Dream Team

JUST one fixture remains in Dream Team Euros, the small matter of the final between Spain and England.Who will reign supreme, the free-flowing, tactically sound entertainers of Europe or Gareth Southgate and the Power of Friendship?With Mini Leagues on the line worldwide, gaffers should be as informed as possible ahead of Matchday 7.Here’s everything you need to know.Many gaffers will pair Alvaro Morata with Harry Kane for Sunday’s finalCredit: Dream TeamAlvaro Morata (£5.5m) is comfortably the most-popular recruit ahead of Sunday’s 7pm deadline.La Roja’s captain is expected to start in Berlin despite an unfortunate accidental collision with a security guard during the post-match celebrations following his side’s semi-final win over France.The 31-year-old has scored just one goal at this tournament but he’s also provided two assists and he’s an easy selection as the first-choice centre-forward for the best attacking unit of the summer.Many Dream Team Euros bosses will be pairing Morata with Harry Kane (£7.5m) up top.The Three Lions’ all-time top scorer has looked sluggish but it’s simply a fact that no player has scored more goals at this tournament.Whether he’s fatigued or carrying an injury, his goalscoring pedigree is unquestionable, as evidenced by his poacher’s efforts against Denmark and Slovakia – plus a trademark unreachable penalty against Netherlands.Most read in FootballKane scored England’s equaliser from the penalty spot in the semi-finalCredit: GettyOllie Watkins (£3.5m) and Ivan Toney (£3m) have made positive impacts off the bench but if Kane can jog, he’ll start.The Bayern Munich marksman currently features in 64.8% of teams but he’s not the most-selected player ahead of the final, that honour belongs to Jude Bellingham (£6m).England’s No10 appears in 70.4% of teams at the time of writing.Like Kane, he hasn’t been at his very best this tournament and is seemingly knackered at the end of a long season but he’s provided moments of magic when required – his overhead kick against Slovakia being the jewel in the crown.It’s worth noting that Bellingham has earned the most bonus points (10) among England and Spain players so far.In terms of total points, Dani Olmo (£4m) leads the way among the finalists with 48.Class actCredit: GettyThe RB Leipzig playmaker has only started two games and yet he’s the current front runner for the Golden Boot having scored three goals and provided two assists.He will start as Spain’s most-advanced midfielder following Pedri’s (£4m) injury in the quarter-finals.MOST DREAM TEAM EUROS POINTS AMONG SPAIN AND ENGLAND PLAYERS:48 pts – Dani Olmo (£4m)42 pts – Fabian Ruiz (£3.5m)41 pts – Lamine Yamal (£4m)39 pts – Jude Bellingham (£6m)37 pts – Harry Kane (£7.5m)Dani Carvajal (£4m) was suspended for the semi-final after his cynical second yellow card against Germany in the quarters but he’s available for the final and will surely reclaim his place at right-back for Luis de la Fuente’s side.Centre-back Robin Le Normand will probably come back in too after serving a suspension of his own.In terms of viable cheap options for those with budgetary issues, Declan Rice (£3m), Kobbie Mainoo (£3m) and Marc Guehi (£3m) are all expected to start for England while Spain’s left-back Marc Cucurella (£3m) has offered excellent value for money since Matchday 1.Cucurella has played well at left-back for Spain this summerCredit: GettyEXPECTED STARTING LINE-UPS:SPAIN: Unai Simon, Dani Carvajal, Robin Le Normand, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Nico WIlliams, Alvaro Morata.READ MORE SUN STORIESENGLAND: Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Bukayo Saka, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Kieran Trippier, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane.Dream Euros managers need to lock in their transfers, captain and their last Booster (if available) before Sunday’s 7pm deadline. More

