Fantasy Football

Portugal’s round of 16 game against Slovenia quickly turned into ‘The Cristiano Ronaldo Show’ but not in the way the five-time Ballon d’Or would have liked.The 39-year-old happily adopted the the role of the game’s central protagonist on Monday night, a narrative amplified by commentators, pundits and social media users.Ronaldo endured an emotional roller coaster against SloveniaCredit: Dream TeamRonaldo let fly with a whopping eight shots in a barrage that included a succession of direct free-kick attempts of varying quality, accompanied by increasingly dramatic facial expressions.Matjaz Kek’s side defended resolutely but their resistance appeared to be at an end in extra time when Diogo Jota (£4.5m) won a penalty.Ronaldo stepped up and it appeared for all the world that his one-man play would end happily.But Jan Oblak (£3m) had other ideas.The Atletico Madrid stalwart saved the spot-kick, an act that brought Ronaldo to tears on the pitch in a dramatic scene – the BBC’s decision to dub him ‘Misstiano Penaldo’ prompted plenty of backlash.Ronaldo was emotional after his penalty miss in extra timeCredit: PAHowever, there was another twist still to come.Slovenia held firm and took Portugal to a shootout but quickly discovered that Diogo Costa (£4m) was in no mood for fairy tales.The Porto goalkeeper saved all three spot-kicks he faced to send Roberto Martinez’s side through to the quarter-finals.Most read in FootballAnd of course, Ronaldo scored his penalty in the shootout; a precise finish into the bottom corner well out of Oblak’s reach.Portugal will now meet France in the last eight where Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer will come face-to-face with Los Blancos’ newest Galactico, Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m).The whole situation is steeped in narrative but what’s the Dream Team Euros angle?Ronaldo attempted multiple free-kicksCredit: ReutersDespite playing a central role on the night, the fact is Ronaldo added just three points to his tally when all was said and done.Naturally, his returns were severely limited because of his extra-time penalty miss, which resulted in minus three points.And of course, actions that occur during penalty shootouts don’t count towards Dream Team Euros.At the time of writing, Ronaldo appears in just under 20% of teams which makes him the sixth most-popular striker in the game.He’s started every game at the tournament so far but his return of 18 points has to considered disappointing for an asset worth £6m.Gaffers are able to make up to five transfers before Matchday 5 and almost a fifth of them have a big decision to make regarding Ronaldo.Diogo Costa was Portugal’s hero on the nightCredit: GettyIt would be typical of the legendary No7 to save his best form for a massive knockout game against France but he will be up against it versus Dayot Upamecano (£4m) and William Saliba (£4.5m) on current form.Didier Deschamps’ side are yet to concede a goal from open play in Germany while Ronaldo is still waiting for his first goal at the tournament.Logically, Dream Team Euros bosses should probably seek a replacement ahead of the quarter-finals but it’s also true that betting against Ronaldo can backfire in spectacular fashion, such is his big-match pedigree.READ MORE SUN STORIESEven if Portugal get past France then they’ll meet the winner of Spain v Germany in the semi-finals – the top half of the draw is ultra competitive.Gaffers should wait until all the Matchday 5 fixtures are confirmed but it might be worth taking a punt on some attacking assets from the bottom half of the draw.Why Cristiano Ronaldo cried at Euro 2024 More

DREAM TEAM EUROS is set to reach another level in Matchday 5.Arguably the two strongest teams at the tournament so far are set to meet in the first quarter-final when Spain take on Germany in Stuttgart on Friday.Jamal Musiala and Fabian Ruiz have been excellent but only one will reach the semi-finalsCredit: Dream TeamThis fixture is set to divide gaffers as many will feel they have to choose one side or the other if they are to earn plentiful points from the tantalising match-up.But doing so would mean ditching some of the best players on display at the tournament to date.For example, there’s no point in having multiple Spain defenders in combination with several Germany attackers as the two units will be in direct competition – if one succeeds the other fails.Of course, it’s entirely possible the fixture will be a competitive high-scoring affair, in which case attack-minded assets from both