The end of Euro 2024 is drawing closer and ahead of Sunday’s final between heavyweights Spain and England, here is a look back at the highlights of the tournament.
Star man
It only seems right that this award goes to a player from one of the finalists and, with England underwhelming until an improved showing in their semi-final victory over the Netherlands, Spain’s Lamine Yamal looks the standout candidate.
Obvious, perhaps, but this will go down as the tournament in which a star was born as the 16-year-old has the potential to reach genius status.
Yamal - who turns 17 on the eve of the final - is creating history and he could do something Lionel Messi never managed as a teenager by winning a major international tournament.
The Barcelona prodigy became the youngest man to score in the tournament's history with his superb equaliser against France in the semi-final and he tops the assist pile with three.
Best goal
Yamal’s wonder-strike in the last-four rumble with France and a Jude Bellingham last-gasp overhead kick to spare England’s blushes against Slovakia are the two obvious contenders.
But if England go on to be crowned champions then Bellingham’s moment of magnificence will have to edge proceedings as his instinctive finish is the only reason they are still in the tournament.
The Three Lions were seconds away from an embarrassing last-16 elimination in Gelsenkirchen but the Real Madrid superstar went airborne in the penalty area to send Marc Guehi’s headed flick past Martin Dubravka in spectacular fashion.
Magic moment
Given the events that unfolded in the first half of Denmark’s opening game at Euro 2020, it was truly a special moment to see Christian Eriksen open his team’s Euro 2024 account in the 1-1 draw with Slovenia.
The Group C curtain-raiser took place exactly 1,100 days on from the moment that Denmark's number ten suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch so it was remarkable to see him doing what he does best on the European stage three years later.
Best kit
A difficult heat featuring a lot of plain strips but hosts Germany pulled it out of the bag with something mirroring their classic 1994 shirt with those red, yellow and black shoulders.
It’s simple but effective while other mentions go to Scotland, the Netherlands, Croatia and Georgia.
Surprise package
Georgia are going to hog these headlines after stunning Portugal in the group stages of their first major tournament on their way to the knockout stages.
However, they were blown away 4-1 by Spain in the last 16 so perhaps Turkey deserve to take this mantle.
Chalked up as dark horses at Euro 2020, Turkey failed in spectacular fashion but they were a joy to watch in Germany, upsetting Austria in the round of 16 before suffering a 2-1 loss in the quarter-final to the Netherlands, when they displayed great character in pursuit of a late equaliser.
In Real Madrid teenager Arda Guler they have a star that can take them to the next level and it was impressive to see the intensity that they played with.
Match of the tournament
A number of matches involving heavyweight nations have disappointed but the quarter-final between Spain and Germany was a belter.
It was the most anticipated match of the tournament so far and it lived up to expectations with Mikel Merino's 119th-minute goal sending Spain into the final four.
Dani Olmo had given La Roja a deserved lead six minutes into the second half but Germany finished with a flourish and Florian Wirtz levelled matters with a minute to go.
There were chances galore and referee Anthony Taylor dished out 14 yellow cards and one red over the course of a frantic contest.
