating isn’t the best. He’s looked solid enough; certainly for Bukayo Saka or whichever other hamstrung Three Lions sap plays on the right on Saturday.
CM: Joey Veerman (Netherlands)
Started the tournament in Ronald Koeman’s midfield but was dropped for France before being hooked after 35 minutes against Austria and can’t hope to get back in the starting line-up after Jerdy Schouten and Tijjani Reijnders’ outstanding displays in the win over Romania.
CM: Kobbie Mainoo (England)
Who’d have thunk it? Other than Conor Gallagher, no England player has a lower rating than Manchester United’s golden boy. Give Trent another go?
AM: Antoine Griezmann (France)
We expected a Griezmann-led France to hit their stride against Belgium after the Les Blues legend was rested for their final group game. They really didn’t, and Griezmann was once again ineffective, this time coming from the right wing. It’s time for The Phoenix.
RW: Francisco Conceicao (Portugal)
Scored the winner in the last minute with his second touch of Euro 2024 and thus major tournament football, but didn’t do much in the defeat to Georgia having been handed a start and had little impact off the bench when they needed a spark against Slovenia.
ST: Kenan Yildiz (Turkey)
He’s started the three games Turkey have won so must be doing something right, but his impact has paled in comparison to that of wonderkid Arda Guler.
LW: Rafael Leao (Portugal)
How two Portugal forwards are in the worst XI but not the most arrogant footballer in history we aren’t quite sure. Leao has a touch of the Cristiano Ronaldos about him though, flouncing off the pitch against Slovenia having flattered to deceive as he’s done in the rest of the tournament.