sides could thrive.And some Dream Team Euros bosses may envisage a goalless deadlock, in which case an XI containing defenders from both teams would provide healthy returns.Whatever the pattern of the game, a winner will be decided one way or the other and so an XI stacked with both Julian Nagelsmann and Luis de la Fuente’s favourites would require replacements ahead of the semi-finals.All gaffers will be able to make up to five transfers before Matchday 5 and the same again for Matchday 6.Nagelsmann has a big job on his hands preparing his side to face SpainCredit: GettyThe magnitude of this fixture can’t be understated as both teams feature many of the best performers in Dream Team Euros.Most read in FootballJoshua Kimmich (£5m) is currently the best defender in the game having amassed 27 points.Jamal Musiala (£4.5m) is the outright top performer on 39 points and the joint top scorer having bagged his third goal of the tournament against Denmark.The only forward with more points than Kai Havertz (£4.5m) at present is Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze, who has now been eliminated.It’s worth noting that David Raum (£3.5m) replaced Max Mittelstadt (£3.5m) at left-back for Die Mannschaft in the round of 16 and returned 12 points via an assist and clean sheet.The former features in just 0.4% of teams at the time of writing.Havertz banked 12 points against DenmarkCredit: RexAs for Spain, Dani Carvajal (£4m) and Marc Cucurella (£3m) complete the podium of defenders, just two and three points behind Kimmich respectively.Fabian Ruiz (£3.5m) is Musiala’s closest rival, just one point shy of Germany’s No10 having added 15 points to his total with another impressive performance in Matchday 4.The PSG midfielder has two goals and two assists to his name and averages a whopping 12.7 points-per-game!Nico Williams (£4m) and Lamine Yamal (£4m) have both looked extremely lively on the wings and have perhaps been a tad unlucky not to have earned more points – although their combined tally of 46 is more than respectable.READ MORE SUN STORIESSpain’s exciting wingersCredit: GettySince this barnstorming fixture is the first of Matchday 5, Dream Team Euros bosses will probably be afforded the luxury of a glimpse at the starting line-ups just prior to Friday’s 4pm deadline.This will at least allow gaffers to avoid selecting non-starters, a welcome helping hand in what is an otherwise difficult match-up to gauge.Viral Euros-Inspired Haircut: England Fan Steals the Spotlight More

ENGLAND continue to confound Dream Team Euros managers worldwide.Gareth Southgate’s side were seconds away from elimination at the hands of Slovakia on Sunday but Jude Bellingham’s (£6m) 95th-minute overhead kick changed the complexion of the round of 16 tie in Gelsenkirchen.Bellingham provided a moment of magic to spare England’s blushesCredit: Dream TeamBuoyed by this rare moment of inspiration, Harry Kane (£7.5m) then scored an opportunistic header early on in extra time, which proved to be the winner.Both goals were huge moments of joy for the Three Lions but the nature of the overall performance was desperately underwhelming once again.Had England been dumped out, Dream Team Euros bosses would have no other choice than to replace the likes of Bellingham and company but now they have a big decision to make – stick or twist?Real Madrid’s 21-year-old superstar is now ranks third among all midfielders having taken his overall tally to 33 points.His average of 8.3 points-per-game is undeniably impressive and yet he hasn’t been at his most effective at this tournament.However, Bellingham is clearly capable of providing a blockbuster moment – a useful trait.Bellingham and Kane have scored four goals between them at Euro 2024 despite not being at their bestCredit: GettyIt’s similar story for England’s captain.Kane has looked a sluggish this summer and he’s been guilty of too many heavy touches but he remains natural goalscorer.Most read in FootballThe 30-year-old striker has now scored two goals at Euro 2024.On current form, many neutrals will fancy Switzerland to knock off England in Saturday’s first quarter-final as Murat Yakin’s men produced a convincing performance to beat Italy 2-0 in the last 16.Dream Team Euros gaffers will have to weigh up the points provided by England’s most-popular assets so far with their capacity to register healthy returns going forward, based on the performances.Does a second of genuine magic compensate for a lacklustre overview?Guehi won’t feature against SwitzerlandCredit: ReutersOne player who definitely needs to be replaced is Marc Guehi (£3m).The Crystal Palace centre-back has been one of the better performers in the squad but he’s suspended for Matchday 5 having picked up his second booking.Plus, Kieran Trippier (£4.5m) may be injured as he was forced off midway through the second half – it remains to be seen whether he’s available for the next game.Whatever the case, England’s status as unconvincing quarter-finalists is a real spanner in the works for Dream Team Euros managers.Ian Wright and Gary Neville go wild after Bellingham’s England equaliser… as eagle-eyed fans spot Roy Keane’s reaction More

