England, Oberdorf, Van Domselaar dominate

So, the Women’s Euro 2022 ended with England topped as champions over Germany following a gripping ultimate at Wembley on Sunday. And now it is time to replicate on the match as an entire with our Greatest XIs, then examine and distinction with the XIs we have been most enthusiastic about heading into the competitors.

ESPN’s Kathleen McNamee, Sophie Lawson, Julien Laurens and Tom Hamilton have bravely chosen to replicate upon their pre-tournament decisions and revise accordingly given how the outcomes performed out. (In case you want a reminder of their early picks, look here.)

Which gamers lived as much as expectations and who fell quick? Which stars stunned us from nowhere to burst into Greatest XI consideration?

Kathleen McNamee: Oberdorf stars, as do England

(4-3-3): Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands); Sakina Karchaoui (France), Mapi Leon (Spain), Millie Vibrant (England), Lucy Bronze (England); Keira Walsh (England), Lena Oberdorf (Germany), Lina Magull (Germany); Beth Mead (England), Alex Popp (Germany), Alessia Russo (England).

After I did my pre-tournament XI, I wrote that I might doubtless be consuming my phrases after the match, and right here I’m doing precisely that with simply two gamers retaining their locations. In equity, some are all the way down to accidents, however others are purely for standout performances.

Few individuals knew Daphne van Domselaar‘s title earlier than the match, with the 22-year-old goalkeeper having only one nationwide workforce cap earlier than this summer season. An damage to the prolific Sari van Veenendaal within the first sport threw her into the highlight, and he or she reacted with the boldness of somebody a lot older. She wasn’t the one younger participant who introduced herself on the massive stage both, with Alessia Russo additionally pulling off some outrageous targets and competing together with her England teammate Beth Mead for high scorer within the squad regardless of coming off the bench each sport.

Ladies’s Euros: News & features | Fixtures & results | Tables

Mead could have received Participant of the Event, however I feel there was a robust argument to be made that Keira Walsh deserved that title. The defensive midfielder was the lynchpin to each transfer England made and punctiliously distributed a few of the finest passes of the match to assist arrange the assault. Largely underappreciated, she deserves quite a lot of plaudits. Lucy Bronze additionally supplied a key angle in England’s ahead play and spent quite a lot of the match driving up the fitting and supplying Mead.

Whereas Lauren Hemp was tipped to have an excellent Euros and did not fairly dwell as much as it, Lena Oberdorf took the hype round her earlier than the competitors began and totally delivered on that promise. It was onerous to see her so upset as she acquired the Younger Participant of the Event award after the ultimate, however she ought to get a number of extra alternatives for silverware.

With it being Alex Popp‘s first European Championships, it was onerous to know what to anticipate from her, however the Germany captain was a beacon for her facet — she scored 46% of their targets — and so they actually struggled with not having her within the ultimate. Her physicality meant she might out-muscle most defences to get on the top of crosses, however her motion and management on the pitch have been additionally phenomenal. It was a pleasure to observe her play, and such a merciless finish to her Euro 2022 expertise.

Sophie Lawson: Surprises galore as Scandinavian sides fall quick

(4-3-3) Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands); Giulia Gwinn (Germany), Leah Williamson (England), Marina Hegering (Germany), Verena Hanshaw (Austria); Lena Oberdorf (Germany), Aitana Bonmati (Spain), Grace Geyoro (France); Kadidiatou Diani (France), Alex Popp (Germany), Beth Mead (England)

And that is why you by no means predict the Greatest XI earlier than the beginning of the match; frankly, yikes. The Scandinavians have been massively disappointing this summer season and I shouldn’t have hung my hat on them pre-tournament, however c’est la vie.

There are definitely some 50/50 decisions in right here, however going with my intestine, it is acquired to be match breakout, Van Domselaar in aim, for a begin. The 22-year-old was improbable this summer season, arising with some huge time stops in addition to caring for all of the fundamentals with out panicking.

The backline is relatively easy — two defensive rocks within the center, plus two gamers who exemplify fashionable full-back play — however liberties have been taken in midfield to suit three central gamers. Apart from her targets, France’s Grace Geyoro actually demonstrated how far she’s come within the final season or two as a rounded midfielder, and he or she greater than earned her place in my Greatest XI. Subsequent to her, Aitana Bonmati ran the present for Spain from the guts of midfield and with Oberdorf, you’ve got acquired two of probably the most clever gamers on the Euros — even when I did 10 variations of a Greatest XI, they’re the 2 who can be omnipresent.

