Euro 2024 group stages best XI as Germany dominate and even one England star makes it

Triumph, despair and more own goals than you can shake several sticks at. Those were the Euro 2024 group stages then.

Eight sides have been eliminated following the sometimes endless permutations, and now we're into knockout football when the last-16 begins in earnest on Saturday when Switzerland take on Italy in Berlin.

We've got a little break now though, and so what better time to come up with, argue over and potentially get irrationally angry about the best XI of the group stages?

You know the drill. Read ours below and then drop yours in the comments section, but be nice about it.

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy)

The Italian captain began the tournament by hailing the influence of Gianluigi Buffon, who is with the squad in the support role filled by Gianluca Vialli at Euro 2020, and at times he's needed to be just a good as the 2006 World Cup winner.

Donnarumma made a crucial late save from Albania's Rey Manaj to preserve the three points in Italy's opener, while he also saved a penalty from Luka Modric as the Azzurri scraped through the group stages. Without their skipper, they might well be going home already.

Right-back: Zan Karnicnik (Slovenia)

Karnicnik impressed against England

He's 29, he isn't exactly a sexy name you'll see in the transfer gossip columns, and he has no real pedigree in the club game having only played in Slovenia and Bulgaria, but the 6ft right-back has been having a tournament to remember.

Karnicnik played every minute of Slovenia's historic group stage campaign as they made it to the knockout stages of a tournament for the very first time, scoring their goal in the 1-1 draw with Serbia and impressing as they kept a clean sheet against England.

Centre-back: Marc Guehi (England)

Yes England haven't been too fun to watch in attack, but that isn't Marc Guehi's fault. Tournaments are often where players emerge as new stars and mainstays for their country, and the Crystal Palace defender has taken advantage of the injury to Harry Maguire to do just that.

Guehi has been impressive when playing the ball out from the back for England, and while there may be quite a lot wrong with Gareth Southgate's side, he isn't one of those things.

Centre-back: Jaka Bijol (Slovenia)

Bijol has been a solid presence for Serbia

We're going to get statty for a moment here, as prior to Wednesday's final group stage matches the players with the second-highest amount of clearances in the tournament were Virgil van Dijk of the Netherlands, Poland's Jan Bednarek and the Georgia defender Guram Kashia with 15. Top is Slovenia's Jaka Bijol on 27.

That's a huge difference, and shows just how much work Bijol and the Slovenia defenders have had to do in order to reach the last 16. The 25-year-old has impressed with Udinese in Serie A and looks to be one to watch.

Left-back: Maximilian Mittelstadt (Germany)

Germany may have more eye-catching players than the Stuttgart left-back, but he's impressed despite being perhaps the least familiar player to many in the starting line-up.

The 27-year-old constantly got forward in the opening game of the tournament against Scotland, and he followed that impressive display with an assist for Ilkay Gundogan in the 2-0 win over Hungary. He's a constant outlet down the left and will be crucial for the remainder of the tournament.

Midfield: N'Golo Kante (France)

N'Golo Kante has rolled back the years for France

Having left the Premier League for Saudi Arabia and been out of the France squad for two years it would have been very easy to conclude that Kante was finished with France. And that would have been wrong.

Now 33, Kante turned in man of the match displays in France's first two matches of the tournament, and, although notoriously shy, he seems to be enjoying himself as one of the elder statesmen in a France side packed with young talents which hasn't quite hit the heights just yet.

Midfield: Fabian Ruiz (Spain)

It was a close call between the Paris Saint-Germain star and Germany's brilliant Toni Kroos, but Ruiz has probably just exerted more personal influence over matches, scoring in Spain's opening victory over Croatia to boot.

He's proving to be a perfect foil for Rodri in midfield, as the two intelligently combine what is good about both of their games to great effect in what is elsewhere a young side packed with talent.

Midfield: Marcel Sabitzer (Austria)

Sabitzer has been a steady presence for Austria

Having arrived into the tournament off the back of reaching the Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund, Sabitzer has taken his all-action style into the Euros and helped Austria win a group that included France and the Netherlands.

Sabitzer's winner beat the Dutch to secure that group stage success, and he is pretty much the perfect player for Ralf Rangnick's hard pressing, hard working team.

Forward: Jamal Musiala (Germany)

It is a tournament that hasn't really had a superstar just yet, but if there has to be one then Musiala is probably the closest one to it.

Stationed on the right of the Germany attack, the Bayern Munich youngster has been terrific as both a goal threat and creative force for his side coming off the flank. His image beams back at you from every major German city you visit, and this could end up being his summer.

Forward: Niclas Fullkrug (Germany)

Niclas Fullkrug is Germany's cult hero No.9

He's the rough and ready No.9 who has become a cult hero with the Germany fans, many of whom want him to start matches in attack in place of Kai Havertz.

But Fullkrug has become the super sub for the hosts, often causing havoc after coming off the bench in games and scoring two goals thus far, with a third against Scotland disallowed. He's someone you wouldn't want to play against, and he could yet have a huge say in the tournament.

Forward: Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)

When you watch him for Liverpool there is sometimes a sense that Gakpo just needs to believe in himself a bit more, as the raw materials are clearly there.

He's looked threatening for the Dutch though, often impressively cutting in from the left and firing goalwards with his right foot, all with style and all with speed. He's a key player for his national side, and seems to have taken on the goalscoring mantle for them.

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