WITH Dream Team Euros briefly in limbo as the group stage becomes the knockout phase, it’s the perfect time to analyse which players are leading the way in the key statistics.To what extent this information guides your strategy ahead of Matchday 4 is up to you but it’s always helpful to be across the numbers that make up our beloved fantasy game.Spoiler: Georgia reign supremeLet’s start with the metric that matters most…POINTS34 pts – Georges Mikautadze (£2m)32 pts – Cody Gakpo (£4m) 27 pts – Jamal Musiala (£4.5m)26 pts – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)24 pts – Theo Hernandez (£5m) 24 pts – Koen Casteels (£3.5m)Georgia have won plenty of hearts and minds at this tournament and the fact their No22 leads the way in terms of total points in Dream Team Euros at this stage is truly remarkable.The names that follow Mikautadze are more familiar and it’s worth noting Mbappe’s high ranking as he missed Matchday 2 because of a broken nose – France’s No10 averages 13 points-per-game right now.Musiala, Hernandez and Casteels are the top midfielder, top defender and top goalkeeper in the game respectively.GOALS3 – Georges Mikautadze (£2m)2 – Niclas Fullkrug (£4m) 2 – Cody Gakpo (£4m) 2 – Jamal Musiala (£4.5m) 2 – Ivan Schranz (£1.5m) 2 – Razvan Marin (£1.5m) Most read in FootballNaturally, there’s fair amount of crossover between goals and points but it’s worth marvelling at Mikautadze as Golden Boot leader, at least for the time being.It will be interesting to see whether Julian Nagelsmann keeps faith in Kai Havertz (£4.5m) or gives Fullkrug a start against Denmark as the Borussia Dortmund target man has looked sharper in front of goal.In terms of assists, there’s no front runner but the following nine players are level on two each: Nathan Ake (£4m), Ilkay Gundogan (£4m), Ante Budimir (£3m), Remo Freuler (£2.5m), Nuno Mendes (£4m), Juraj Kucka (£2m), Orkun Kokcu (£2.5m), Dennis Man (£1.5m) and Alexander Prass (£2m).Musiala is currently the most-selected player in Dream Team EurosCredit: GettyBONUS POINTS9 pts – Josip Sutalo (£3m)8 pts – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)7 pts – Jude Bellingham (£6m)Croatia didn’t make it to the last 16 and so their 24-year-old centre-back won’t be adding to his impressive tally – the secret to his success is revealed further down.Not only did Mbappe score on his return to action in Matchday 3, he earned the maximum of five bonus points thanks in no small part to the fact he completed six successful dribbles against Poland.Bellingham’s lofty ranking here may surprise some gaffers, especially after his lethargic showing against Slovenia, but England’s No10 completed his fair share of dribbles and won more than a few free-kicks in his first two outings.SHOTS ON TARGET7 – Romelu Lukaku (£5.5m)6 – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)5 – Kai Havertz (£4.5m)5 – Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m)How Belgium’s striker didn’t score in the group stage remains a mystery.A combination of narrow offsides, controversial VAR decisions and imprecise finishes meant the Red Devils’ all-time top scorer was left frustrated, as were his backers.There he is again, Mbappe, despite the fact he’s played just twice – he’s a serious asset in this game.Eight players are currently on four shots on target, including Kevin De Bruyne (£7m), Cody Gakpo (£4m) and Alvaro Morata (£5.5m).Lukaku suffered across the first three MatchdaysCredit: GettyBIG CHANCES CREATED4 – Roland Sallai (£2.5m)3 – Lamine Yamal (£4m)3 – Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.5m)3 – Ante Budimir (£3m)Hungary didn’t make it out of Group A but it evidently wasn’t due to a lack of creativity – Sallai and Szoboszlai created seven big chances between them!Spain’s teenage sensation will fancy his chances of creating some gilt-edged opportunities for his team-mates against Georgia in Matchday 4.Yamal is the only asset in this list still active