With the pool of talent that’s competed at the European Championships, Martin O’Neill would have had some tough calls to make when he was asked to name his Ultimate Euro XI.
But the Republic of Ireland manager didn’t do too shabby a job with his selection.
The Derryman is accustomed to filling out teamsheets at this stage of his career and he found the perfect balance of ruthlessly efficient defence and wonderful-to-watch attacking flair in his side.
Republic of Ireland coach Martin O'Neill selects his EURO #alltime11 …
Can you do better? https://t.co/dEVQlbNQ3L pic.twitter.com/YHrfHALdSe
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) May 16, 2016
O’Neill picked Italy’s Euro 1968 winning goalkeeper Dino Zoff between the sticks and went for an unbelievably dependable back four of Lilian Thuram, Franz Beckenbauer, Carles Puyol and Paolo Maldini.
Xavi pulls the strings in the centre of the park while Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane combine with some creative brilliance that guided France to success in 1984 and 2000 respectively.
Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t won a championship but he’s too talented a player to leave on the sidelines and he would play in a slightly wider position than clinical finishers in Gerd Muller and Marco van Basten.
Hopefully they ask O’Neill to select a team again next year, after Ireland have won Euro 2016, so he’s got some Irishmen to pick from.
