Fantasy Football

WITH two weeks to go until Dream Team’s Euros fantasy game gets underway, it’s time to highlight some players we expect to be pivotal figures.We kicked off our EURO STAR series yesterday with a look at Cristiano Ronaldo and whether or not the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s goalscoring pedigree will prevail over his ageing legs.At 21 years old, today’s subject is at the complete opposite end of his career on a dramatic upward curve and so the question must be asked: will this be the summer of Jamal Musiala (£4.5m)?PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW – £50,000 PRIZE POT, FREE TO PLAY, GREAT FUN!Germany’s X-FactorCredit: Dream TeamAt the time of writing, the Germany midfielder appears in 21.7% of teams created, making him the third-most popular player in his position.The outlook is likely to change as more and more managers sign-up to play our Euros fantasy game across the next fortnight but it seems reasonable to assume Musiala will be among the most-selected players heading into Matchday 1.On the surface, this may seem a tad curious as he’s scored just two goals in 27 caps in senior international football.However, it should be taken into account that 20 of his appearances came as a teenager, when he was still finding his feet at the top level; similarly Jude Bellingham (£6m) has three goals in 29 caps for England on a similar trajectory.What’s really telling is that Germany’s coaches have felt that Musiala is a talent worthy of so many caps at such a young age.And there are signs he’s flicked the switch from promising youngster to a player one could build a team around.Most read in FootballMusiala produced some impressive performances in the Champions League this seasonCredit: PAHe scored ten goals and provided six assists in 24 Bundesliga outings for Bayern Munich this season (that number restricted due to injuries) which boils down further to a goal involvement every 110.4 minutes.Needless to say, these are the stats Dream Team bosses should be seeking from their midfielders, especially with goals and assists worth six and three points each this summer.It’s worth noting too that Musiala shone brightly in Germany’s friendly wins over France and Netherlands in March, providing an assist in each fixture.Those victories over strong opposition boosted morale among fans of Die Mannschaft after some worrying results in 2023 that led to Hansi Flick’s departure.Musiala’s potential to supply goal involvements is only one element of what makes him such an appealing option in Dream Team Euros.PLAY OUR EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE – FREE TO PLAY, IPHONE 15 PRO MAX TOP PRIZE!Musiala represented England at youth level before declaring for GermanyCredit: ReutersAs gaffers who played our regular season game will know, talented dribblers tend to earn their fair share of bonus points.This is because each successful dribble (and foul won) counts as a player performance park (PPM), which determine how bonus points are distributed – click here for further details about our scoring system.Despite the fact Musiala missed ten league games this term, only Leroy Sane (£5.5m) completed more successful dribbles in the top flight.Such stats only serve to reinforce what anyone who has watched him play has observed – the kid is a natural.It’s unclear whether Sane will start for Germany this summerCredit: GettyIn terms of pure talent, Germany’s midfield crop is certainly in the top tier among this summer’s trophy hopefuls.Florian Wirtz (£4.5m), Ilkay Gundogan (£4.4m), Toni Kroos (£3.5m) and the aforementioned Sane all boast impressive attributes but it’s notable that Musiala, who is capable of playing centrally or on either wing, is the most popular of the lot among Dream Team bosses at present.Many Germany fans are imploring Julian Nagelsmann to start both Musiala and Wirtz in tandem, offset with the experience of Kroos and Gundogan.It’s not unthinkable that Sane will initially be deployed as an impact substitute – he was suspended for those morale-boosting wins over France and Netherlands when Germany looked mightily improved.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe hosts face Scotland in the opening fixture of Euro 2024, with Switzerland and Hungary completing Group A, and it will be interesting to discover which stars Nagelsmann prioritises.But what’s clear from a Dream Team perspective is that Musiala’s attacking threat, coupled with his dribbling ability, makes him a seriously tempting option.Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

OUR Euros fantasy game offers Dream Team managers the chance to once again take charge of an XI starring Cristiano Ronaldo (£6m).The five-time Ballon d’Or winner still holds the record for most points earned in a single Dream Team campaign – he amassed 477 for Manchester United in 2007/08 – and as the all-time top goalscorer in international football history he is clearly an asset who deserves suitable consideration.Few players possess such aura and pedigree but at 39 years old the question will be asked whether he is still capable of lighting up a major international tournament?CLICK HERE TO PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW!Superstars don’t come biggerCredit: Dream TeamDream Team bosses keen on Ronaldo have plenty of reasons to be hopeful of mega returns.The prolific striker heads to Germany having plundered 50 goals in as many games for Al Nassr in 2023/24.He was ruthless during