in Germany.TACKLES13 – Nicolas Seiwald (£2m)11 – Strahinja Pavlovic (£2.5m)10 – Robert Andrich (£3.5m)10 – Giovanni Di Lorenzo (£4.5m)10 – Stefan Posch (£2.5m)10 – Josip Stanisic (£3.5m)10 – Oleksandr Tymchyk (£2m)Austria’s intense pressing has been a feature of their impressive performances under Ralf Rangnick and so it’s no surprise to see one of their industrious midfielders leading the way in this metric.Seiwald will probably have to make a few more against Turkey in what could be an end-to-end thrill ride if both teams go for it in their customary style.Austria’s tackle machineCredit: GettySAVES21 – Giorgi Mamardashvili (£2m)13 – Florin Nita (£1.5m)13 – Thomas Strakosha (£1.5m)12 – Martin Dubravka (£1.5m)12 – Bart Verbruggen (£3.5m)12 – Angus Gunn (£2m)Another Georgian hero tops the pile!The Valencia goalkeeper has been fantastic between the sticks, as evidenced by the fact he’s well and truly in a league of his own for saves.Interestingly, Nita and Verbruggen are set to meet in the round of 16 when Romania take on Netherlands – will that match-up come down to which keeper maintains their high standards?SUCCESSFUL DRIBBLES13 – Jeremy Doku (£5m)9 – Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)9 – Jamal Musiala (£4.5m)8 – Ousmane Dembele (£4.5m)8 – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (£3m)8 – Lamine Yamal (£4m)Dream Team Euros assets don’t earn points for successful dribbles directly but this avenue is one of the best ways to reach bonus points.This list is essentially a breakdown of the continent’s most-natural dribblers but Belgium’s rapid winger is in a bracket of his own – although his end product will have to improve if his side are to edge out France in Matchday 4.Catch him if you canCredit: GettyACCURATE CROSSES10 – Christian Eriksen (£3m)7 – Lukas Haraslin (£2m)6 – Andrija Zivkovic (£2.5m)Denmark’s set-piece specialist has been well ahead since Matchday 1 when he registered a whopping seven accurate crosses against Slovenia.Memphis Depay (£3.5m), Toni Kroos (£3.5m) and Nico WIlliams (£4m) are among the six players on five accurate crosses.INTERCEPTIONS13 – Josip Sutalo (£3m)7 – Fabian Schar (£3m)7 – Samet Akaydin (£2m)7 – Mario Mitaj (£1.5m)No wonder Sutalo was such a keen bonus point hoarder during his time in Germany!The Ajax defender notched almost twice as many interceptions as his closest rival – clearly he’s expert reader of the game.Sutalo was deceptively effective despite Croatia’s issuesCredit: GettyFOULS WON10 – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (£3m)9 – Max Mittelstadt (£3.5m)9 – Roland Sallai (£2.5m)9 – John McGinn (£2.5m)8 – Harry Kane (£7.5m)Georgia deserve a trophy of some kind, don’t they?This time it’s their talismanic forward who tops the ranking thanks to his quick feet and, let’s face it, his willingness to hit the deck.READ MORE SUN STORIESGermany’s left-back is something of an outlier here as the only defender – he’s currently the fifth most-popular player in his position.Remember, you can check out all the relevant numbers through Dream Team’s Stats Centre at any time.SunSport’s Tom Barclay gives an update on Phil Foden’s return to England’s euro 2024 camp More

DREAM TEAM EUROS managers are spoiled for choice right now.All gaffers have access to unlimited transfers ahead of Matchday 4 meaning they can essentially build a fresh team from scratch if they wish.Before we put forward some players for consideration, here’s a reminder of the upcoming fixtures in the round of 16.Spain v GeorgiaGermany v DenmarkPortugal v SloveniaFrance v BelgiumRomania v NetherlandsAustria v TurkeyEngland v SlovakiaSwitzerland v ItalyTeenage kicksCredit: Dream TeamGeorgia are the lowest ranked team left in the competition and while they proved the strength of their character in the group stage, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (£3m) and company are well and truly up against it in the last 16.Spain boast a 100% record in Germany this summer and they’re also the only side yet to concede a goal.That last statistic makes the likes of Unai Simon (£4m), Dani Carvajal (£4m) and Marc Cucurella (£3m) immensely appealing options in Matchday 4.In the attacking positions, the entire front three of Alvaro Morata (£5.5m), Nico Williams (£4m) and Lamine Yamal (£4m) are all viable – the latter may be just 16 years old but he’s super talented.Playmaker Fabian Ruiz (£3.5m) is currently the third most-popular recruit ahead of Saturday’s 4pm deadline having banked 23 points in just two outings – he was rested against Albania last time out.Simply