Euro 2020 Player Power Rankings - Round 1

There has been no shortage of intrigue from the first round of matches at Euro 2020, with stars old and new shining across 12 games.

Many fans have no doubt been making the most of the three fixtures per day and soaking in every minute of major-tournament action to identify the standout players so far.

But what do the statistics say?

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 so far.

With some selections more easily identifiable than others, we start from number 20...

20. Leonardo Spinazzola

Spinazzola thrilled in Rome's curtain-raiser, regularly providing a catalyst for the Italy attack from left-back. Against Turkey, the Roma man had 83 touches – the third-most on the pitch – and attempted two shots while creating a further chance.

But Spinazzola also played a key role in defence, contributing two interceptions and a block as the Azzurri achieved a ninth consecutive clean sheet. They have not conceded in 875 minutes.

19. Marcos Llorente

Another energetic presence at full-back, the versatile Llorente forged only a single opportunity but was busy throughout Spain's one-sided draw with Sweden.

Llorente was among six Spain players to have both 100 or more touches (111) and make 100 or more passes (100). He also won each of his three duels, including one aerial battle.

18. Jorginho

As Spinazzola roamed, it was Jorginho's task to keep play ticking over for Italy. No Azzurri player completed more passes (77, tied with Giorgio Chiellini), while the Chelsea midfielder also played a game-high 60 passes into the opposition half.

Jorginho's average position was on the centre spot as he worked in attack and defence, creating three chances but also making three tackles and four interceptions.

17. Koke

Another of those Spain stars, Koke ranks joint-second for touches (128), third for passes in the opposition half (88) and successful passes in the opposition half (80) and fourth for passes (111) and successful passes (103) across the entire tournament.

In each category, he trails only Spain team-mates, one of whom is still to come on this list.

16. Kieffer Moore

Wales battled back to draw 1-1 with Switzerland as Moore scored on his major-tournament debut, providing a familiar route to goal with his physical presence.

Four of the forward's six Wales goals have been headers, while three of their past four Euros strikes have also come in that fashion. For good measure, Moore contributed four clearances at the other end.

15. Robin Olsen

It says much for Sweden's defence-first approach against Spain that Olsen led the team with 39 touches and 28 passes. Only six were completed and 26 were launched into the Spain half.

Olsen did his job at the other end, making five saves to prevent 1.4 goals using expected-goals-on-target data. He ranks second among all goalkeepers in this regard.

14. Raphael Varane

France versus Germany was the most highly anticipated fixture of the round, but only one player made the cut for this list. World Cup winner Varane was outstanding in defence for Les Bleus.

Far more assured than he has been at times in big games for Real Madrid in recent seasons, Varane won all of his six duels and defended his goal effectively with a mammoth eight clearances and two blocks. Germany were restricted to one shot on target, their lowest Euros mark since 2008.

13. Milan Skriniar

Slovakia surprisingly took control of Group E as Skriniar scored the winner against Poland while Spain and Sweden drew.

The centre-back was once an unlikely hero for his country, failing to score in his first 37 international games, but this thumping strike was his third in four appearances.

12. Frenkie de Jong

Frank de Boer's 5-3-2 Netherlands formation is not universally popular, but it does grant De Jong a key role.

The Barcelona midfielder dictated play in the opener against Ukraine, leading the match for passes (97), successful passes (89), passes in the opposition half (73), touches (113) and fouls won (three). De Jong also created two chances.

11. Nelson Semedo

Cristiano Ronaldo made history with two goals for Portugal, but he was anonymous for much of the win over Hungary, where right-back Semedo was the standout.

Now firmly first choice after Joao Cancelo had to depart the squad, Semedo had 103 touches, delivered six crosses and created two chances. Impressively, he also had a game-high seven tackles and team-high 17 duels contested. 

10. Joakim Maehle

Denmark's Euro 2020 opener was overshadowed by an awful incident involving Christian Eriksen, who collapsed on the pitch and required life-saving medical treatment. Finland subsequently stole a 1-0 win in Copenhagen.