Euro 2024 qualifying too, scoring ten goals in nine outings – only Romelu Lukaku (£5.5m) bagged more.Ronaldo also registered the most shots on target (worth a point each in Dream Team Euros) during qualifying while no player averaged more shots per 90 minutes.Simply put, he’s a potent threat and arguably the most complete goalscorer to ever play the game.And broadly speaking, Portugal are well placed to go deep at Euro 2024.Most read in Dream TeamThey’re set to face Czech Republic, Turkey and Georgia in Group F, which has to be considered a relatively favourable draw.Portugal boast a strong squad for Euro 2024Credit: GettyAt £6m, Ronaldo is among the most-expensive players in Dream Team Euros but he’s £1.5m cheaper than Harry Kane (£7.5m) and Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m).Gaffers keen on a top-tier forward could select Ronaldo in place of either the England or France captain and invest the extra £1.5m elsewhere.The case for selecting Portugal’s talisman is strong but some gaffers will have their doubts.His scoring record in Saudi Arabia is impressive on paper but it’s difficult to gauge the standard of the league in relation to the European top tiers.Similarly, Roberto Martinez’s side came out of qualifying with the best record (most wins, most goals scored, fewest goals conceded) but they too benefited from some friendly match-ups.Half of Ronaldo’s goals came from three games against Lichtenstein and Luxembourg.The latter, currently sandwiched between Zambia and China in the world rankings, finished third in a weak group.Portugal could only beat what was put in front of them but there’s a suggestion Ronaldo might head to Germany having played against sub-par opposition for both club and country across the last 18 months.Therefore, there’s a chance he may be caught out by the sudden jump in standard expected at Euro 2024 – then again, he’s a man who has thrived under the brightest spotlights time and time again.Ronaldo triumphed at Euro 2016Credit: Getty ImagesExperienced Dream Team managers will remember Ronaldo quickly became an expensive asset to avoid at the 2022 World Cup.He scored a penalty in Portugal’s opening win over Ghana but after ineffective showings against Uruguay and South Korea, and behavioural issues, he was dropped from the starting line-up for the round of 16 and quarter-final, where his side were ultimately eliminated by Morocco.Of course, that was all Fernando Santos’ doing, who has since been replaced in the dugout by Martinez.The former Belgium coach has reinstated Ronaldo as first-choice striker.Dream Team managers have a big decision to make on RonaldoCredit: GettyWith just over two weeks until the tournament gets underway, Ronaldo currently features in 13.5% of teams created.That makes him the fourth most-selected striker at the time of writing but it will be interesting to see whether he gains or loses popularity as the Matchday 1 deadline nears.Few players have a higher ceiling when everything clicks but many gaffers will be reluctant to back a 39-year-old who has been playing in the Saudi Pro League for the last year.READ MORE SUN STORIESDecisions, decisions…PLAY OUR EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE GAME – IPHONE 15 PRO MAX UP FOR GRABS!Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

DREAM TEAM’S Euros fantasy game is available to play now with this summer’s tournament set to kick off in Germany on June 14th.Understandably, almost every manager will be focused on the creation of their initial XI at this stage but it’s imperative all gaffers fully understand how Matchdays will work; and how transfers are allocated.PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW – £50,000 PRIZE POT, FREE TO PLAY, GREAT FUN!Excitement for Dream Team Euros is building by the dayCredit: Dream TeamMATCHDAYSDream Team’s Euros fantasy game is divided into seven scoring periods known as Matchdays.
Matchday 1 – first round of group fixtures (12 games)
Matchday 2 – second round of groups fixtures (12 games)
Matchday 3 – third round of group fixtures (12 games)
Matchday 4 – round of 16 fixtures (8 games)
Matchday 5 – quarter-finals (4 games)
Matchday 6 – semi-finals (2 games)
Matchday 7 – final (1 game)
Each Matchday begins one hour before the first game of the relevant scoring period kicks off so the deadline for Matchday 1 is 7pm on June 14th, an hour before Germany take on Scotland in the opening fixture.Matchday 1 will conclude with Portugal v Czech Republic on June 18th, after which point all 24 teams present at the tournament will have played once.It’s important you lock in your starting team before that first deadline because any changes made after 7pm won’t come into effect until Matchday 2.To be clear, if you transfer one England player out for another on Sunday June 16th based on a leaked starting line-up, that change won’t go through until three days later, when Matchday 2 begins.Once the tournament is underway, make sure you adhere to the Matchday deadlines when making transfers, playing Boosters and selecting your captain.Don’t forget our Euros Bracket Challenge!Credit: Dream TeamPLAY OUR EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE GAME – IPHONE 15 PRO MAX UP FOR GRABS!TRANSFERSYou are free to make unlimited transfers prior to Matchday 1 as this will enable you to experiment with various formations, combinations and strategies.Once the tournament begins, you will be allocated a certain number of transfers dependent on the Matchday.