put, La Roja are the team to back for Dream Team Euros bosses who like to target one-sided match-ups – our sponsors Betfair have Georgia at a massive 14/1 to win in normal time!Most read in FootballPortugal are heavy favourites to beat SloveniaCredit: GettyOf the 16 teams still active, only Slovakia and England mustered fewer expected goals (xG) than Slovenia across the first three Matchdays.Matjaz Kek’s side are set to meet Portugal on Monday and, given only Germany have conceded fewer shots than Roberto Martinez’s mob to date, targeting a clean sheet seems perfectly logical.Joao Cancelo (£4.5m) occupies advanced positions, even playing as an auxiliary midfielder at times, but Nuno Mendes (£4m) is the Portugal defender with two assists to name at present.Ruben Dias (£4m) is always a popular choice but some gaffers might feel it’s wise to back Pepe (£3.5m) instead as the 41-year-old veteran is a fraction cheaper.Gaffers should be wary of over-committing to the top half of the draw.The temptation to build an XI made up exclusively of Spain, Germany, Portugal and France stars is strong but while such a ploy may result in plentiful points in Matchday 4, there could be problems in Matchday 5 if those four teams make up the quarter-finals in the top half of the draw.All we’re saying is it might be beneficial in the long run to take a punt on some players from the other side of the draw.Go Dutch!Credit: GettyEngland have been uninspiring in attack but their defensive numbers are encouraging and so it’s possible Jordan Pickford (£4m) and the starting defenders could deliver a third clean sheet of the tournament against Slovakia on Sunday.Elsewhere, Cody Gakpo (£4m) has delivered healthy returns across his first three outings.Netherlands may have finished third in their group but the Liverpool forward has provided a persistent threat from the left flank – he scored against Poland and Austria.In fact, Gakpo has amassed 32 points, the second-highest tally among all assets.The Oranje have problems to solve but Ronald Koeman won’t be too annoyed to find his side against Romania in the last 16 on the more favourable side of the draw.In midfield, Austria’s Marcel Sabitzer (£3m), who has 22 points to his name, is an affordable differential option worthy of consideration.Ralf Rangnick’s troops play on the front foot and are coming off a back-and-forth 3-2 win over Netherlands ahead of their meeting with Turkey in Matchday 4 – that could easily be an end-to-end thriller.The most transferred-in player for Matchday 4Credit: PALastly, we shouldn’t need to explain why Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m) is strong option.France’s captain banked 18 points in one fell swoop versus Poland via a goal, five shots on target and five bonus points.READ MORE SUN STORIESGranted, Les Bleus v Belgium seems like one of the more difficult Matchday 4 fixtures to predict but Mbappe, mask or no mask, is one of those players who is capable of a double-digit haul no matter the opponent – he scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final after all.Confirm your transfers for Matchday 4 before Saturday’s 4pm deadline. More

DREAM TEAM EUROS managers essentially have a clean slate ahead of Matchday 4 with unlimited transfers available to all before the round of 16.Once gaffers have forged their ideal XI, they will have to decide which player to captain (and vice captain) with a view to maximising their returns.With that in mind, let’s analyse some of the most tempting captaincy options for Matchday 4.The obvious choice?Credit: GettyKylian Mbappe (£7.5m)France’s No10 is likely to be the most-selected skipper come Saturday’s 4pm deadline.Les Bleus will arguably be part of the most-difficult fixture to predict when they take on Belgium but some players are immune to the schedule’s fluctuations and Mbappe comfortably qualifies. The prolific forward underlined his pedigree in Matchday 3 when he plundered 18 points against Poland via a goal, five shots on target and five bonus points – the best haul among all assets so far.In fact, Mbappe averages 13 points-per-game this summer, the highest rate in Dream Team Euros.Didier Deschamps’ side have only mustered two goals in Germany to date but their underlying numbers suggests they’re problem is chance conversion, rather than chance creation.No team generated more xG across the first three Matchdays and they registered the same number of shots (47) as Spain.Most read in FootballSimply put, France could easily jump up a level or two and who better to capitalise than