UEFA Euro 2022 was expected to be a great tournament and its record-breaking start is a sign of more things to come. The opening game between hosts England and Austria received the highest ever attendance in the tournament followed by a similar record in a game other than the home nation. The increase in the eyeballs was the reason behind some exhilarating football showcased by the competing nations. The opening group games have set the tone for early qualification with most of the tournament favorites starting strongly. No surprises yet but there have been some dominating performances. This Euros adds to the craze of the growing sport that is women’s football.
Euro 2022 has proved to be a big occasion for the players to make the best of their chances and while some felt the pressure others blossomed with their talent and quality. Top nations have already announced themselves to the contest with these players sparkling for their respective national sides carrying their form from their clubs. It is always difficult to pick out a player from each position who has done admirably well for their teams, especially in a tournament like this. We still managed to pick out an eleven which displayed magnificence on the pitch in the opening group games of Euro 2022. The team is set in a flexible 4-4-3 formation.
Goalkeeper - Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (France)
With so many talented forwards on show in the tournament, it has been hard for goalkeepers to guard their fort straight away. Only Two clean sheets were kept in eight games so far. In the game between France and Italy, Les Beues’s goalkeeper Peyraud-Magnin mostly saw her counterpart Laura Giuliani having a difficult evening keeping out her teammates’ remorseless attacks. Yet, it was her save early on in the game that set the tone for France to throw everything on the other side. Juventus’s number one kept out her club mate Barbara Bonessa’s shot with the score at 0-0 before pulling out more late in the game to prevent Italy from getting back into the game. Her crucial moments in between the sticks were as pivotal as the forwards scoring a high five.
Defence - Ona Batlle (Spain), Irene Parades (Spain), Mapi Leon (Spain), Jonna Andersson (Sweden)
The defence is filled with Spanish contingent as they turned scorers and providers in the emphatic 4-1 comeback win over Finland. The centre-back partnership for Barcelona Femeni too, Irene Paredes’s bullet header for the equalizer and Mapi Leon’s two spectacular assists gave La Roja the edge in the game. Chelsea’s Jonna Andersson kept wandering into Netherland’s box from the left wing-back position and rightfully gave Sweden the lead finishing off an excellent move from Sweden. These defenders provided the energy and confidence for their nation at the right time.
Midfield - Grace Geyoro (France), Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway), Lina Magull (Germany)
The midfielders enjoyed the start of the tournament with 11 goals contributed from that position on the pitch. PSG’s captain Grace Geyoro showed her leadership in scoring a splendid hat-trick for France in the 5-1 drubbing of Italy, her last one being a standout strike. She was the player of the match for her side likewise Caroline Graham Hansen of Norway. Hansen created four chances and a deadly combination with Reiten to see through her side against Northern Ireland. Bayern’s Lina Magull adds herself to this elusive midfield with a goal and an assist that propelled Germany’s storming win-slash revenge over Denmark.
Attack: Beth Mead (England), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France), Guro Reiten (Norway)
Mead has turned out to be the cult hero for England under the management of Sarina Weigman and it was fitting for her to score the tournament opener in front of a record-breaking crowd. That was her 15th strike for the hosts since last year. PSG’s aspiring striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto turned up the heat for her nation in this Euros after surprisingly being dropped in the previous edition. Side by side with a close-range finish, Katoto set teammate Grace Geyoro through on goal for the assists with a line-breaking pass of the highest standard. Completing the forward line is Guro Reiten of Norway whose two goal contributions were crucial for her side’s big win in the opening group game. She became a key figure in Norway’s deadly front four with more to come from her in the tournament.