Matchday 1 – unlimited transfers (prior to deadline)
Matchday 2 – three transfers
Matchday 3 – three transfers
Matchday 4 – unlimited transfers (before round of 16)
Matchday 5 – five transfers
Matchday 6 – five transfers
Matchday 7 – five transfers
As you can see, your initial XI should be relatively tailored to the group stage as a whole as you’ll only have a maximum of three transfers prior to Matchday 2 and the same again for Matchday 3.However, unlimited transfers before Matchday 4 (round of 16 fixtures) will allow you to build your team from the ground up in preparation for the knockout stages if you so desire.It’s important to note that your overall budget will increase from £50million to £53million from Matchday 5 onwards.This should allow you to select a fully active XI even if all the so-called big teams (with their more expensive players) make it to the last eight.Use your transfers to keep your team in tip-top shapeUnlike our regular season fantasy game, transfers can not be rolled over from one Matchday to the next.Transfers can be reversed, however, by pressing ‘undo’ when managing your team for the upcoming Gameweek.For example, if you wish to swap Harry Kane for Kylian Mbappe between Gameweeks 2 and 3 but later read that the France forward is an injury doubt, you can reverse the transfer (prior to the Matchday deadline) and revert to England’s captain – you will also get the transfer back.It’s also worth noting that you are not obligated to make any transfers.If you believe your XI is well set up for Matchday 2 after doing well in Matchday 1 then it’s perfectly reasonable to not change anything.Needless to say, you should use your transfers to react to the unfolding drama of the tournament and improve the point-scoring ability of your XI.CLICK HERE TO PLAY EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR NOW – £5,000 PRIZE POT!Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

THINK you have an idea of how this summer’s Euros will play out?Dream Team’s Euros Score Predictor game invites you to forecast the results of all 51 matches set to take place at this summer’s tournament.The more accurate your predictions prove to be, the more points you’ll gain and the higher you’ll appear on the overall leaderboard.After the final, the entrant with the most points will bank a whopping £3,500 – with £1,500 for the runner-up and £500 for third.Just like our Euros fantasy game, Euros Score Predictor is free to play and will surely enhance your enjoyment of this summer’s football extravaganza.And why not play in Mini Leagues against your mates (or colleagues, family members, etc) so you can battle it out for bragging rights?CLICK HERE TO PLAY EUROS SCORE PREDICTOR NOW – £5,000 PRIZE POT!Submit your predictions for Matchday 1 now!Credit: Dream TeamEuros Score Predictor is divided into seven Matchdays that align with the tournament’s format:
Matchday 1 – first round of group fixtures (12 games)
Matchday 2 – second round of group fixtures (12 games)
Matchday 3 – third round of group fixtures (12 games)
Matchday 4 – round of 16 fixtures (8 games)
Matchday 5 – quarter-finals (4 games)
Matchday 6 – semi-finals (2 games)
Matchday 7 – final (1 game)
You have to submit your predictions for every fixture in the upcoming Matchday for your entry to be valid but you can subsequently alter predictions right up until kick-off for each relevant game.Most read in FootballSo for Matchday 1, you must first submit predictions for all 12 of the group games set to take place from June 14th until June 18th.However, if you initially predict a 4-0 win for France over Austria, for example, but news breaks of an injury crisis among Didier Deschamps’ squad then you’ll be able to tweak your score for that fixture when you get a look at Les Bleus’ depleted line-up.You are free to submit predictions for the first three Matchdays (entire group stage) right now if you wish but, whatever your preference, just make sure you’ve entered the full allotment of predictions for each Matchday before it gets underway.Play Dream Team’s Euros fantasy game this summer!Credit: Dream TeamCLICK HERE TO PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW!As previously mentioned, you will score points based on the accuracy of your predictions.Here’s how points are earned:
Correct outcome +4 pts
Correct score bonus +3pts
Correct ‘home team’ goals +1 pt
Correct ‘away team’ goals +1 pt
Correct score difference +1 pt