SPAIN v ENGLAND: a style clash for the ages.The final of Euro 2024 pits the best team at the tournament against a side that have developed a habit of well-timed magic moments.La Roja topped what appeared to be the toughest group on paper with Albania, Croatia and Italy for company before vanquishing Georgia, Germany and France in the more competitive side of the knockout draw.In contrast, the Three Lions have looked disjointed for the most part but Jude Bellingham’s (£6m) overhead kick, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s (£5m) winning penalty, and Ollie Watkins’ (£3.5m) last-gasp winner have been among the most dramatic moments of the summer.Choose your winnerCredit: Dream TeamEnglish Dream Team Euros managers now face an agonising head-or-heart decision ahead of Sunday’s final.Even the most partisan supporter of Gareth Southgate’s troops will admit that Spain have played the best football and, on current form, deserve to start as favourites in Berlin.But every football fan knows the best team doesn’t always win and finals are often tense and cagey, which tends to benefit the team more adept at the dark arts.Gaffers can hedge their bets to a certain extent but they should strive for the most cohesive XI possible.For example, a midfield that contains Rodri (£4m), Lamine Yamal (£4m), Declan Rice (£3m) and Jude Bellingham (£6m) is perfectly viable as all four players could provide decent returns regardless of the result – through tackles, bonus points, etc.But a team stacked with Spain attackers and an all-England defence is counter-intuitive – if one of those units succeeds, the other is highly likely to fail.Most read in FootballSouthgate has been criticised but his side have made another Euros finalCredit: GettyDream Team Euros bosses who need something special from the final Matchday might as well gamble on one of the teams keeping a clean sheet by selecting Unai Simon (£4m) or Jordan Pickford (£4m) with the corresponding defence.For gaffers leading their Mini Leagues with a relatively comfortable cushion, it’s more feasible to split allegiances.TOP DREAM TEAM EUROS PERFORMERS AMONG SPAIN AND ENGLAND PLAYERS:Dani Olmo (£4m) – 48 ptsFabian Ruiz (£3.5m) – 42 ptsLamine Yamal (£4m) – 41 ptsJude Bellingham (£6m) – 39 ptsHarry Kane (£7.5m) – 37 ptsEngland’s captain is a particularly intriguing case study.Kane looks immobile, fatigued and/or injured but it’s simply a fact that no player has scored more goals at the tournament ahead of Sunday’s showdown.The 30-year-old displayed his poacher’s instincts with opportunistic strikes against Denmark and Slovakia before a well-struck penalty against Netherlands, albeit from a fortunate decision upon VAR review.Watkins scored England’s dramatic winner in the semi-finalCredit: GettyThat it was Watkins, Kane’s direct replacement, who fired England into the final is unlikely to impact Southgate’s starting line-up.The long-serving coach has remained loyal to his favourite players (some would argue to a fault) and so it would be an uncharacteristic decision to drop England’s all-time top scorer for such an occasion.Despite his sluggish performances, Kane is the third-best striker in Dream Team Euros (top among players still active) and nine points clear of counterpart Alvaro Morata (£5.5m).READ MORE SUN STORIESHelpfully, gaffers will be informed of the confirmed line-ups for both teams just prior to Sunday’s 7pm deadline.And it should go without saying that any remaining Boosters should now be activated – 12th Man will come in handy for those unable to reach a fully active XI through transfers alone.Ollie Watkins’ incredibly specific prediction comes true after just 9 minutes as sub scores sensational England winner More

DREAM TEAM EUROS managers have a maximum of five transfers to use prior to the Matchday 6 deadline later today.It goes without saying that gaffers will have to ditch any eliminated players from Portugal, Germany, Switzerland and Turkey but which assets are placed to provide healthy returns in the semi-finals?Spain’s quarter-final heroCredit: Dream TeamDani Olmo (£4m)Spain’s No10 was undoubtedly the standout star of the quarter-finals.Olmo wasn’t selected to start against Germany but an early injury to Pedri (£4m) meant he came off the bench inside the first ten minutes and proceeded to play a decisive hand.The RB Leipzig midfielder scored La Roja’s first goal, assisted their last-gasp winner in extra time, and earned the maximum of five bonus points for his influential all-round performance. When all was said and done, Olmo banked 19 points, five more