Many players have graced the European Championship since its first edition in 1960. However, it wasn’t until 1996 that UEFA decided to officially commemorate the efforts of the very best by creating an award for the best player.
Following each tournament, UEFA’s team of Technical Observers, made up of former footballers from across the continent, decides who to name as the tournament’s star man.
Given it has only existed for less than 30 years, there have only been seven winners to date, meaning the likes of Michel Platini and Marco van Basten do not appear on this list.
But who has had the honour of being named as the tournament’s best player? Football FanCast has the rundown of the previous winners.
Year
Player
Nation
1996
Matthias Sammer
Germany
2000
Zinedine Zidane
France
2004
Theodoros Zagorakis
Greece
2008
Xavi
Spain
2012
Andres Iniesta
Spain
2016
Antoine Griezmann
France
2020
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Italy
2024
Rodri
Spain
Euro 2024 tournament guide: Teams, matches, dates, TV channels, odds & more
Football FanCast has put together a guide for all things Euro 2024, with venues, fixtures, tables, stadiums and more all covered here.
Ranking the ten biggest upsets at the European Championships
With Euro 2024 fast approaching, Football FanCast has created a list of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history…
The top 12 European Championship goalscorers of all time
With the Euros now upon us, here’s who leads the way as the tournament’s all-time top scorer.
ByBrogan ClasperJun 11, 2024