The assault is a bit apparent: Mead and Popp scored 12 targets between them, relatively dwarfing many of the different attackers on the Euros even when they’re price additional plaudits. (Hey, England’s tremendous subs!) France’s Kadidiatou Diani, together with her silky first touches and talent to tie defenders in knots, rounds out each the assault and the workforce.

Julien Laurens: Popp by far the perfect up entrance

(4-2-3-1): Mary Earps (England); Lucy Bronze (England), Mapi Leon (Spain), Leah Williamson (England), Sakina Karchaoui (France); Lena Oberdorf (Germany), Keira Walsh (England); Kadidiatou Diani (France), Beth Mead (England), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden); Alexandra Popp (Germany)

My pre-tournament XI was fairly good. It was simply unfortunate that Marie-Antoinette Katoto acquired injured quarter-hour into France’s second sport; that Netherlands star Vivianne Miedema examined optimistic for COVID-19; that Caroline Graham Hansen was nameless like her workforce, Norway; that Sandra Panos‘ marketing campaign with Spain ended within the spherical of 16; that France’s Wendie Renard, regardless of being taller than virtually anyone else ay 6-foot-2, can not rating a header; that Sara Dabritz was not decisive sufficient for Germany; and that Manuela Giugliano, like Italy, by no means acquired going…

For the remaining, I used to be spot on!

Extra critically, what a Euros this was, and what a post-tournament XI that is. The most effective of the perfect. In aim, Mary Earps confirmed nice qualities on her line and displayed a lot of management, whereas Leah Williamson was simply wonderful for England at centre-back, and I used to be impressed by Mapi Leon for Spain too. Bronze and Sakina Karchaoui have been the 2 finest full-backs of the match.

In midfield, Oberdorf is just 20, however she confirmed that she’s already among the finest on this planet even when she is typically too aggressive. Subsequent to her, and for me the participant of the match, is Walsh. She bossed each sport, producing masterclass after masterclass till her magnificent through-ball for England’s first aim within the ultimate. With out her, I do not assume England would have turn out to be European champions.

Forward of them, I’ve Diani on the fitting facet. The France winger confirmed she belongs with the perfect; her tempo and expertise are one thing else. Behind the striker, I picked Mead, after all. She was the Golden Boot winner with six targets, together with a hat-trick towards Norway, and was rightfully voted participant of the match too. She is such an excellent finisher. On the left, I went with Kosovare Asllani who was the one one to really make issues occur with the ball for Sweden with a aim and three assists in 5 matches. Technically, she was a pleasure to observe.

Lastly, up entrance is Popp, one of many tales of this 2022 Euros. She began the match as a sub and scored in each single sport she performed. After lacking the final two Euros by damage, she had an opportunity, at 31, to deliver the trophy again to Germany. Alas, getting injured earlier than the ultimate was one other enormous blow to her and to her nation. Nevertheless, she was nonetheless by far the perfect striker in Europe this month.

Tom Hamilton: Reward for Van Domselaar

(4-3-3): Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands); Lucy Bronze (England), Marina Hegering (Germany), Millie Vibrant (England), Sakina Karchaoui (France); Lena Oberdorf (Germany), Keira Walsh (England), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden); Alessia Russo (England), Alex Popp (Germany), Beth Mead (England)

Selecting a Barcelona (and Spain) core initially meant some related points to Jules, however the ultimate Greatest XI had a number of contenders for every spot.

Earps simply misses out in aim to Netherlands’ Van Domselaar. Earps has been just about faultless in these Euros, however the Dutch keeper had a very distinctive 4 matches. In defence I’ve gone for Millie Bright alongside Marina Hegering at centre-back, with France’s Karchaoui on the left, and England’s Bronze on the fitting. However you would’ve simply had one other again 4 of Sophia Kleinherne, Williamson, Mapi Leon and Giulia Gwinn.

In midfield, the double pivot of Walsh and Oberdorf simply edges out the opposite contenders like Georgia Stanway, Bonmati and Geyoro. Russo, Mead, Asllani and Popp are the forwards with Svenja Huth and Mariona Caldentey each unfortunate. As for my super-sub — properly that needs to be Ella Toone. England’s Sarina Wiegman will, after all, handle this workforce.