than the next-best performer in Matchday 5.The 26-year-old will surely start against France this evening and he’s justifiably the most-popular recruit ahead of the 7pm deadline.Saliba and Upamecano have held firm at the heart of France’s defenceOlmo will be up against it versus a France defence that are yet to concede a goal from open play this tournament but the way he unlocked Germany’s defence has given his owners a reason to be optimistic.Some Dream Team Euros bosses will continue to back Mike Maignan (£4.5m) and Didier Deschamps’ first-choice defenders – a perfectly reasonably strategy.Most read in FootballLes Bleus are hardly the most entertaining outfit but Theo Hernandez (£5m), Jules Kounde (£4m), Dayot Upamecano (£4m) and William Saliba (£4.5m) combined for 34 points after another solid defensive display in Matchday 5.Bukayo Saka (£6.5m)Arsenal’s homegrown ‘star boy’ came to England’s rescue in the quarter-finals.Saka delivered for England on SaturdayCredit: AlamySaka was the Three Lions’ most-potent threat throughout the game, a fact underlined by his pinpoint equaliser, a trademark finish from the edge of the box.Add in a well-deserved three bonus points and the 22-year-old collected 13 points in total – the third best haul among all assets in the last eight.Gareth Southgate’s side have not been at their fluent best but they’re one game away from a second successive European Championship final.Netherlands have conceded goals to Poland, Austria and Turkey on their journey to the semi-finals and so Saka will fancy his chances of carving out some opportunities against Nathan Ake (£4m) and company.Denzel Dumfries (£4.5m)Dumfries appears in just 7% of teamsCredit: GettyGaffers unconvinced by England’s prospects may feel there’s value to be had backing Dutch stars.Southgate’s side are yet to score more than one goal in 90 minutes at this tournament and so Dumfries may be a reasonable punt.The ambitious right-back was among the top assist providers in qualifying and will endeavour to get forward often, where he may be able to exploit England’s somewhat disjointed left flank.It was Dumfries who supplied the ball to the back post that was inadvertently turned in by Mert Mulder for the Oranje’s winner against Turkey – he earned eight points in Matchday 5.It goes without saying that Cody Gakpo (£4m) is the Netherlands attacker of choice as he’s the outright top performer in Dream Team Euros on 52 points.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Liverpool forward has scored three goals, provided one assist, and ranks highly for both shots on target and big chances created.Confirm your transfers before today’s 7pm deadline! More

AND then there were four.Just three fixtures remain in Dream Team Euros with the semi-final between Spain and France set to take place on Tuesday night before England face Netherlands the following evening.Here we’ve assembled a combined XI made up of players from the four trophy hopefuls based solely on total Dream Team Euros points.Best in classCredit: Dream TeamGOALKEEPER: Mike Maignan (£4.5m)There’s been a lot of talk about how France are yet to score a goal from open play at this tournament but it’s also true that they’re yet to concede a goal from open play.Robert Lewandowski’s retaken penalty in Matchday 3 remains the only time Maignan has been forced to pick the ball out of his net.The Milan goalkeeper’s tally of four clean sheets forms the bedrock of his 39-point total – he’s 14 points clear of Jordan PIckford (£4m).And he’s good value for his lead having made 16 saves – only Georgia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili ranks above him in the metric among all keepers at Euro 2024.DEFENDERS: Theo Hernandez (£5m), Jules Kounde (£4m), Dayot Upamecano (£4m), William Saliba (£4.5m)Needless to say, Les Bleus’ clean sheets have also resulted in plentiful returns for the first-choice back four.Most read in FootballThe most-popular defender in Dream Team Euros right nowCredit: GettyHernandez tops the pile (45 pts) having also earned nine bonus points but it’s Kounde (38 pts) who has made the most tackles and created the most big chances among France’s defenders.Prior to the tournament, it seemed as if Ibrahima Konate (£4m) would partner