Mbappe?Alvaro Morata (£5.5m)Spain look strong this summerCredit: GettySpain have been the pick of the teams at the tournament having dominated their group (a tough one at that with Italy, Croatia and Albania for company) without conceding a goal.This record coupled with a favourable last 16 match-up, with all due respect to Georgia, means La Roja assets are immensely appealing ahead of Matchday 4.Morata has a reputation as a striker who blows hot and cold but he’s looked sharp enough so far – he took Croatia and Italy for 19 points across the first two Matchdays.Spain’s captain has the luxury of being flanked by Lamine Yamal (£4m) and Nico Williams (£4m), two exciting young wingers who endeavour to put the ball into the box at every opportunity.Morata is not everyone’s cup of tea but he leads the line for the best team at the tournament on current form and so he’s clearly a captaincy candidate.Jamal Musiala (£4.5m)King among midfieldersCredit: GettyGermany’s No10 is currently the most-popular player in Dream Team Euros with a massive ownership of 56.4%.The 21-year-old was more subdued against Switzerland but he dazzled against Scotland and Hungary with a goal against each among some mesmeric dribbles.Musiala has 27 points to his name at present, four more than the next-best midfielder, and his ability to earn bonus points on top of his goal/assist threat puts him in the captaincy conversation.The hosts will meet Denmark in the last 16 and there’s a chance Christian Eriksen (£3m) and company will be caught cold against a dynamic opponent having slugged it out in a comparatively slow Group C alongside England, Serbia and Slovenia.See also: Ilkay Gundogan (£4m)Cody Gakpo (£4m)32 points and countingCredit: AFPNetherlands finished third in Group D but they won’t be complaining about a last 16 meeting with Romania on the more favourable side of the draw.Ronald Koeman has problems to solve but Gakpo has been a shining left on the left flank, as evidenced his total of 32 points.Goals against Poland and Austria only tell half the story; he earned the maximum of five bonus points against the former and has picked up tackle points in all three outings.Whether the Oranje have the makings of a team capable of going deep at this tournament remains to be seen but Dream Team Euros bosses should only concern themselves with individual returns and Gakpo has delivered in spades across the first three Matchdays.Ronaldo has been a popular captain so farCredit: GettyElsewhere, many gaffers will be stirred by the idea of Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m) against Slovenia in a knockout environment but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s failure to score from three starts in the group stage is a slight concern.READ MORE SUN STORIESThose keen on Portugal might be better off backing Bruno Fernandes (£6m) or targeting a clean sheet through Joao Cancelo (£4.5m), who often occupies advanced positions.Good luck to those captaining either Harry Kane (£7.5m) or Jude Bellingham (£6m) – you might need it if England’s last outing is anything to go by.England star Anthony Gordon trains with gruesome cuts after falling off his bike in camp More

IT’S frankly unacceptable that there are no more Euro 2024 games until Saturday but this unwelcome break does allow us time to reflect on the action so far.Dream Team Euros managers were bored into submission by some teams during the group stage – *cough* England *cough* – and thrilled by others but the main focus should be points.Here we’ve assembled the best possible XI as determined by total points after three Matchdays – useful information given all gaffers have access to unlimited transfers ahead of the round of 16.GOALKEEPER: KOEN CASTEELS (£3.5m)Safe handsCredit: GettyWe tipped Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper several times before the tournament got underway and he’s repaid our faith with 24 points.The Red Devils may have stumbled into a round of 16 meeting with France by finishing second in Group E but clean sheets against Romania and Ukraine ensured healthy returns for Casteels.Amazingly, the 32-year-old notched an assist in Matchday 2 when his long hoof upfield fell was poked home by Kevin De Bruyne (£7.5m).Casteels has also earned five points through saves – who needs Thibaut Courtois, eh?DEFENDERS: THEO HERNANDEZ (£5m), DANI CARVAJAL (£4m), ERIK JANZA (£1.5m)An asset at the back and a threat in attackCredit: GettyFrance are yet to concede a goal from open play with Robert Lewandowski’s (£5m) retaken penalty the only blemish