Italy will come against England at the Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, July 11, 2021, at 3:00 PM (ET) in the UEFA European Championship 2020 Final. The Wembley Stadium in London will host the tournament finale since it has the highest capacity of all of the stadiums. However, this article is not about the decisive soccer game's preview, stats, or predictions. This time, Bolavip has made a survey so you can choose your favorite player for each position before the big Euro 2020 final.
If we take a look player by player, we will probably notice that both teams have some of the biggest names, not only in European soccer but also in the world. Many of them have fared incredibly well on club level during the 2019/20 season, but it's time for them to conquer the national stage, with only one country being crowned the new European champions.
This won't be a usual survey, so here you will have to pick a player for each position, starting with the goalkeeper, of course. So, before the Euro 2020 Final between Italy and England, who is your favorite player for each position?
Gianluigi Donnarumma vs Jordan Pickford
Italy have an astonishing record of being unbeaten since August 10, 2018. Of course, the defensive players are to be "blamed" for this incredible stat, but one can't ever take Donnarumma's merit away. The Paris Saint-Germain-bound shot-stopper has let only three goals in this tournament, against Austria, Belgium, and Spain.
Meanwhile, England have conceded only one goal in the competition, and Denmark being the lone country to force Pickford to pick up the ball from inside the net. Not even the great 2014 World Cup winner, Germany could beat the Everton goalkeeper in the Round of 16.
Emerson vs Luke Shaw
Leonardo Spinazzola had played really well for Italy in the Euro 2020 but unfortunately, for the left-back, the tournament ended prematurely. He suffered an Achilles tendon injury against Belgium in the Quarter-Finals. As a result, Chelsea's Emerson has replaced him in the starting lineup. However, during the season, Emerson hadn't featured a lot, with Blues coach Thomas Tuchel preferring Ben Chilwell and Marcos Alonso ahead of him. Emerson has three Euro 2020 appearances so far.
On the other hand, the 25-year-old Shaw has become one of the most distinguished players for both his club and country over the last 12 months following a few seasons of stagnation. Manchester United's defender has been one of the leading players in the competition with three assists so far.
Giorgio Chiellini vs Harry Maguire
One of the world's most experienced defensive veterans, Giorgio Chiellini will likely play his final game with the Italy national team on Sunday. He has been performing very well. His body language was remarkable in contrast to Jordi Alba before the coin toss. The Italian was laid-back, rushing over after his Spanish colleague and grabbing him by the shoulder for an unwelcome grip. Chiellini has featured in all Euro games on the tournament.
Harry Maguire, who is often criticized for his performances, proved everyone wrong after his masterclass against Denmark in the Semis. On a night when the Three Lions won a big international semi-final, the Manchester United man performed valiantly at the back. Along with John Stones, he was dominant in defense, winning the bulk of his aerial duels. The 28-year-old even netted one goal against Ukraine in the Quarter-Final.
Leonardo Bonucci vs John Stones
Alongside Chiellini, another veteran, Leonardo Bonucci has granted Italy the flexibility to advance to the verge of a Euro 2020 title. The captain of Juventus has displayed tremendous wit, some raw power, a great deal of talent, and has spiced up the spectacle with the occasional splash of gamesmanship.
In Euro 2020, John Stones has been a key component in the historic success of the England national team. So far, the Manchester City center-back has started every game in the competition. The 4-0 Quarter-Final victory over Ukraine was Stones' fifth clean sheet in a row, beating the previous record set by Bobby Moore in 1966.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo vs Kyle Walker
Italy's right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo has made a meteoric climb in the previous four years, rising from Serie C, Italy's third division, to appearing in the final of a European Championship. He came in as a substitute in the first game against Turkey and has been an undisputed starter since Alessandro Florenzi's injury.
Kyle Walker is the England squad's oldest member. The 31-year-old is back on a grimmer period with the national team following 60 caps throughout a decade, as he sees the youthful group, keen to win a major tournament with the Three Lions. So far, he has faced strong opponents on the right side, but it is not a coincidence that none of these players were able to produce a single goal or even record a shot on target.