Upamecano (33 pts) at the heart of defence as Didier Deschamps has not always been the biggest fan of William Saliba (31 pts) but the Arsenal favourite has justified his selection with some brilliantly composed displays.France defenders have ruled the roost in Germany but will gaffers back them to keep out a free-flowing Spain side in the first semi-final?MIDFIELDERS: Fabian Ruiz (£3.5m), Dani Olmo (£4m), Jude Bellingham (£6m), Lamine Yamal (£4m)Speaking of La Roja, three of their midfield talents make this team’s quartet.Dani Olmo produced a fantastic performance in the quarter-finalsCredit: ReutersRuiz is a genuine contender for Player of the Tournament having scored two goals and provided two assists in four outings – an output that has earned him 40 points.Incredibly, Olmo has racked up 38 points despite being given just 265 minutes of playing time, at an average of just 53 minutes per Matchday.The RB Leipzig playmaker was named as a substitute against Germany in the blockbuster quarter-final but replaced the injured Pedri (£4m) early on and ended up playing a decisive hand.The 26-year-old scored one goal, assisted the winner, and earned the maximum of five bonus points for a whopping 19-point haul.Yamal completes the Spanish trio having mustered 31 points.The teenage sensation has created more big chances (5) than anyone else and he’s level with Xavi Simons (£4m) on three assists.All that’s missing from the young winger’s tournament is a goal – the semi-final would be a great time for him to find the net from Luis de la Fuente’s perspective.Bellingham is England’s top scorer in Dream Team EurosCredit: GettyBellingham is England’s only representative in this XI as he’s amassed 37 points via two crucial goals and nine bonus points.The Real Madrid superstar hasn’t been at his very best this summer but he’s provided a couple of magic moment when needed – he currently features in 64.6% of teams.STRIKERS: Cody Gakpo (£4m), Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)Netherlands only have one representative here as well but he’s the outright top performer in all of Dream Team Euros.Gakpo thought he had scored his fourth goal of the tournament against Turkey on Saturday but replays showed it was an own goal; even so the Liverpool forward is the only man to have passed the half-century mark with 52 points.He ranks in the top three for both shots on target and big chances created, not to mention the fact he’s in a league of his own among strikers in terms of tackles.Player of the Tournament?Credit: AFPGakpo is joined by Mbappe, who has notched 36 points despite by hampered by his broken nose.France’s No10 has scored just once, a penalty against Poland, but he’s ticked over with bonus points (an unmatched tally of 12), an assist, and a barrage of shots on target for a grand total of 36 points.READ MORE SUN STORIESWill the 25-year-old superstar find another gear against Spain on Tuesday night?Bring on the semi-finals!England’s penalty shoot-out secrets More

DREAM TEAM EUROS managers have to decide their captain for Matchday 5 before today’s 4pm deadline.Due to the unpredictable nature of the quarter-final match-ups, there is no obvious player to strap the armband on so let’s run through a few candidates.Gakpo? Mbappe? Somebody else?Credit: Dream TeamKylian Mbappe (£7.5m)France’s No10 is the most-popular captain at the time of writing despite his side’s problems in front of goal.Les Bleus have squandered more than their fair share of chances, relying on two own goals and a penalty to make the last eight.That being said, Mbappe has racked up 31 points at an average of 10.3 per game (he missed one fixture through injury) thanks in no small part to his unmatched haul of 11 bonus points.Among the players still active in Germany, only Dani Olmo (£4m) averages more shots per 90 minutes than Mbappe at the tournament – he is a persistent threat.Granted, he faces a relatively tight Portuguese defence this evening but the rapid 25-year-old will fancy his chances against a back line that is likely to include Joao Cancelo (£4.5m), a relatively vulnerable one-on-one defender, and Pepe (£3.5m), who is 41 years old.Roberto Martinez’s side head into tonight’s game having lost to Georgia and drawn 0-0 with