on their defensive record.Most read in FootballAnd so it stands to reason that their dynamic left-back has justified his price tag with an unmatched return of 24 points among defenders, a tally supplemented by five bonus points.Hernandez is the most likely of Les Bleus’ defenders to provide an attacking return – he was a tad unlucky not to register an assist against Austria.Spain have kept three consecutive clean sheets but Luis de la Fuente rotated almost his entire team in Matchday 3 and so Carvajal missed out to some degree but his return of 22 points from two outings has made him a hugely popular recruit ahead of the knockout stage.The experienced right-back scored a rare goal (his only one at senior international level) against Croatia as part of a 16-point haul – the highest achieved by any defender to date.Slovenia’s streetwise left-back benefited from England’s insipid showing in Cologne to finish the group stage with 21 points to his name.Janza scored against Denmark in Matchday 1 and also banked three bonus points for his industrious all-round display.His team-mate, Zan Karninik (£1.5m), also has 21 points but misses out purely because he features in fewer teams – them’s the breaks!MIDFIELDERS: JAMAL MUSIALA (£4.5m), RAZVAN MARIN (£1.5m), FABIAN RUIZ (£3.5m), JUDE BELLINGHAM (£6m)Catch him if you canCredit: ReutersIt’s no surprise to see Germany’s No10 leading the way in the middle of the park as he sparkled in the hosts’ first two outings.A mesmerising dribbler, Musiala scored against Scotland and Hungary before a more subdued showing against an organised Swizterland outfit.The talented 21-year-old has earned 27 points and is currently the most-popular player in Dream Team Euros with an ownership of 55.4%.In stark contrast, Romania’s Marin features in just 0.6% of teams at the time of writing.Primarily a defensive midfielder, the 28-year-old has been deployed in a more advanced role at this tournament with surprisingly effective results.Marin scored against Slovakia and Ukraine and has been good value for his 23 points – the round of 16 might be a step too far but he deserves full credit for his efforts so far.Spain have undoubtedly played the best football in Germany and Ruiz has been a key contributor.The second most-popular recruit ahead of Matchday 4Credit: GettyThe PSG playmaker may not have a reputation equal to Rodri (£4m) or Pedri (£4m) but he’s comfortably outscored his team-mates in Dream Team Euros to this point – he’s level with Marin on 23 points.Ruiz produced three minutes of magic against Croatia that featured a pleasing assist plus a skilful goal and he was fully deserving of his nine-point haul for his classy performance against Italy.Rested in Matchday 3, La Roja’s No8 will surely start against Georgia in what looks the most one-sided match-up in the last 16 on paper.Perhaps surprisingly, Bellingham makes the cut having mustered 22 points.Kevin De Bruyne (£7.5m), Christian Eriksen (£3m), Ilkay Gundogan (£4m) and Marcel Sabizter (£3m) all boast the same total but the England man edges them out on ownership.The Real Madrid star looked fatigued and bereft of inspiration against Slovenia but his first half display against Serbia in Matchday 1 remains the brightest spark in an England shirt this summer.Bellingham has a habit of drawing fouls and his control in tight areas means he completes his fair share of successful dribbles too – hence how he’s accumulated seven bonus points despite his increasingly lethargic performances.Gareth Southgate will be hoping the 20-year-old rediscovers his form ahead of Matchday 4 – as will 47.3% of Dream Team Euros gaffers!FORWARDS: GEORGES MIKAUTADZE (£2m), CODY GAKPO (£4m), KYLIAN MBAPPE (£7.5m)Georgia’s hero!Credit: Dream TeamWho would have predicted that a Georgia forward would be leading the Golden Boot race after all the groups were decided?Mikautadze scored against Turkey, Czechia and Portugal (plus an assist against the latter) to book his nation’s place in the round of 16.He’ll have to produce something truly magical to get past Spain in Matchday 4 but the Metz striker deserves his flowers for amassing 34 points from his first three outings – he’s the outright top performer in Dream Team Euros right now!Gakpo has provided a potent threat from the left flank for the Netherlands, as evidenced by his return of 32 points.The Liverpool forward scored against Poland and Austria but that only tells half the story – he bagged the maximum of five bonus points against the former and has earned tackle points in all three outings.Ronald Koeman’s