Marco Verratti vs Declan Rice
Verratti is definitely the person who leads Italy's midfield, but Roberto Mancini had to prepare for Euro 2020, knowing that practically the PSG star would be ruled out of the entire Group Stage. The Italians were lucky enough to have Sassuolo's Manuel Locatelli, who fit in the squad right away. After returning from the injury, Verratti reclaimed his place and he has assisted for a goal twice.
For England, Declan Rice has been of elite caliber in the Euros. The West Ham midfielder will start on Sunday in the seventh Euro 2020 game when the Three Lions face Italy at Wembley. He has created a fantastic combination with Kalvin Phillips at the base of Gareth Southgate midfield with England conceding only one goal thus far.
Jorginho vs Mason Mount
Jorginho is so vital to the Azzurri system of Roberto Mancini that only Gianluigi Donnarumma has participated in this event for more minutes than him. Without him, Italy are nothing. He did eight interceptions against an opposing midfield unit in the Semi-Final battle against Spain in order to pass around him - this was more than any player in a single game in the history of the European Championships.
Jorginho will be up against his Chelsea teammate Mason Mount. And one of Chelsea's pair will become only the tenth player in history to win both the Champions League and the Euros in the same season. The UEFA Champions League 2019/20 winner with the Blues has limited Jack Grealish to 153 minutes spread in four Euro games, coming off from the bench in all four of them.
Nicolo Barella vs Kalvin Phillips
With his superb goal against Belgium in the quarters, Nicolo Barella has made history for Italy. His opening goal in the 2-1 triumph means Italy had scored more goals than ever before any previous tournament (10). The last time Italy scored more goals in a major tournament was in 2006 when they won the World Cup, scoring 12 goals.
Fans in England and abroad have taken note of Kalvin Phillips ever since he set up Raheem Sterling for England's first goal of Euro 2020 against Croatia. The England midfielder has appeared in every game in the competition so far, repaying Gareth Southgate's trust in him.
Lorenzo Insigne vs Raheem Sterling
Lorenzo Insigne's goal against Belgium was so beautiful, cutting from right into the far corner of the net and curling the ball so accurately from the edge of the area that Thibaut Courtois was unable to catch it. In his most profitable season, the Napoli striker scored 19 goals but has already reached double numbers in six consecutive seasons. The 30-year-old has another goal from the opening game against Turkey.
It is easy to overlook the fact that Raheem Sterling is just 26. He is one of the Italian defense's most dreaded nightmares. Sterling netted against Croatia, Czech Republic, and Germany and he was a key player again in the Semis, forcing an own goal by Denmark and then an extra-time penalty that Kane converted on the second attempt.
Ciro Immobile vs Harry Kane
Immobile, who has recorded 15 goals in 51 Azzurri appearances, has had a great start to his Euro 2020 trip, with two goals and an assist his team's first two games. The 31-year-old has started five of Italy's six games, missing just the triumph against Wales in the Group Stage. He is just one of the five Italian players with two goals in Euro 2020, and their sixth different goalscorer in the tournament.
Captain Kane would be able to raise the first prize for England
in 55 years if they beat Italy. If Gareth Southgate's side win, Kane will become only the second England captain after Bobby Moore to lift a major tournament trophy. If The Three Lions win and the 27-year-old striker adds another goal to his tally, he would join Cristiano Ronaldo and Patrik Schick as the tournament's highest scorer, putting him in the company of Wayne Rooney, Gary Lineker, and Alan Shearer as the country's leading scorer.
Federico Chiesa vs Bukayo Saka
Federico Chiesa had not yet been born when his father scored for Italy in a European Championship match in England. Federico's chance to present himself to an English audience came twenty-five years later. The younger Chiesa, who came on as an 84th-minute replacement in Italy's Euro 2020 last-16 match against Austria at Wembley, broke the stalemate at the start of the extra time. He subsequently nodded in another goal against Spain in the Semi-Finals.
Surprisingly, Bukayo Saka was chosen on the right-wing in the three-man attack of England at the beginning of Euro 2020 and has since been able to retain his spot in the starting lineup. In competition with the new Manchester United signing Jadon Sancho, it is Saka who has dominated and even played a pivotal role in England's road to the Final. The fact that Sancho has only played 97 minutes in the tournament speaks for the efforts of the Arsenal player.
