The preliminary round, the first half of the European Championship, is over. Some players have already attracted attention – some with their performance, others with special stories. These are the favorite players of the ZEIT ONLINE sports editorial team.
Yes, yes, one should be careful with Beckenbauer comparisons. But the way Riccardo Calafiori grabbed the ball in the last minute of stoppage time against Croatia, how casually he initiated a one-two, how effortlessly he penetrated the dangerous zone in front of the opponent’s defense and how smartly he passed to the eventual goalscorer, all of that was very reminiscent of the Kaiser. “He doesn’t slide tackle if he doesn’t have to, and he doesn’t shoot a ball under the stadium roof if he doesn’t have to (…). I never tire of saying it: for me, he is the best player of this European Championship,” said Christoph Kramer on ZDF, the Calafiori among the TV experts. (Christian Spiller)