side are set to face Romania in the round of 16 so Gakpo owners will be hopeful of further returns with the Oranje on the more favourable side of the draw.Masked avengerCredit: GettyLast but by no means least, France’s superstar captain has racked up 26 points despite the fact he missed a game due to a broken nose.Mbappe didn’t appear to be hindered by his mask at all against Poland as he pocketed 18 points in one fell swoop via a goal, five shots on target, and five bonus points for the biggest Matchday haul among all assets so far.Real Madrid’s new Galactico probably should be the outright top performer in Dream Team Euros as he missed a gilt-edged one-on-one chance versus Austria.READ MORE SUN STORIESFrance v Belgium may appear to be the most-competitive last 16 match-up but some players are essentially immune to the schedule and Mbappe falls into that exclusive category.Remember to lock in your transfers, captain and any Boosters you wish to play for Matchday 4 before Saturday’s 4pm deadline. 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FRANCE failed to convert their supremacy against Poland on Tuesday afternoon into what would have been a massively helpful win.Les Bleus registered 19 shots, eight of them on target, but Kylian Mbappe’s (£7.5m) penalty was ultimately cancelled out by Robert Lewandowski’s (£5m) spot-kick (at the second time of asking) for a 1-1 draw.This result meant Didier Deschamps’ side finished second in Group D which has placed them in what appears to be the difficult side of the knockout draw, alongside Spain, Germany and Portugal.Back with a bangCredit: Dream TeamWhile that misstep is likely to have ramifications in the world of Dream Team Euros, gaffers should be enthused by Mbappe’s performance in Matchday 3.Seemingly unhindered by the mask, France’s No10 banked 18 points in one fell swoop – the biggest haul of the tournament to date.The prolific 25-year-old registered a whopping five shots on target (one being his goal) and he earned the maximum of five bonus points, thanks in no small part to fact he completed six successful dribbles.Naturally, many Dream Team Euros managers were uncertain of Mbappe’s availability prior to the Matchday 3 deadline as his broken nose forced him to miss the game against Netherlands in Matchday 2, but his popularity will surely surge now he’s back in action.With unlimited transfers available before the round of 16 and popular England stars under-performing, such as Harry Kane (£7.5m) and Jude Bellingham (£6m), Mbappe may well end up as the most-recruited player this week – he’s currently third.Mbappe returned 18 points despite his broken noseCredit: GettyThat being said, the World Cup runners-up undoubtedly slipped up by finishing second in their group instead of first.Dream Team Euros bosses will understandably be keen on assets from France, Portugal, Spain and Germany but if those four teams end up meeting each other in the quarter-finals, many gaffers will end up with conflicted XIs.Most read in Dream TeamFor example, a team with multiple France defenders and attack-minded Portugal players might look good in isolation but if Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m) and Bruno Fernandes (£6m) have to take on Theo Hernandez (£5m) and William Saliba (£4.5m) in Matchday 5 then it’s highly unlikely both pairs will deliver satisfactory returns.Some players have such a high ceiling that they are immune to the schedule and Mbappe very much falls into that category but the potential for these blockbuster quarter-finals is something to bear in mind.Deschamps would have preferred the other side of the drawCredit: APSome pundits have drawn comparisons between England and France’s struggles as both teams earned five points in their respective groups via just two goals scored.However, the underlying numbers tell a different story.Deschamps’ troops have generated more xG than any other team at the tournament so far while Gareth Southgate’s side rank 19th on the list – three of the teams below the Three Lions also have a game in hand.France have let fly with 47 shots overall, a tally only bettered by Germany, whereas England have recorded just 29 – only Georgia, Slovenia, Serbia and Scotland have averaged fewer shots per 90 minutes at the time of writing.There’s no doubt France have been under par so far but they were in a tough group and the stats suggest they have been several steps above England in terms of chance creation.Mbappe will be a popular captain in Matchday 4.Who England will play next in last 16 at Euro 2024 More