But the goal came from the victors' only shot in the match, and left-back Maehle kept them on the back foot. He made three interceptions and enjoyed 107 touches – both team-high totals – and attempted two efforts, as well as teeing up another.

9. Breel Embolo

Embolo was involved in everything for Switzerland against Wales. As well as creating two chances, he had six shots – no Swiss player has ever attempted more in a Euros match.

One of those found the net for Embolo's sixth international goal and his third with his head, although it was only enough for a point.

8. Andriy Yarmolenko

It was all in vain as the Netherlands won 3-2, but Ukraine's recovery from two goals down provided plenty of entertainment on Saturday, with Yarmolenko's stunning strike ending a sequence of 72 Ukraine shots without a goal at the Euros – dating back to 2012 – before Roman Yaremchuk made it two in a row.

Coach Andriy Shevchenko had been their only prior Euros goalscorer and he is the sole player ahead of Yarmolenko in his country's scoring charts, with 48 to the winger's 41.

7. Marko Arnautovic

Austria showed the importance of having options from the bench as they beat North Macedonia, with Arnautovic adding a clinching third goal from his only shot in 32 minutes on the pitch.

The 32-year-old, who also created two chances, faces a UEFA investigation due to his celebration but has now scored three of his 27 Austria goals against North Macedonia.

6. Michael Gregoritsch

Arnautovic was not the only Austrian to make an impact from the bench. Gregoritsch arrived a minute before his team-mate and got the crucial second goal that restored his country's lead 12 minutes from time.

Four of Austria's five Euros goals have come from substitutes, with Gregoritsch and Arnautovic the first pair to score for the same team in the competition since Michy Batshuayi and Yannick Carrasco stepped off the bench for Belgium against Hungary in 2016.

5. Thomas Meunier

Even Belgium did not plan for Meunier to be one of the stars of the opening round of fixtures. He started among the substitutes against Russia but was introduced when Timothy Castagne suffered a tournament-ending facial injury.

In 63 minutes, the right-back scored Belgium's second and assisted their third, becoming the first sub to do both in a Euros match since Fernando Torres in the 2012 final.

4. Jordi Alba

Wearing the captain's armband in Sergio Busquets' absence, Alba led the way for Spain against Sweden. He attempted a tournament-high 121 passes as Luis Enrique's side set new Euros benchmarks for possession (85.1 per cent), passes (917) and successful passes (830).

Of course, Spain still did not score, but Alba could hardly be blamed for that. He created four chances for team-mates – another high mark in Seville.

3. Lukas Hradecky

Finland's major-tournament bow will unfortunately be remembered for Eriksen's collapse, but goalkeeper Hradecky ensured his side went away with three points as he saved Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's penalty.

The Bayer Leverkusen man became only the third keeper to save a spot-kick on his Euros debut – after Przemyslaw Tyton (Poland v Greece, 2012) and Trols Rasmussen (Denmark v Spain, 1988) – and finished with six stops and a clean sheet, preventing 1.8 goals.

2. Romelu Lukaku

Belgium were without Kevin De Bruyne against Russia, while Eden Hazard was fit enough only for the bench, but Lukaku ensured it mattered not in a dominant individual display. Two goals took his tally at major tournaments to nine, although eight have now come in the group stage.

The first, which Lukaku celebrated with a message for Inter team-mate Eriksen, preyed on poor Russian defending, before the forward rifled in a late second to move to 26 goal involvements (22 goals, four assists) in 19 games for Belgium since the 2018 World Cup.

1. Patrik Schick

As well as top spot, the Czech Republic forward surely already has the goal of the tournament wrapped up. His stunning second against Scotland was measured at 49.7 yards, the longest distance for a Euros goal since records began in 1980.

Schick's double – from six shots – maintained an impressive run in front of goal, having now scored eight and assisted two in his past nine international starts. No Czech player had netted a brace at a major tournament since Tomas Rosicky against the United States at the 2006 World Cup.