Top 20 Players Of EURO 2012

These international players make soccer worth watching. They are so used to playing soccer they make it seem as an easy thing to do. Are they playing soccer for the love of it or for the millions they make out of it? Whatever the conclusion maybe they do deserve recognition.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, POR

Stats
• Scored 100th La Liga goal in 5-1 victory over Real Sociedad on March 24, 2012. He reached the century mark in 92 league matches, making him the second fastest player in La Liga history to the 100-goal mark (Isidro Lángara, 82)
• Owns second and third highest single-season goal totals in La Liga history with 46 goals in 2011-12 and 40 goals in 2010-11 (Lionel Messi scored 50 goals in 2011-12)
• Has only two international goals in his past three major international competitions (2006 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup)
• Has six goals directly from free kicks in league play since the start of the 2010-11 season, most in La Liga
• 86 La Liga goals over the past two seasons, more than any other player. He scored 61 goals with his right foot, 14 with his left foot and 11 with his head
2. Andres Iniesta, SPA

Stats
• 10 career goals for Spain, including game-winning goal in extra time at 2010 World Cup final.
• Barcelona is undefeated in 46 of 48 matches in which Iniesta has played this season.
• Iniesta’s streak of 42 consecutive unbeaten matches with Barcelona was snapped by Chelsea in the Champions League semis.
• Played for Spain’s U-20 side that reached the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship final in the United Arab Emirates, and was named to the All-Tournament team.
• Ninth in La Liga with 51 successful one-on-one take-ons in 2011-12.

3. Xavi, SPA

Stats
• 19 titles with Barcelona, most in club history
• Third all-time in appearances with the Spanish national team with 108
• Has scored 11 goals with the national team, including two in Euro qualifying
• Won Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup with Spain, and was voted player of the tournament at Euro 2008
• Xavi led the 2011-12 La Liga in passes completed with 2,716
4. Robin van Persie, NED

Stats
• 48 Premier League goals over the past two seasons, 10 more than any other player
• 132 goals for Arsenal, eighth-most in club history
• Arsenal was 19-3-3 in matches when Van Persie scored last season (all competitions)
• Scored six goals in six Euro 2012 qualifying matches
• Only goal at 2010 FIFA World Cup was against Cameroon in the Netherlands’ final group game

5. Mesut Ozil, GER

Stats
• First in 2011-12 La Liga with 103 scoring chances created for Real Madrid
• Seven assists in Euro 2012 qualifying, tied with Sweden’s Kim Kallstrom for first overall
• Scored five goals during qualifying and 14 of his 20 shots were on goal
• Eight goals in 31 appearances for Germany since his debut in 2009 (through May 18)
• Germany’s record with Özil in the lineup is 22-5-4 (through May 18)
6. Wayne Rooney, ENG

Stats
• Two goals shy of becoming the eighth English player with 30 international goals
• England’s youngest-ever goalscorer, striking at 17 years and 317 days in a Euro 2004 qualifying victory in Macedonia in 2003
• Only teenager ever to score for England at a European Championship, tallying four goals at age 18 in 2004
• Six career Premier League hat tricks, most by any Manchester United player
• Led Manchester United and was sixth in the Premier League with 623 passes completed in the final third of the field in 2011-12

7. David Silva, SPA

Stats
• 15 goals with the national team, including four in the past four games
• Played in five games at Euro 2008 and scored a goal against Russia
• Led Premier League with 851 passes completed into final third in 2011-12
• Third on Man City and 12th in 2011-12 Premier League with 1,822 passes completed
• Manchester City bought him from Valencia for $37.3 million in 2010
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, SWE

Stats
• 29 goals in 75 appearances for Sweden, tied for seventh all-time with Martin Dahlin
• Led Serie A with 28 goals in the 2011-12 season, four ahead of Inter’s Diego Milito. Ibrahimovic’s previous single-season career high was 25 (2008-09 with Inter)
• Caught offside 22 times in Champions League play, most in the competition and seven more than the next player (Gonzalo Higuain, 15)
• Completed 513 passes in the final third this season, most of any player in Serie A
• Successfully beat defenders in one-on-one situations 71 times in 32 games during Serie A play (2.2 times per game). In Champions League, Ibrahimovic successfully took on defenders five times in eight games (0.6 times per game)
9. Bastian Schweinsteiger, GER

Stats
• He has scored 23 goals in 90 appearances for Germany since his debut in 2004 (through May 18)
• Germany’s record with Schweinsteiger in the lineup is 59-16-15 (through May 18)
• Helped Germany to third-place finishes at both the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups
• Scored two goals in the 2006 third-place victory against Portugal
• Won the domestic double with Bayern Munich five times (2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10)
10. Arjen Robben, NED