Slovenia (before progressing on penalties) in their last two outings.Gaffers seeking the safest captaincy option need look to further, Mbappe is always a justifiable choice when fit.Most read in FootballCody Gakpo (£4m)Golden Boot hopefulCredit: AFPThere are two compelling reasons to captain Netherlands’ main man.Firstly, he is the outright top performer in Dream Team Euros after the first four Matchdays having racked up 48 points via three goals and an assist.Secondly, he is due to face Turkey on Saturday night and while Vincenzo Montella’s side pack a punch going forward, their defence is comfortably the worst among the eight quarter-finalists.In terms of shots faced and xG conceded, there is statistical chasm between Turkey and the other seven teams, which suggests opting to double Gakpo’s points might be a smart strategy.The Liverpool forward has looked lively on the left flank and also leads the way for tackles among assets in his position – he has multiple routes to points.Fabian Ruiz (£3.5m)Can Spain go all the way?Credit: GettySpain v Germany is a match-up worthy of the final given what we’ve seen from both teams so far and many gaffers will be hesitant to select a captain up against a such a strong opponent.However, La Roja’s No8 simply has to be considered a viable skipper as he averages 12.7 points-per-game this summer!Ruiz has two goals and two assists to his name from just three outings as he was rested by Luis de la Fuente in Matchday 3.The PSG playmaker has been a key contributor to Spain’s smooth and dynamic build-up play that has arguably made them favourites to lift the trophy on July 14th.Some Dream Team Euros bosses may feel that the first fixture of Matchday 5 has the potential to be a high-scoring thriller.In which case, the likes of Ruiz and Jamal Musiala (£4.5m) could continue their fine form at the expense of defenders on both sides.Exciting wingers Lamine Yamal (£4m) and Nico Williams (£4m) are also in the conversation.Harry Kane (£7.5m) or Jude Bellingham (£6m)England are still alive at Euro 2024Credit: GettyMany gaffers wouldn’t dream of captaining an England player based on their performances at the tournament to date but Kane and Bellingham have somehow managed 58 points between.The former is currently the second most-selected captain for Matchday 5 with the Three Lions set to play Switzerland on Saturday.The Bayern Munich striker has looked rather sluggish but opportunistic finishes against Denmark and Slovakia served as reminders of his goalscoring pedigree – plus, he’s on penalties.As for Real Madrid’s superstar, he’s also scored two goals – the latest being an inspired stoppage-time overhead kick – and earned bonus points in every outing.READ MORE SUN STORIESGranit Xhaka (£3m), Manuel Akanji (£3.5m) and company should not be underestimated but it’s simply true that both Kane and Bellingham have found ways to earn points at this tournament despite not being at their best.Confirm your captain (and vice captain) before 4pm today!Why Xhaka is Football’s Greatest Comeback More

DREAM TEAM EUROS bosses have a maximum of five transfers available to them ahead of Matchday 5.As is the nature of tournament quarter-finals, the fixtures are now considerably more difficult to predict.Here’s a reminder of the match-ups:Spain v GermanyPortugal v FranceEngland v SwitzerlandNetherlands v TurkeySpain have been mightily impressive but the hosts will keep them honestCredit: Dream TeamIt would be naive to underestimate Turkey but their defensive frailty makes them the least likely team to progress to the semi-finals – at least according to our sponsors Betfair.Vincenzo Montella’s side pack a punch in attack but only Georgia, Romania and Slovenia have allowed their opponents more shots at this tournament – and only Georgia have conceded more xG.These stats make Cody Gakpo (£4m) a hugely appealing option for Matchday 5 for those who haven’t already recruited the Oranje’s left winger.The Liverpool forward is comfortably the top performer in Dream Team Euros having taken his overall tally to 48 points with a goal and assist against Romania last time out.On current form, Gakpo appears most likely to take advantage of Turkey’s relatively vulnerable defence.Gakpo has raised his game