Of course, all teams bar Germany will be on foreign soil this summer but each fixture has a designated ‘home team’ and ‘away team’ – the former is always listed first.The term ‘correct outcome’ refers to the general result of the match in question – home win, draw or away win.If, for example, you predict Germany to beat Scotland 4-0 in the tournament’s opening game but it actually ends 2-1 to the hosts, you would still earn four points for correctly predicting the winning team.However, if you accurately predict a 2-1 win for Julian Nagelsmann’s side then you would bank ten points in one fell swoop – four points for the correct outcome, three points for the exact score, and one point each for the numbers of home goals, away goals and correct score difference.It’s important to note that results are measured at the end of normal time (90 minutes plus stoppage time) once the knockout stages are underway – extra time and penalty shootouts are irrelevant for the purposes of Euros Score Predictor.For example, if you predict a 2-2 draw between Portugal and Netherlands in the quarter-finals and it finishes that way at the end of normal time, you will receive ten points, even if Cristiano Ronaldo goes on to score a winner in extra time.Cristiano Ronaldo won the Euros with Portugal in 2016Credit: Getty – ContributorThese are the fixtures for Matchday 1:
Germany v Scotland
Hungary v Switzerland
Spain v Croatia
Italy v Albania
Poland v Netherlands
Slovenia v Denmark
Serbia v England
Romania v Ukraine
Belgium v Slovakia
Austria v France
Turkey v Georgia
Portugal v Czechia
Can you spot the one-sided thrashings, the damp squibs and the shocking upsets?If not, feel free to select one of the ‘quick picks’ under each fixture and this will fill in a common prediction for you.By all means, dig deep into the stats and form relevant to each match-up if you like but if you opt for sheer gut instinct – a method used by several Score Predictor winners during the regular season – then it will only take mere seconds to enter your predictions for each Matchday.READ MORE SUN STORIESWith a £5,000 prize pot up for grabs, why not get involved via our app or website today?PLAY OUR EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE GAME – IPHONE 15 PRO MAX UP FOR GRABS!Dream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euros fantasy game More

DREAM TEAM introduced a new and improved scoring system for the 2023/24 season and our Euros fantasy game will more or less follow suit.However, we have made some slight tweaks based on user feedback that will create an even more engaging experience for managers this summer.Whether you’re new to Dream Team or an experienced gaffer, it’s important you understand all the ways players will score points once Matchday 1 gets underway.PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS FANTASY GAME NOW – £50,000 PRIZE POT, FREE TO PLAY, GREAT FUN!Goals are more important than ever this summerCredit: Dream TeamPOINTS BREAKDOWNAll Players:
Goal +6 pts
Assist +3 pts
Shot on target +1 pt
Big chance created +1 pt
Tackles (per two) +1 pt
Appearance (up to 60 minutes) +1 pt
Appearance (60 minutes or more) +1 pt
Yellow card -1 pt
Red card -3 pts
Own goal -2 pts
Penalty miss -3 pts
Goalkeepers & Defenders only:
Clean sheet (minimum 60 minutes played) +5 pts
Each goal conceded over one -1 pt
Goalkeepers only:
Saves (per two) +1 pt
Penalty save +3 pts
Most read in FootballIt’s important to note the increased value placed on goals and assists, previously worth five and two points respectively.This change means goal involvements are more important than ever and you should ensure your XI is stacked full of players capable of pinpoint finishes or killer passes.Please note that all the statistical elements (big chances created, tackles, etc) are determined by the boffins at Opta – nobody knows numbers better in the world of football.Joao Palhinha makes a lot of tackles for both club and countryCredit: GettyDream Team’s Nick Elliott previews this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament gameAdditionally, players are also able to earn Bonus Points if they positively contribute to their team’s performance in ways not covered by the aforementioned actions.Players do this by accumulating Player Performances Marks (PPM) based on certain statistical achievements within any given fixture.
5 – 7 PPM = 1 Bonus Point
8 – 11 PPM = 3 Bonus Points
12+ PPM = 5 Bonus Points
PLAYER PERFORMANCE MARKSAll Players:
Successful Dribble +1
Accurate Cross +1
Pass Completion Rate* (70-80%) +1
Pass Completion Rate* (80-90%) +2
Pass Completion Rate* (90%+) +3
Interception +1
Foul Won +1
Block +1
Goal Outside Of The Penalty Area +1
Offside -1
Foul Conceded -1
Error Leading To Goal -2
Goalkeepers only:Successful Claim +1Successful Punch +1Keeper Sweep +1*Minimum number of 25 passes required to be awarded pass completion rate PPMsFoden earned plenty of bonus points during the regular seasonCredit: GettyAs an example, imagine you have selected Phil Foden for England’s first group game against Serbia in Matchday 1.If the Manchester City midfielder completes three successful dribbles (+3 PPM), wins two free-kicks (+2), completes 84% of his 50 passes (+2) but gets caught offside once (-1) then he will finish with six Players Performance Marks, which equates to one Bonus Point earned on top of any other points he may have earned from goals, assists, shots on targets, etc.READ MORE SUN STORIESFor full transparency, you can check each players’ PPM for any fixture using Dream Team’s Match Centre.PLAY OUR EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE – FREE TO PLAY, IPHONE 15 PRO MAX TOP PRIZE! More