Euro 2020 Player Power Rankings – Round 2

Euro 2020 really came to life on matchday two, with some shock results and enthralling goal-fests making sure the handful of profoundly dull games have not lingered long in the memory.

Patrik Schick ended the first round of games as the top player in our list, but there has been significant change among the leading individuals after the latest 12 matches.

Using Opta's player index – which calculates ratings based on data collected from every game – Stats Perform can reveal the top 20 performers at the Euros after the second round of matches.

Let's start from number 20 and see who has climbed to the top of the pile...


20. Jorginho

Jorginho has starred in Italy's midfield | Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Italy have looked imperious early on at these finals and Jorginho has set the tempo for their commanding wins over Turkey and Switzerland.

The Chelsea man has the best passing accuracy for his side (92.1 per cent) after two games, despite attempting by far the most (152).


19. Daley Blind

Blind helped the Netherlands keep a clean sheet against Austria | BSR Agency/Getty Images

The Netherlands are now unbeaten in nine consecutive matches at major tournaments (although that run includes a penalty shootout loss to Argentina in 2014). Amazingly, Blind has played in all nine of those games.

Austria did not manage a shot on target during Blind's 64 minutes on the pitch, and the Ajax man attempted (65) and completed (55) the most passes for the Oranje despite only playing just over an hour.


18. Marko Arnautovic

Arnautovic missed the defeat to the Netherlands | Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

The fact Arnautovic remains in the top 20 despite being suspended for Austria's 2-0 loss to the Netherlands says a lot about his impact against North Macedonia on matchday one.

In 31 minutes, he scored once from a solitary shot and created two opportunities for team-mates, completing just one pass fewer in the opponent's half than the man he replaced, Sasa Kalajdzic.


17. Robin Gosens

Gosens was on fire against Portugal | Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Germany wing-back Gosens shoots into the top 20 of the Opta index thanks to his spectacular performance against Portugal –  one of the best individual displays of the first two matchdays.

The Atalanta man forced Ruben Dias' own goal, set up Kai Havertz for his side's third and headed in the fourth in a spectacular 4-2 victory in Munich. Only a narrow offside call denied him an earlier, spectacular volleyed finish.


16. Frenkie de Jong

De Jong has impressed so far | ANP Sport/Getty Images

The Netherlands have made relatively light work of their group so far and Frank de Boer seems to be getting the best out of De Jong's direct running.

The Barcelona midfielder completed five dribbles against both Ukraine and Austria and could become the first player to do so in three consecutive Euros games since Zinedine Zidane 21 years ago. Overall, he tops the charts at this tournament for dribbles attempted (13) and completed (10).


15. Pedri

Pedri is already one of Spain's most important players | David Ramos/Getty Images

Some of the expectation on 18-year-old Pedri feels a little unfair at times, but the Barcelona youngster has not shied away from the spotlight at these finals.

Pedri completed more passes (170) than any other Spain midfielder in their first two games, with 137 of those coming in the opponent's half.


14. Victor Lindelof

Lindelof has led Sweden to two clean sheets | Kirill Kudryavtsev - Pool/Getty Images

Often called into question for a lack of pace at Manchester United, Sweden's deeper-lying defence has really helped Lindelof to shine at this tournament.

Sweden have kept clean sheets in their opening two games at a major finals for just the third time in their history, their stability built on the partnership between Lindelof and Marcus Danielson. Lindelof's distribution has also been key – he attempted 36 passes into the opposition half against Slovakia, more than anyone else in the game.


13. Danny Ward

Ward made five saves against Turkey | Marcio Machado/Getty Images

There is something about the Euros that brings out the best in Wales. Indeed, their five wins from eight games give them the best winning percentage in the tournament's history (63 per cent).

Their 2-0 win over Turkey owed much to goalkeeper Danny Ward, who saved all five shots on target he faced, including a flying stop to deny Merih Demiral what would have been an equaliser.


12. Marcos Llorente 

Llorente battles with Poland's Tymoteusz Puchacz | Marcelo Del Pozo - Pool/Getty Images

Right-back might be a somewhat unorthodox position for Llorente, but he has generally been at the heart of Spain's attempts to break down stubborn opponents in the form of Sweden and Poland.

Against the latter, Llorente made more successful passes (92) than any other player and provided four crosses from open play. He also made two tackles on the rare occasion he was called upon defensively.


11. Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku was influential again despite not having a shot against Denmark | Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Although he couldn't add to the 26 direct goal involvements he managed in his previous 19 Belgium appearances, Lukaku was still a menace against Denmark, particularly in the second half.

The striker did not have a single shot on matchday two, but he was at the heart of the two moves that saw his side come from behind to win and reach the knockout phase.


10. Manuel Locatelli

Locatelli scored twice against Switzerland | Insidefoto/Getty Images

Italy have looked the slickest of all sides at Euro 2020, their back-to-back 3-0 wins driven by the efforts of midfield maestro Locatelli.

With two goals against Switzerland, he became the third Azzurri player to score twice in the same European Championship match and the third-youngest to do so at a major tournament, after Mario Balotelli in 2012 and Giacomo Bulgarelli in 1962.


9. Patrik Schick

Schick netted a penalty against Croatia | PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

The star man of matchday one after that frankly absurd goal against Scotland, Schick got his third in just two games from the penalty spot for the Czech Republic against Croatia.

The last Czech player to score more goals at a major tournament was Milan Baros at Euro 2004 – he scored five times to win the Golden Boot.


8. Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo's Portugal were beaten by Germany | Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Ronaldo broke the deadlock with Portugal's first shot of the match against Germany, equalling Miroslav Klose's record of 19 goals across both the World Cup and European Championship.

The result might not have gone the holders' way, but Ronaldo, with three goals and an assist already at these finals, looks to be in no mood to go home early.


7. Milan Skriniar

Skriniar holds off Kristoffer Olsson | Lars Baron/Getty Images

Skriniar delivered another accomplished display for Slovakia, who lost to Sweden courtesy of that second-half Emil Forsberg penalty.

The Inter centre-back made a team-high two tackles, two blocks and five clearances and won eight of 10 duels for his side. He will likely be called upon to do even more in that key final game with Spain.


6. Lukas Hradecky

Hradecky impressed again against Russia | Lars Baron/Getty Images

The top-performing goalkeeper on our list, Hradecky kept a clean sheet and saved a penalty against Denmark and it took an inspired finish from Aleksey Miranchuk to get the better of him in Finland's loss to Russia.

Hradecky made two saves and two catches in that 1-0 defeat and certainly could not be blamed for conceding the winner. Can he maintain his form against Belgium? Finland's hopes may depend on it.


5. Roman Yaremchuk

Yaremchuk netted in the North Macedonia victory | Vadim Ghirda - Pool/Getty Images

There are two Ukraine players in our current top five, which highlights the impressive contributions of two unlikely star performers.

First up is Yaremchuk; fresh from a goal and an assist against the Netherlands, he scored Ukraine's second in the 2-1 win against North Macedonia. The striker has scored from half of his total shots at these finals.


4. Joakim Maehle

Maehle has impressed on Denmark's right | Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Maehle has performed admirably for Denmark in the circumstances, even though they lost both of their opening matches.

He won back possession a team-high 10 times against Belgium, delivered four crosses and created four goalscoring chances, while only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (195) has had more touches for Denmark in the first two matchdays than Maehle (184).


3. Andriy Yarmolenko

Yarmolenko celebrates his strike against North Macedonia | Robert Ghement - Pool/Getty Images

Yarmolenko followed up his stunning goal in the defeat to the Netherlands by scoring and assisting against North Macedonia to give Ukraine their victory.

The West Ham winger has now scored in three straight Ukraine games for the first time since 2016 and is the first man from his country to net in consecutive appearances at a major tournament since Andriy Shevchenko back in 2006.


2. Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne changed the game against Denmark | Isosport/MB Media/Getty Images

This wasn't too bad, as impact substitutions go. De Bruyne scored one and set up another after coming on at half-time against Denmark, helping to secure Belgium's 2-1 win.

Alongside Eden Hazard, the Manchester City star is one of just two Europeans to assist a goal in each of the past four major tournaments, while a remarkable 10 of his past 14 international goals have come from outside the box.


1. Jordi Alba

Jordi Alba celebrates with Alvaro Morata | LLUIS GENE/Getty Images

Spain's campaign has not quite got going, with two draws from two games leaving them in need of a win over Slovakia on matchday three. Alba, however, has underlined his importance to a side lacking experience and leadership.

Alba leads the way at Euro 2020 for touches (271), completed passes (192) and successful passes in the opposition half (145). He has also created five chances, more than any other Spain player. He just needs someone to take them...


Source : 90min