Stats
• Scored game-winning goal against Uruguay in semifinals of 2010 FIFA World Cup.
• After his contributions with Bayern Munich in 2010, he was named Footballer of the Year In Germany, the only Dutch player to ever win the award.
• Won league title in four different European top-flight competitions (Eredivisie, Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga) over a span of eight years.
• His teams have won 7 of 9 domestic cup finals across 6 different competitions.
• Has been sold to four clubs for a total of 82.3 million Euros.
11. Luka Modric, CRO

Stats
• 8 goals in 54 appearances for Croatia since his debut in 2006
• His fourth-minute penalty against Austria at Euro 2008 was the fastest penalty ever awarded at the European Championship
• Named to UEFA Team of the Tournament at Euro 2008, becoming the second Croatian to achieve the honor
• Named Prva NHL (top eague in Croatia) Player of the Year in 2007 for Dinamo Zagreb
• Named One Hotspur Player of the Year for Tottenham in 2010-11

12. Franck Ribery, FRA

Stats
• Signed by Bayern Munich for club-record $33 million in 2007
• 7 goals in 57 appearances for France, though his last goal was in April 2009
• Two-time French Player of the Year (2007, 2008)
• 2008 German Footballer of the Year
• Second most UEFA Euros appearances on French squad, with 18 including qualifying
13. Iker Casillas, SPA

Stats
• Spain’s all-time leader with 128 caps
• Spain’s all-time leader with 72 clean sheets, tied with Edwin van der Sar for most in international soccer history
• Captained Spain’s winning sides at Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup. Also won Under-20 World Cup with Spain in 1999
• Has won 93 matches with Spain, one away from tying Lilian Thuram’s record with France for most wins in international soccer history
• Became the youngest goalkeeper to start a Champions League Final (age 19) in 2000

14. Wesley Sneijder, NED

Stats
• Second most right-footed chances created (62) in the 2010-11 Champions League
• 6 assists were tied for the third most in Euro 2012 qualifying
• Scored two goals in Netherlands’ comeback win over Brazil in the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
• Won league title in three different European top-flight competitions (Eredivisie, La Liga, Serie A)
• Won all three Italian trophies with Inter Milan in 2010-11 (Serie A, Coppa Italia, Italian Super Cup)
15. Cesc Fabregas, SPA

Stats
• Became youngest player to appear for Spain at the World Cup when he faced Ukraine in 2006, aged 19 years and 41 days
• Has scored 8 goals for the national team, including one against Russia at Euro 2008
• Was youngest ever to play and score for Arsenal when he debuted, though both marks have since been broken by Jack Wilshere
• Second on Barcelona with 15 goals and third with 11 assists in 2011-12
• Ninth in passes completed in the 2011-12 Champions League with 519
16. Philipp Lahm, GER

Stats
• Captain of the national team since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when he became the youngest captain in Germany’s World Cup history
• Completed more passes overall (2,358) than any player in the Bundesliga this season
• Named to the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team for both the 2006 and 2010 tournaments and was the only Germany player to appear for the maximum 690 minutes in 2006
• 85 appearances for since his debut in 2004 and has scored four goals (through May 18)
• Germany’s record with Lahm in the lineup is 61-12-12 (through May 18)

17. Karim Benzema, FRA

Stats
• 2011 French Player of the Year
• Currently France’s leading active scorer with 13 goals
• Scored in international debut in a 2007 friendly versus Austria
• Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2008 after leading league with 20 goals
• Tied for first in UEFA Champions League with 5 assists in 2011-12 season
18. Thomas Muller, GER

Stats
• Named “Best Young Player” at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and also won the Golden Boot (overall leading scorer) with five goals and three assists
• Three goals and five assists during Euro 2012 qualifying
• He has scored 10 goals in 26 appearances for Germany since his debut in 2010. (through May 18)
• Germany’s record with Müller in the lineup is 19-4-3. (through May 18)
• Scored his first two Bundesliga goals in a 5-1 win at Borussia Dortmund in September 2009

19. Daniele De Rossi, ITA

Stats
• Signed a new five-year deal with Roma in 2012, making him the highest paid Italian player in Serie A
• Led Italy in successful passes completed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
• Collected at least 10 cards in all competitions for six consecutive seasons from 2004 to 2010, finishing as Roma’s most disciplined player four times
• Italian Footballer of the Year in 2009
• Scored Italy’s third shootout goal in the 2006 World Cup Final, following a four-match ban for a straight red card against the United States in the group stage
20. Gerard Pique, SPA

Stats
• Has 38 caps with the senior national team (also represented Spain in the Under-20 FIFA World Cup)
• Has scored four goals with the national team, but none since Oct. 14, 2009
• Third on Barcelona with 40 aerial challenges in 2011-12
• Has won 16 trophies at the club level: three with Manchester United and 13 with Barcelona
• One of three players to have represented two different clubs that have won the Champions League in successive years. The others are Marcel Desailly (Marseille and AC Milan) and Paulo Sousa (Juventus and Borussia Dortmund)