in GermanyCredit: GettyOn a similar theme, Xavi Simons (£4m) became Euro 2024’s leading assist provider after he set up two of his nation’s three goals in the round of 16.Most read in FootballThe 21-year-old has the attributes to threaten if Turkey maintain their gung-ho approach, which has made for entertaining end-to-end contests so far.Dream Team Euros bosses keen on the underdogs will surely view Arda Guler (£2.5m) as the best selection.The Real Madrid wonderkid is a total natural; his whipped set-pieces ultimately eliminated a decent Austria outfit.Turkey’s teenage heroCredit: ReutersA set of competitive quarter-finals makes it rather difficult to identify the most-suitable defenders.Gaffers downbeat on England’s chances may see Manuel Akanji (£3.5m), Fabian Schar (£3m), Ricardo Rodriguez (£3m) and Yann Sommer (£3m) as viable options.The former was particularly impressive at the heart of a back three in Switzerland’s two most-recent outings against Germany and Italy.Gareth Southgate’s side have been lacklustre in attack and were seconds away from coming up short against Slovakia before Jude Bellingham’s (£6m) moment of inspiration.The Three Lions have an abundance of attacking talent in their ranks but would it be all that surprising if they failed to beat Sommer on Saturday, given the incoherent nature of their performances this summer?Alternatively, more optimistic gaffers might feel it’s England that are most likely to keep a clean sheet.Marc Guehi (£3m) is suspended but Jordan Pickford (£4m), John Stones (£4.5m) and Kyle Walker (£4m) are virtually guaranteed to start while Ezri Konsa (£3m) is supposedly the leading candidate to replace the Crystal Palace centre-back in what could be a back three.Guehi received a yellow card against Slovakia and will miss the next gameCredit: ALAMYTargeting a clean sheet on Friday is fraught with danger as all four teams possess immense firepower.That being said, Portugal have failed to score in their last two outings (against Georgia and Slovenia) with Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m) having let fly with 20 unsuccessful shots at the tournament.France are yet to concede a goal from open play and have restricted their opponents to chances worth just 2.6 xG (which includes a penalty) across their four games – the lowest total among all 24 teams.Betting against the likes of Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes (£6m) and Bernardo Silva (£4.5m) is risky but there’s enough evidence to suggest Mike Maignan (£4.5m), Jules Kounde (£4m), Dayot Upamecano (£4m) and Theo Hernandez (£5m) might hold firm on Friday night.The latter is the superior option as he offers more going forward and his total of 35 points is the highest among all defenders at the time of writing – although his quality comes at a high price.Those who believe Roberto Martinez’s troops will keep Les Bleus at bay should back Nuno Mendes (£4m) and/or Joao Cancelo (£4.5m) – the Barcelona full-back was Portugal’s brightest threat in Matchday 4.Hernandez is among the most-popular recruits ahead of Friday’s deadlineCredit: GettySpain v Germany is a match-up worthy of the final and one destined to divide Dream Team Euros managers.Fabian Ruiz (£3.5m) and Jamal Musiala (£4.5m) extended their scintillating form with 15 and 12 points respectively in Matchday 4 while Kai Havertz (£4.5m) responded to his critics with a 12-point haul.Julian Nagelsmann has seemingly made the decision to replace Max Mittelstadt (£3.5m) with David Raum (£3.5m) at left-back – the latter endeavours to provide a barrage of crosses and currently features in just 0.5% of teams.As for La Roja, they look the most likely to lift the trophy at this stage and it feels as if every gaffer needs at least one of their exciting wingers.Lamine Yamal (£4m) and Nico Williams (£4m) have mustered 23 points each and could easily have banked more, such has been their quality out wide.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Athletic Bilbao man pocketed 15 points for efforts against Georgia last time out, which included a goal and an assist.Remember to confirm your transfers before Friday’s 4pm deadline – your overall team budget is now £53million! 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